Can't Take the Heat? Try a Cheese Dog Instead

At Merritt Canteen in Bridgeport, you'll see charm and history all around you when you sit down in a booth.

Bridgeport's Merritt Canteen was featured on the Food Network a few years ago, but this place has had a serious local following going to back to its days as an old-fashioned drive-in. Today it looks more like your typical counter service restaurant, but it’s still got a lot of charm.

The menu here is split in two: you have your seafood menu and you have your more classic grill fare. The fried fish and chowder was hard to resist, but since it’s a hot dog tour, I’m sticking with the standard.

Here, the chili dog is so hot it comes with a warning.

Chili dogs are my favorite – it’s hard to go wrong – but here at Merritt Canteen, the chili dog is notoriously spicy. It’s so hot, they have a sign with a warning that reads, “EXTREMELY HOT! No Refunds!” And so some less adventurous chili dog lovers (like me) are forced to adapt. So I went with a cheese dog.

The buns here at Merritt Canteen are toasted on the inside, leaving the outside soft and cool while the inside is crisp and buttery. I added some cheddar and broccoli bites, which were good.

As you can see, they grill these buns a little differently, leaving a soft outside while the inside is perfectly crisp.

This Bridgeport institution has been serving the community for more than 80 years and it’s easy to see why. Great vibes and a great hot dog for our 4th stop on the tour. Have to imagine the spice level is 12/10, so that’s what we’ll give Merritt Canteen— make sure you check it out!