Hot Dog Charlie’s is a chain with a few locations, but the one across the river in Cohoes is actually the closest to downtown Troy. The natural casing of their mini dogs has a really pleasant snap to it, and if you want a break from chili, you can also get them with a delightfully neon yellow cheese sauce. It’s also mandatory to order some curly fries and a milkshake, no matter what time of day it is—if it’s before noon, get the coffee milkshake. Hot Dog Charlie’s has the most expansive menu of the three mini-dog spots, so you can get full-sized hot dogs with or without casing, griddled burgers, clam rolls, and Italian sausage sandwiches.