Michelle and Rene Torres missed the food from the New York City/New Jersey area. When they couldn’t find it in North Texas, they decided to start their own food truck, and just a short time later, they’ve got one restaurant open in Denton and are already considering opening more.
Michelle said she and her husband had both been born and raised in the Tri-State area, but in 2021 they made a “big faith move” to south Denton with their four young children. Rene wanted to work in roofing, but found it wasn’t for him, and he started looking for other career paths.
“We never thought in a million years that we’d be selling hot dogs, but one day, we couldn’t find hot dogs like what we grew up eating. Nothing was the same,” Michelle said. “He came up with an idea to bring that food here, all on a whim, and I thought it was a great idea.”
They got their own food truck, found suppliers from New York to make authentic New York hot dogs with red onions, spicy mustard and sauerkraut, and they named the business Brooklyn Dawgs. Customers can get big, authentic grilled dogs, regular or spicy, with a variety of toppings, as well as curly fries, New York cheesecake, and more.
The food truck quickly became a popular stop in southern Denton County neighborhoods like Pecan Square and at local events.
“There was this one huge event in Denton, our line was a mile long,” Michelle said. “I swear it had to be a mile long. Word was getting out.”
The food truck was popular, but limited, so they started thinking about opening a storefront. Last summer, they did just that, right next to the University of North Texas campus.
“It’s been really good, we have regulars now,” she said. “When people find out we’re there, they get excited.”
Breakfast was also recently added to the menu, with New York breakfast sandwiches, breakfast burritos and coffee being served from 8-11 a.m. on weekdays. Michelle said the restaurant will continue to expand its menu, with hopes of also expanding its North Texas footprint.
“We hope to open more in the future, just trying to master this spot,” she said.
Brooklyn Dawgs is located at 119 Ave. A in Denton. Click here for more information.
