Coney Island (restaurant)

A Coney Island is a type of restaurant that is popular in the northern United States, particularly in Michigan, as well as the name for the Coney Island hot dog after which the restaurant style is named.

Coney Islands are a unique type of Greek American restaurant. Two of the most well-known Coney Island restaurants are the Lafayette Coney Island and the American Coney Island, which are located in adjacent buildings on Lafayette Boulevard in downtown Detroit. They have a common root, with the original restaurant having been established by Greek immigrant brothers Bill and Gus Keros in 1914. The brothers got into a business dispute soon thereafter, and in 1917 split their restaurant into the two establishments that exist today.

Many European immigrants of the early twentieth century entered the United States through Ellis island. One of their first stops was often the Coney Island neighborhood of the city where hot dogs were very popular. The original restaurant name thus referred to the restaurant being an immigrant-owned establishment, serving Coney Island's food of choice. Thus the term Coney Island was an intentional reference to immigration, as much as a descriptive name.

The menu of all Coney Island restaurants centers on the Coney Island hot dog, which is a natural casing hot dog in a steamed bun dressed with chili, diced onions, and yellow mustard. This item is usually referred to simply as a "coney." Another popular item on most Coney Island restaurant menus is the "loose hamburger," which consists of crumbled ground beef in a hot dog bun, covered in the same condiments as a Coney Island hot dog. Many Coney Islands also serve "chili fries," which are french fries covered in chili, sometimes with mustard, onions and/or cheese added.

Many Coney Islands offer other Greek and Greek-American dishes, such as Gyros, Souvlaki, Shish Kebab, Spanakopita, Saganaki, and Greek salads, as well as usual American diner fare, such as regular hamburgers, sandwiches, breakfast items, and desserts.

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