For North Jersey’s Cruzado family, the hot dog business and entrepreneurship have been in their DNA for two generations. The family business is celebrating one year at its Passaic storefront, Cruz Missile Hot Dogs + Pinchos, located at 73 Gregory Avenue. This establishment is home to an extensive menu that can’t be found at just any other hot dog joint while highlighting the importance of family and community support. Read on to find out more about how Cruz-Missile Hot Dogs + Pinchos came to be, as well as its exclusive Snap-O-Razzo hot dogs that aren’t available anywhere else in New Jersey.

Behind Cruz-Missile Hot Dogs + Pinchos

Photo Credit: Alexandra Cruzado

Reinaldo Cruzado, Jr. was born and raised in Hoboken, New Jersey, and always had a passion for cooking. He helped his father with his hot dog cart in the 1990s (you can still find his father behind the cart at 4th + Willow). After a few years working in the postal service and retiring as Sergeant of the Secaucus Police Department, Reinaldo’s love for food and entrepreneurial spirit made him want to invest in his dream of opening a restaurant serving hot dogs like his father. The business started as a hot dog cart moving between Essex and Bergen counties before landing a storefront business at its current location in Passaic in February 2024.

Photo Credit: Alexandra Cruzado

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Cruz-Missile Hot Dogs + Pinchos sets itself apart from other hot dog eateries with its Latin-infused menu and the dogs it serves. “We are the only establishment in New Jersey to offer the Snap-O-Razzo hot dog— a premium, all-beef hot dog that is hickory-smoked with hints of garlic and delivers an unmistakable ‘snap’ when you bite into it,” Reinaldo told The Montclair Girl.

Snap-O-Razzo is a renowned family-owned business based out of Las Vegas, Nevada, which is, according to Reinaldo, “highly sought after in the hot dog world.” The only other close establishment that carries this dog is Sarge’s Deli in New York City, but locals now have the luxury of indulging in “the Snap” right here in Passaic.

The Menu

The menu is designed to introduce new customers and satisfy familiar faces with its Latin twist on a traditional American hot dog restaurant menu. There are specialty dog creations like The Hot Cruz-Missile (topped with spicy chili, hot onions, jalapenos + spicy mustard) and the Mofongo Bacon Dog (fried mashed Plantain with bacon, garlic, and butter), served alongside sandwiches, pinchos (skewers of either beef, pork, or chicken served with two slices of buttered toast and a side of chimichurri sauce), and smash burgers that give the flavors of Snap-O-Razzos a run for their money. Every item is made to order. The restaurant also has a daily specials menu including fun additions like empanadas, fruit shakes, and tater tots to jazz up any order.

Photo Credit: Alexandra Cruzado

Cruz-Missile Hot Dogs + Pinchos is always looking for more opportunities to expand and grow — for instance, it just recently served out of its mobile truck for a sorority event at Rutgers University. While the Cruzado family is eager to keep incorporating its Latin culture into the menu and hopes to open a second storefront in the area in the future, the Snap-O-Razzo might just be the new talk of the “hot dog” town.

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Cruz-Missile Hot Dogs + Pinchos is currently open Monday through Saturday from 11AM-5PM.