The beloved NYC hot dog shop Papaya King has reopened in a new site after its previous home, an iconic structure, was sold and demolished.
When Jamie Boone, a 57-year-old neighbor, visited Papaya King’s new Upper East Side location on Sunday, she remarked, “Now I’m in tears seeing it’s back.”
CJ, Jamie’s 68-year-old sister, continued, “My sister couldn’t even walk past that place being torn down,” describing how they were “born and raised” going to the store with their parents.
After closing permanently last spring to make room for a posh high-rise, Papaya King—dubbed “the apex of the art of hotdog making” by Anthony Bourdain—opened its doors on Saturday. It had been gone for more than a year.
For many who thought they would never see it reopen in the neighborhood where it flourished for over a century, the new location is a tremendous relief. It is located just across the junction of East 86th Street and Third Avenue.
“I am getting every day so many calls for the last one and half year. Some people tell me I’m gonna die for the Papaya King,” manager Mohammad Alam stated.
“We don’t want to lose our customers, because we are the neighborhood. This is our company that’s here 92 years.”
Sunday afternoon saw a constant stream of patrons entering the new venue, piling their crispy red hots with onions and relish and matching them with Papaya King’s famous tropical beverages.
New Yorker Bill A. said, “My dad grew up nearby and he always liked it, so when we were visiting New York when I was a kid he always made us drop in at some point.” He is excited to now continue the tradition with his own children.
“It’s fantastic – my daughters are going to be thrilled. They’re 9 and 12 and they loved this place. They were very sad when it closed a few years ago. It will be the third generation of Papaya King visits.”
Alam stated that while business hasn’t been as busy as it once was when the shop reopened yesterday, he anticipates that this will change once word gets out that it is once again open.
“I think it will take a little time maybe one or two weeks,” he stated. Up until then, a few first-time clients have already visited the new facility.
