Does anyone know a grocery store where I can reliably buy a good kosher wiener? I’d like to find Baldwin Street dogs. They hit that balance in flavour, texture, and size for me. Love the Olde Spadina dogs they sell at Rogers Centre too. So tasty.
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I don’t ordinarily nosh on hot dogs, but I do shop at Nortown Foods, of which there are three in Toronto, all kosher, no pork anywhere on the premises - they’re closed on Saturdays, the Jewish Sabbath - and I notice that they feature a large-ish array of kosher dogs in their meat section. I’ve only sampled their veal sausages (packs of four for $10-$11, sold by weight), which I liked a lot, though their stubby size
may not be to your liking. Still, the rest of the selection seems to offer classic hot dog sizes. You’re in Scarborough? Then the closest Nortown branch will probably be in a plaza on the southwest corner of Bayview Ave. and York Mills Rd. Can’t remember if they carry the Baldwin Street dogs.
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The billy bishop location of Costco has a lot of kosher items including sausages (I didn’t specifically look but hot dogs as well probably)
Also I recall there was a kosher Sobeys in Thornhill so would be a good starting point.
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I’ve been inside my local Costco exactly once. Best described as Mad Max Grocery Cart edition.
Can you buy one package of, let’s go with, frankfurters there or does it have to be enough to build a log cabin? Will they be worth the dents and bruises?
Oh wow, how is it I’m a born and raised Torontonian and have never heard of Nortown Foods? It looks great. We’ll check it out this Sunday.
One of the best homemade meals I ever had was a kosher steak dinner. I’m definitely adding ribeye to my list. Thanks a TON Juno.
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Hot dog package sizes at Nortown are pretty much like market sizes elsewhere. It’s a smallish local store, definitely un-Costco, on York Mills Rd., efficiently laid out. I’ve never bought steaks at Nortown - I don’t eat much meat, so don’t know how good/bad the prices are - but mainly get fowl there. The steaks always look good, though. The hot dogs, sausages and such have their own little section. A well run spot.
About Costco: agreed, it can be a free-for-all in there (I usually go to the one on Billy Bishop Rd.), but if you know what you want, you’ll find it quickly, and the lineup at the cashier’s moves fast enough. I drop in every few weeks - I’m not sure I even get my membership money’s worth, given recent startling price rises - but I’m used to it, it’s used to me, and we seem to get on reasonably well.
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I was going to mention Costco stores, too, since they carry Baldwin Street products.
Whether it’s worth the dents and bruises, I don’t know. I drive my MIL to 1 or 2 of them (she’s equidistant) every few months. It’s insane in those places.
Their retailer page (below) lists quite a few stores - don’t know but hopefully one or more better options than Costco is local to you.
I’m sitting here eating Nathan’s dogs (leftovers from camping) as my brunchfast.
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I just got back from Nortown - I live a short drive away - and wandered over to the hot dog, sausage and knucker section - and noted that there’s Baldwin, Hebrew National and Chicago 57 dogs in the selection.
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Whoa! Those Chicago 58 Lanky Franky dogs are pretty great too. Retailers on the east side (Highland Farms, Metro) don’t have stock at the moment. Sounds like Nortown will be my hot dog heaven. How many ways can I thank you Juno?
CCE, I did look at their retailers page. The problem, and why I included it in my question, is reliability.
I’ve never seen Baldwin St at Metro. Longo’s is out of stock. Loblaws you can order whatever you want, but then have to wait and see if they actually deliver. Zip, zilch, nadda at WalMart. Costco has exotic dogs for people with too much money and not enough brains. McEwan has Chicago 58’s for 25% more money than anyone else which means they can sit on a shelf beyond best before (it happens.) Aaaaand Sobey’s big, fat goose egg…
Going to Nortown sounds like it solves reliability AND will be an experience I richly enjoy.
Bummer that all those stores can’t be relied on. I only saw that kind of stuff around here during the earlier periods of the pandemic - it was like rolling blackouts except with various food items (and of course the TP so many folks were hoarding).
Glad Tom got you a good source!
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Just a quick note about Nortown: While they do carry kosher products, the raw meat in the store itself is not kosher. The store is “Kosher Style”, e.g. not open on Saturday and other Jewish high holidays, etc. The Longo’s at York Mills and Leslie also carries some Kosher products, mostly chicken and some prepared goods. My go to is the No Frills at Bathurst and Wilson.
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Welcome aboard Matthew. Thanks for your help. I’ll try Longos York Mills again for sure. It’s a favourite of mine.
I did notice that Nortown carries Chicago 58’s which I don’t know to be kosher. I was kinda wondering about that. I’ll be very careful picking out steak thanks to you.
Chicago 58 is not Kosher. It is a “Kosher-Style” brand, unlike Hebrew National (although there is some debate around that). I do like Nortown and the staff are very friendly and helpful. I am guessing you are also in the East end like me and the closest Kosher full service butcher is Savours on Bathurst just south of Baycrest.
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