Great hot dog places seem to find me. I swear I don’t normally go out searching for them. They honestly pop up out of nowhere sometimes. That’s exactly what happened on a recent weekend in Melbourne, Florida.
After exploring all the great shops and boutiques in the historic district, I started searching for a place to grab some chow. Restaurants are plentiful in the downtown area. There’s a good selection of casual dining, sports bars, and pizza joints. But as I walked around town, nothing seemed to be calling my name. I would have to explore options elsewhere.
I hopped in my car and was just about to leave the historic district when I decided to check out the western end of New Haven Avenue. And then it appeared. A colorful hot dog stand in all its glory.
Discovering little mom and pop operations like this always excite me. I like going where the locals go. And when there’s a big crowd, that’s always a good sign.
The place has a clever name. One that I’ve seen in a few of my travels around the country, but still clever. The original location of Mustard’s Last Stand opened a few miles up the road in Olde Eau Gallie back in 1987. After nearly two decades of success, the owners decided to expand the operation with a new shop in historic downtown Melbourne. The second Mustard’s Last Stand opened its doors in March 2006.
The downtown Melbourne location features a large outdoor dining area and a drive-up window if you want your dawg to go. Inside, there’s an explosion of neon color with cartoon murals on the wall, retro photographs of JFK, Elvis and Willie as well as a lone flat-screen television (a necessary evil for gamedays). The place is small, but can accommodate several people comfortably.
Mustard’s Last Stand is a Chicago-style eatery. The menu itself is very diverse. Here, you can find hot dogs of all types with various toppings. Like your dog hot and spicy? You might want to try the Discovery Dog with chili, cheese, salsa, onions and jalapenos. What about something more tropical? The Hula is made with pineapple, tomato, bacon, Swiss and jalapenos. Maybe you need something to unclog your sinuses. The Cry Baby features diced onions, New York onions, onion rings and brown mustard. Then there’s the Surf and Turf if you’re looking for something even more adventurous. It’s a fried jumbo dog topped with popcorn shrimp, onions and spicy red chili sauce. There’s something for everyone and you can’t go wrong with anything you pick.
The sides at Mustard’s Last Stand are to die for. Try the Fire Fries with chili, cheese, onions and spicy giardiniera or the Frito Pie which is made with corn chips, chili, cheese and jalapenos. And then there’s the beer-battered onion rings, probably the best I’ve ever tasted. They’re perfectly cooked and never fall apart.
Prices at this great little find are more than reasonable. Most dogs average around $2.99. Sides range from $1.99 for a generous basket of plain french fries to $3.99 if you like them spicy and covered in chili. All portions are large and even sharable if you have someone with you.
Melbourne is over an hour’s drive from my home in the Daytona Beach area. But I’m more than willing to make the drive several times a month if it means I’m going to be eating at Mustard’s Last Stand.
