Gooseboro Drive-In; 60 Years of Hot Dogs, Burgers and Ice Cream in Bantam

Hot dogs have been around in various shapes and sizes for centuries, some say dating back to 700 BC; today they are a staple at Fourth of July and church BBQs and grabbing a red hot at Yankee Stadium and Shea Stadium was always my go-to food. Natural casing, foot-long, knockwurst, beef, pork, chicken, veggie, tofu, cheese conies, they have been a part of the American culinary scene since forever. There is something special about the salty-spicy combo, the ease of eating, the number of toppings that make them even better…sometimes they are the canvas, sometimes they are the art.

Finding a great and fun hot dog in CT has been an adventure, so when I read that Gooseboro Drive-In in Bantam was awarded the best hot dog at the Litchfield Fair, it definitely hit my radar.

The Goose, as locals call it, opened in 1961, the year before the Mets heard their first “Play Ball!” and simultaneously to Roger Maris record setting 61 home run sason. They are definitely doing it right to celebrate over 60 years of burgers and dogs.

Gooseboro Drive-In is located on Route 202 in Bantam, five miles west of the Litchfield square. This stretch has become a magnet for several culinary destinations, starting downtown with @ the Corner and extending through Arethusa, Meraki, Materia, and Community Table. From sandwiches, to Italian, to ice cream to fine farm-to-table dining, this little stretch is exploding with great places to eat, but I digress…back to The Goose.

The Goose is about as retro as you can get. A wooden, hand-painted sign announcing “Welcome to Gooseboro Drive-In” with a white painted goose holding a hot dog sits atop the brick columned building. On the lawn to the right are park benches to enjoy the food. It is a welcomed throwback to the early 60s, simpler times, when families enjoyed eating together, on a park bench, talking and enjoying some grilled burgers and dogs.

As you enter the building, the menus are above the ordering windows, with hot dogs, burgers, sides, and a few fried aquatic dishes. To the right and left against the front wall are shelves with the toppings including ketchup, two types of mustard, chopped onion, two varieties of relish and napkins (please remember to take several). You place your order, handed a little slip of paper with your number, find a spot to hang, stand and wait until your number is called. There are no tables, no seats, no benches, order, pay, add toppings, grab napkins and enjoy. On my visit I ordered four different hot dogs.

The winner of this eating adventure was the Hummel Red Hot that was split and grilled. While slightly redder than the others, it was not the “red” in the name, but the “hot” in the name that separated it. The preparation was also different, they split the entire length before grilling, both inside and out. I topped it with sweet red pepper relish, traditional green relish and spicy mustard. One bite and the flavors exploded. There was a little heat at the beginning of each bite, which increased as time passed. The two relishes added some tanginess and the mustard even more spiciness. The Red Hot, itself, could stand naked in the bun, it was that good, but not for the faint at heart. I would rank it as one of the best hot dogs in CT.

My second favorite was the 10-inch Hummel hot dog topped with their award-winning homemade chili. The dog was thinner and longer than the Red Hot and delivered a different, less spicy, profile. They covered the dog with a nice amount of chili, which was a pretty good mixture of ground meat and onion. The chili had a nice kick, and like the Red Hot increased over time and then lingered. In retrospect, I should have included some melted cheese to complete.

The third dog was their pre-designed Famous Hot Dog, a 6” natural casing, served with green relish, sauerkraut and pickles. The generosity of the toppings overwhelmed the meat, so I decided to remove a good portion of them to gain a better balance and allow the meat to more fully participate. Once you get the toppings to meat ratio correct, this is a great combination.

The most simplistic version is the 6-inch pork Hummel natural casing hot dog, similar to the old-fashioned major league ballpark dog. I added a little spicy brown mustard. It was fairly basic until the buttered-toasted bun kicked in. That needs to be included in this review, their buttered bun is really, really good, and all the dogs have them. While not as glamourous as the other three varieties, this simplistic version brought me back to the days at Yankee or Shea Stadium.

I am really glad I finally made it to The Goose when it was open to enjoy the hot dogs. After 60+ years in business, they have a great product in a fun location, with extremely friendly employees. As a side of the road drive up, it brought back fond memories, and the relaxed, retro-atmosphere offered delicious no-frills food. It is worth the trip.

Gooseboro Drive-In, 1293 Bantam Road Bantam, CT