The Edge

It was a raw and rainy August day; not good for an outdoor hot dog cart or hot dog truck, so we moseyed on out to Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, home of “The Edge.” They are located on route 20 in Shrewsbury, near the Worcester line. The summer hours are 11 AM – 8 PM Tuesday through Sunday. Check their hours on their website to be sure.

Stepping into this place is like stepping into a time capsule.

Most of the old detail has been preserved. The Frank Sinatra tunes playing in the background added a nice touch.

They even have old fashioned values!

We spoke with owner Dave Krupstas. Actually, he owns The Edge with his brother Chris. Dave works the diner full time, six days a week; Chris, who has a full time job, helps out on weekends. Dave’s 7 year old son was “helping out” during our visit too. Dave’s had a bit of experience in food service in the past: he ran a Panera Bread store, managed a food concession for the Mass Turnpike, and did some bartending.

Dave wasn’t looking to get into the hot dog business per se, he just knew he wanted to work for himself. While working at Fidelity Investments, he drove by The Edge every day. It was formerly known as the “Edgemere Diner” and had been closed for four years. Every time he passed by he said to himself  “somebody ought to do something with that place.” It’s a great location: TONS of vehicle traffic with good parking; there are many businesses nearby as well. One day, he decided to make a phone call and inquire about the diner. The City of Worcester owned the diner and wanted to sell it out right. Dave and his brother Chris put in a bid of around $5,000 and it was accepted-they owned the diner. They have a 20 year lease with the city for the land, but the diner is all theirs!

It took them months to fix the place up-there was even a hole in the roof. They weren’t sure what kind of fare they’d offer initially, but when they got to brainstorming, they figured out two things: they wanted to keep it simple and there were no hot dog joints nearby. Thus the concept was born. The Edge opened back in 2008 and they have been as busy as can be. Dave says running The Edge is “the best job I’ve ever had.”

One of the things that makes The Edge special, besides the hot dogs, is their home made root beer. They  brew it right in the diner and serve it up in frosted mugs.

You can also take home a four pack.

Another nice touch is the home made toppings. The Cucumber Relish, Jalapeno Relish, Pineapple Relish, Spicy Meat Chili, and Edge Barbecue Meat Sauce are all made fresh daily. You can take some of these home with you too. Dave has plans to market the root beer and toppings on a larger scale, he just needs to find the time!

All the food items are served on Martin’s Potato Rolls-good stuff!

Little Miss has acquired a taste for mustard on her hot dogs; she got a “regular dog.”

I was more adventurous. I opted for the Aloha Dog (front) which is topped with Edge Barbecue Meat Sauce and Pineapple relish. I also got a dog All Around with the fresh Cucumber Relish.

Don’t forget that frosty root beer!

These were two excellent hot dogs. The cucumber relish was crunchy like a fresh cuke and had an in-between sweet and sour flavoring. This was by far the best “all around” dog of the summer. The Aloha Dog was it’s own piece of heaven. The sauce was rich and meaty with a nice twang of barbecue flavor and the pineapple relish had a pineapple/caramel like sweetness. The pairing was unique and approaching hot dog nirvana status. If you go to The Edge, EAT THIS HOT DOG.

Little Miss noticed the desert menu…

…so she snagged a chocolate cone for dessert.

I decided to try the Chicago Dog for dessert! For you Chicago Dog purists, the fixings are: Mustard, Onion, Pickle Spear, Hot peppers, Tomato and Celery Salt. There aint no sesame seed bun and they aren’t the real “sport peppers,” but it was still delicious. If I wanted a real Chicago Dog, I’d go to Chicago! I would order any of these dogs again at The Edge, but they have so many choices on their menu, I might endeavor to try them all!

Little Miss gives The Edge TWO THUMBS UP! So does the Hotdogman!

If you’re out in the Shrewsbury/Worcester Area- heck, even if you’re not- the Edge is a “must eat” establishment.

Make sure you tell Dave “the Hotdogman sent me.”

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The Edge was so good, I took Mrs. Hotdogman there on a different day for lunch while we were running some errands in the area. She had one All Around and a Taco Dog. She chased those puppies with a honking Root Beer Float.

I went for an Aloha Dog again and a Bacon Grilled Onion Dog-BOTH WERE SUPERB!

I chased mine down with a regular root beer.

Just like me and Little Miss, Mrs. Hotdogman gives The Edge 2 THUMBS UP!

Tell Dave MRS. HOTDOGMAN sent you too!