New Way Lunch in Glens Falls is a diner that will mark 100 years of serving up hotdogs this coming August.
Founded by Greek immigrant John Floro in August of 1919, the restaurant has remained a staple in Upstate New York, having survived through many highs and lows throughout history.
In 2019, New Way Lunch remains a family-run business. John Floro’s grandson, Peter Gazetos, and his wife Susan took over the business in 1990.
Peter, Susan, and their children, Nicholas and Alexandria, all work at the business, keeping the family tradition alive and hoping to preserve the New Way Lunch for future generations. According to the family, Nicholas and Alexandria, the fourth generation, will be operating the New Way Lunch in the future.
New Way Lunch has three location; 21 South St., Glens Falls; 731 Upper Glen St., Queensbury, and 3748 Main St. in Warrensburg. They serve lunch and dinner at all locations, in addition to breakfast at the Warrensburg location, but New Way Lunch is still best known for its hot dogs.
Known locally as “dirt dogs,” New Way Lunch’s signature dish is a grilled hot dog on a freshly steamed bun with mustard, diced onions and their famous meat sauce.
The sauce even caught the attention of Food Network star Rachael Ray, who grew up in the Glens Falls area. Ray mentions New Way Lunch on her website with a recipe for Classic Coney Island Hot Dogs, stating, “When I was in high school, we loved this place called New Way Lunch. They sold Dirty John’s Dirt Dogs. These dogs have been a constant inspiration whenever I write a recipe for chili dogs, hot dogs, or chili with hot dogs in it.”