Can’t make it to Flo’s for your favorite hot dogs? Re-create the Cape Neddick, ME classic at home with natural casing franks and a jar of Flo’s hot dog relish.
By Aimee Tucker|May 02 2022|
Mayo, special relish, and celery salt come on the "House" dog at Flo's.
Photo Credit: Aimee Seavey
Never tried Flo’s hot dog relish? Read on to learn more about this unique Maine condiment.
When discussing the best hot dogs in New England, you can expect Flo’s roadside stand to come up early and often. The Route 1 mainstay in Cape Neddick, Maine, is a longtime favorite of both locals and tourists, who flock to Flo’s each summer during the precious 4 hours it’s open (from 11 to 3 every day except Wednesday) to line up, load up, and chow down. Family-owned and operated since 1959, Flo’s recently earned another bout of national praise when it was named the best hot dog in the Northeast by Readers Digest, but for proof of popularity, you really only need to look at the long line snaking out the door on a summer Sunday.
At Flo’s, both the bun and the hot dog (the natural casing kind, of course) are steamed, and the “House Special” dog comes dressed with mayo, Flo’s signature zippy relish, and a shake of celery salt. As you might expect, it’s mostly the unique relish that set’s Flo’s apart from the rest. Dark brown in color, Flo’s hot dog relish is chutney-like, and flavored with a sweet and spicy combination of onion and molasses.
At one time, Flo’s fans had to wait for visits to Cape Neddick to get their fix, but now, jars of the signature condiment are available at local stores, online through Flo’s Web site, or at the stand itself. We recently got our hands on a jar and had to try re-creating the famous “House” dog at home in New Hampshire.
The result? For simplicity’s sake we boiled the dogs rather than steaming them, and the buns (steaming over the boiling dogs) didn’t achieve the pillowy, warm softness you’ll get at Flo’s, but the mayo-relish-celery salt combination was spot on. A cold Moxie helped make it a more authentic Maine dish.
Flo’s hot dogs go great with a cold Moxie. Photo Credit : Aimee Seavey
As with all regional foods, you’ll find both the loyal faithful and the “You call this the best?” skeptics that can’t imagine a hot dog without their favorite condiment or topping, but I think what it all boils down to (semi-hot dog pun intended) is that you tend to love what you grew up eating or looked forward to on vacation, and for many New Englanders and visitors to the Cape Neddick stretch of the southern Maine coast, that’s Flo’s.
Are you a fan of Flo’s Hot Dog Relish?
This post was first published in 2014 and has been updated.
Love the Flo’s “Special”, a couple of times in the Summer our weekend destination from Mount Vernon is a trip South to Cape Neddick and Flo’s Hot Dog shack .
You can find some online that are similar. You can find most recipes for food like big mac sauce, burger king sauce etc. Some,are pretty close. The good thing about making your own is you can eliminate ingredients thst you don’t like and include some you do. Like,for,instance, some folks are allergic to fish, so theynwould eliminate any fish ingredients or substitute, and the recipe woild be still fairly close in taste as long as you don’t go too wild like adding Wasabi or tobasco,or soemthing.
I just ordered a jar of Flo’s relish. I’ve never had it before but this article made me buy it! The photo seems to show that there is mayo and relish under the hot dog as well as on top. Question for the locals: Is that how it is served, both under and on top of the hot dog? I do see that I will have to serve this on a “New England hot dog bun” to make it authentic. Fortunately, there are bread-bakers here in the Midwest who produce that type of bun! If someone would confirm that you also put the condiments on the bottom to make it authentic, I would appreciate it! Thanks in advance.
You can eat it how you like. Many of us former maniacs like ti with relish and mayo. And no,it doesn’t matter if it’s both on bottom and top. We .ike ours with some celery salt too
9/16/20: In watching a re-run of a Samantha Brown travel show this a.m., featured was a story about Flo’s, wherein she said she bought the business from her mother-in-law (45+ yrs. ago). As for the famous relish, Flo said she had to buy the business to get the recipe, and only one other person knows what it is – a longtime, trusted cook. Her daughter works alongside her and will be buying the business one day. As is the tradition, until then she won’t know the recipe.
We saw the episode of Samantha Brown enjoying Flo’s relish on a hot dog and HAD to try it!!! I immediately ordered it online and it came today. Wow, wow WOW!!! It was a great change up to the boring old hot dog condiments. So glad to have heard about the relish and how good the taste experience is. It did not disappoint!!
Love the Flo’s “Special”, a couple of times in the Summer our weekend destination from Mount Vernon is a trip South to Cape Neddick and Flo’s Hot Dog shack .
Why don’t you give out your receipe for flo’s??
You can find some online that are similar. You can find most recipes for food like big mac sauce, burger king sauce etc. Some,are pretty close. The good thing about making your own is you can eliminate ingredients thst you don’t like and include some you do. Like,for,instance, some folks are allergic to fish, so theynwould eliminate any fish ingredients or substitute, and the recipe woild be still fairly close in taste as long as you don’t go too wild like adding Wasabi or tobasco,or soemthing.
I got a recipe by googling: copycat recipe for flo’s hotdog relish
Best hot dog ever! My family and I always stops at Flo’s , and Moxie soda with hot dog.
I have been eating there even before it was Flo’s as best as I can remember it was called Bob’s and he sold it to Flo.
Is there an address for Flo’s hotdog relish?
Please publish your version of Flo’s relish !
I just ordered a jar of Flo’s relish. I’ve never had it before but this article made me buy it! The photo seems to show that there is mayo and relish under the hot dog as well as on top. Question for the locals: Is that how it is served, both under and on top of the hot dog? I do see that I will have to serve this on a “New England hot dog bun” to make it authentic. Fortunately, there are bread-bakers here in the Midwest who produce that type of bun! If someone would confirm that you also put the condiments on the bottom to make it authentic, I would appreciate it! Thanks in advance.
You can eat it how you like. Many of us former maniacs like ti with relish and mayo. And no,it doesn’t matter if it’s both on bottom and top. We .ike ours with some celery salt too
Oh, and the condiments onmthe bottom might make the bun soggier than on top. So keep,thst in mind if the relish is fairly watery
I’ve been eating these dogs since I could chew.
-Natural casing hot dog (boiled)
-New England-style bun (steamed)
-Condiments on top of hot dog
-The House Special (Mayo, Relish, Celery Salt)
9/16/20: In watching a re-run of a Samantha Brown travel show this a.m., featured was a story about Flo’s, wherein she said she bought the business from her mother-in-law (45+ yrs. ago). As for the famous relish, Flo said she had to buy the business to get the recipe, and only one other person knows what it is – a longtime, trusted cook. Her daughter works alongside her and will be buying the business one day. As is the tradition, until then she won’t know the recipe.
Flo’s sauce makes the dogs SPECIAL! It’s wonderful!
We saw the episode of Samantha Brown enjoying Flo’s relish on a hot dog and HAD to try it!!! I immediately ordered it online and it came today. Wow, wow WOW!!! It was a great change up to the boring old hot dog condiments. So glad to have heard about the relish and how good the taste experience is. It did not disappoint!!
Flo’s don’t bother!
Love Flo’s
We have stopped there for 35 years when vacationing in Ogunquit.