In 1917, Greek immigrant Chris Katechis opened what would eventually become one of Montgomery, Alabama’s most historic restaurants. Chris’ Famous Hotdogs saw a slew of important figures walk through its doors in its 100-plus years of operation, including F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Elvis Presley, and President Franklin D. Roosevelt. One of its more frequent regulars was civil rights champion Martin Luther King Jr., who served as pastor for the church just down the street from 1954 to 1960.
Speaking with WSFA 12 News, Katechis’ son Theo shared that MLK Jr. would come in every Sunday from the Dexter Avenue Baptist Church to pick up a newspaper, chat with his father, and enjoy a hotdog. According to Theo, another major figure in the civil rights movement was also a fan of his dad’s dogs: Rosa Parks, who would order them in between changing buses on her way home. Chris’ Famous Hotdogs may not be the oldest restaurant in its state (it is, however, the oldest in Montgomery), but there’s no denying how rich its history is.
You can still drop by Chris’ Famous Hotdogs at its original location — where it’s stood for over 100 years — along Montgomery’s Dexter Avenue and order the same hotdog MLK Jr. enjoyed every Sunday. The hotdog is topped with sauerkraut, onions, mustard, and Katechis’ signature chili sauce, which uses a secret recipe that took him several years to perfect.
Chris’ Famous Hotdogs was a safe space during the civil rights movement
One of the probable reasons Martin Luther King Jr. frequented Chris’ Famous Hotdogs was that it was one of the few restaurants in Montgomery to serve both Black and white people. At the time, Jim Crow laws enforced segregation in restaurants, which led to things like chitlins being a sort of secret code that an establishment was friendly to Black folks…