90 years later, Charlie's Hot Dogs is still learning new tricks. See what's different.

NEW BEDFORD — When it comes to businesses that would be considered food service legacies in New Bedford, one would be hard pressed to find one that fits the description better than Charlie's Hot Dogs on Acushnet Avenue.

According to Natasha DaSilva, who now runs the spot with her husband Jamie DaSilva, it was the first hot dog stand in the city, opening in 1933.

While its location at 1648 Acushnet Ave. in New Bedford's North End has been its home from the beginning, the DaSilvas say it was once a mobile business.

"It wasn't even a stand — it was a little garage with a pushcart in it," Natasha DaSilva said, noting she and her husband have enjoyed being brought up to speed on Charlie's deep history by past owners. "They'd take out the cart and push it up and down the Ave selling nickel dogs."

In its first couple decades, Charlie's eventually became a stationary location where locals would gather not only for food, but for good company and a little off-the-books fun, the DaSilvas said.

"Back in the '40s and '50s, the mayor and a lot of officials for the city would come and they would hide in the back and gamble," Natasha DaSilva said, noting Charlie's was once home to a few old Bingo machines that allowed users to bet nickels. "People would cash checks here, too. It was a really popular place."

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Travel-inspired menu part of Charlie's new era

As of 2022, it seemed as if the Charlie's story may have already concluded after sitting vacant for two years. But that August, as the DaSilvas found themselves ready to pursue their longtime goal of opening a food business, the "born and raised" New Bedford couple couldn't resist the opportunity to re-establish a local legacy in the process.

"My wife is an amazing cook and everybody was always telling us she should open a restaurant," Jamie DaSilva said. "So when we were looking for spaces a couple years ago, we came across Charlie's and it just worked out perfect."

Aside from a large investment in the building and introducing components like DoorDash delivery and debit/credit card payments, the DaSilvas' vision of a "modernized" Charlie's involved pushing the menu and food quality above and beyond what one might expect from a hot dog stand.

Much of that work has been accomplished by putting their own spins on trendy items that may be hard to find locally.

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"My husband likes to take me on vacations for anniversaries and birthdays and stuff, so I've been inspired by a lot of things we find while traveling," Natasha DaSilva said, noting the bacon-wrapped "naughty dog" from Las Vegas, and the maple mayo burger from Salem.

'The Ocky Way' goes New Bedford

One item the DaSilvas say has been received especially well is Charlie's "chopped cheese" — a type of grilled beef sandwich most commonly found in New York City convenience stores known as "bodegas" and popularized more recently by TikTok sensation Rahim Mohamed. In fact, the viral NYC store owner — known for videos of customers requesting food made "The Ocky Way" — and his staff are who taught the DaSilvas how to make this urban delicacy.

"I said, can you teach me how to make the chopped cheese? I'm opening up a restaurant...and they said alright, well, this is what you do," Natasha DaSilva said. "So I brought it back to New Bedford and remixed it a little."

"We have a special sauce on ours that gives it a nice kick," she added, noting some secrecy around the recipe. "Ours is like 'the New Beige way.'"

Who eats at Charlie's?

Aside from its food, another way the DaSilvas have tried to set Charlie's apart is staying open till 2 a.m. or later every day.

"We're known for being open for the late night crowds from the bars and stuff," Natasha DaSilva said. "The weekends are our busiest times."

Other than that, she says neighborhood regulars keep them busy through the daytime hours during the week.

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"Our neighbors are everything to us," Natasha DaSilva said. "They support us so much. It makes us feel welcomed and wanted."

Staying true to tradition

While the DaSilvas could have just as easily started with a new business identity, they say being the Charlie's torchbearers is meaningful to them.

"We've tried to modernize Charlie's and make it our own but we're always going to keep the nostalgia — that's important to us," Natasha DaSilva said, noting they plan on keeping touches like the color-scheme, and the Charlie's name, intact.

And while much care has been put into upscaling the menu, the DaSilvas say beloved Charlie's classics like burgers, bacon/cheese curly fries and, of course, hot dogs, aren't going anywhere.

"It wouldn't be 'Charlie's' without the memories," Natasha DaSilva said.

To check out Charlie's Hot Dogs online, search for "Charlie's Hot Dogs" on Facebook or follow @charlieshotdog on TikTok.

This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: How new owners 'modernized' Charlie's Hot Dogs in New Bedford