Packo's at the Park

Tony Packo's signature sandwich, sausage with sauce on rye, was created when he decided to add a spicy chili sauce to enhance the flavor of the sandwich. He used a Hungarian sausage called Kolbasz but because it was so large, decided to cut it in half. Not only did it resemble the size of an American hot dog, he could sell it for 5 cents, a deal during those tough times. Because Tony was Hungarian-American and lived in a Hungarian neighborhood, Tony’s creation was called the Hungarian hot dog. Those who knew the Old Country’s food say there was no such thing as a Hungarian hot dog, until Tony invented it.<br><br>Packo’s food was an instant hit in the neighborhood and word quickly spread around town about the delicious new hot dog at Tony Packo’s restaurant. By 1935, due to the success of the sandwich and ice cream shop, Tony and Rose were able to buy a building of their own. They purchased a wedge-shaped establishment at Front and Consaul Streets, which, over the years grew in size and fame as it became home to what is today’s Original Tony Packo’s Restaurant.