Memorable | One of the Best
White Hut
Review by: Michael Stern
There are not a lot of different choices available from the White Hut’s brash, open kitchen, but it has become a Roadfood destination for cheeseburgers and hot dogs.
The cheeseburger (or, as it is known here, in New Englandese, cheeseburg) is a modest-sized patty cooked through on a grill and sandwiched in a tender white bun. It is a likeable lunch-counter hamburg, but what puts it in a class by itself is grilled onions. Look at the grill, next to the frying beef patties and there you see a hill of onions cooked until soft and limp and caramel-sweet. Heaped atop the cheeseburg, they complete a simple but perfect study in diner-style burger excellence.
The hot dogs are exemplary, too. Sizzled on the grill alongside the hamburgs, they are medium-sized tube steaks that blossom under a mantle of mustard, relish, and raw onions (applied by the waitress, as you specify); and they are served in a bun that is soft on the inside, but buttered and toasted to a luxurious golden brown on the outside.
Seating inside is limited to a few counter stools; but there is plenty of standing room at a counter that runs around the back of the room, as well as at a broad metal table where the lunch crowd can gather and scarf down weenies by twos and threes.
When finished with this fine feast, walk over to the cash register at the far end of the counter, tell them what you ate, and you are charged accordingly. It is truly fast food: you can be in and out, and well-fed, in five minutes.
Directions & Hours
Information
| Price | $ |
| Seasons | All |
| Meals Served | Breakfast, Lunch |
| Credit Cards Accepted | No |
| Alcohol Served | No |
| Outdoor Seating | Yes |
What To Eat
White Hut Recipes
Discuss
What do you think of White Hut?
2 Responses to “White Hut”
John Joyce
August 28th, 2007
My wife and I were heading from our suburban Boston home to my in-laws in upstate New York on a recent Saturday. Not wanting to stop for fast food at a rest area, we decided to find some Roadfood along the way. We chose the White Hut based solely on my knowledge of it from Roadfood.com. After sitting in some horrible traffic on the Mass Pike, we finally got to Springfield. And as noted in previous reviews, we were back on the highway in 20 minutes.
We got to White Hut about 2pm. The stools at the counter were all full, but there were no other patrons. Within a minute, we each had a hot dog in-hand. Deliciously buttered and toasted roll, basic yellow mustard, and a dog hot off the grill. Those dogs went down very quickly. A couple minutes later, we had our cheeseburgers in front of us. Hot off the grill, with those delicious grilled onions and a little mustard & ketchup. Not a huge burger, but that’s OK with us, as it was delicious. I could’ve eaten three more, but with a huge family gathering with a ton of food looming in a few hours, I opted not to stuff my belly.
Two dogs, two cheeseburgers, two bottles of Stewart’s Root Beer and a small bag of chips: $12.60. Worth every penny and worth enduring that ugly traffic jam.
Stephen Rushmore
April 27th, 2005
When traveling on Interstate 91 through Springfield, MA be sure to stop at the quickest hot dog and burger joint off the highway. The White Hut’s setup ensures a fast and fresh eating experience. The small counter hosts a dozen stools and nearby is a metallic kitchen table to supplement the overage to customers who wish to eat while standing. A friendly sign posted above the counter also reminds people not to read newspapers between 12-2 PM to keep the flow moving. Count on being off and on the highway in 20 minutes flat.
To order, just take a look at the sizzling griddle behind the counter: decide if you fancy a burger or a hot dog and then let the staff know your topping preferences. Don’t look for a menu because the White Hut only servers burgers, dogs and fries. The classic is a cheeseburger (or two) with grilled onions—and if you order a hamburger, the staff will always ask if “you want cheese on that.”
The hamburger is a small, thin and juicy patty served on a butter toasted bun. Be sure to order a cheeseburger with cooked onions. The sweet and soft onions are cooked slowly in a large heap and seem to melt into anything they touch. Combine that with melted cheese and you have a gooey sandwich in your hands. The hotdogs are initially fried and then grilled for a few minutes before served on a New England style buttered bun.