Hot Wieners Return to East Providence!

EP Wieners to Replace "Sparky's", Tachis new in Riverside and Riverside Grille is Back. M+M's Still at it!

When Sparky's Coney Island restaurant recently celebrated its 100 year anniversary, complete with the creation of a "hall of fame" of long time customers, no one knew the end was near. The iconic 'Hot Wiener Joint' couldn't make a go of it any longer and legal tax problems forced the business to close.

Also closing was the long standing Riverside Grille in Riverside Square and Riverside Kitchen on Willett avenue. In an interview with The Reporter in March of 2014, Riverside Kitchen owner Jared Aronson talked about owning the NY System diner for just over 10 years. "This place has been here for about 35 years and I have many loyal regulars. But I know what Sparky means. It's been tough. It's the utilities which are killing us. I've done all the right things, installed the right energy saving stuff, even had R.I.S.E. in here, but the high cost of electricity and water, etc. is hard to keep up with," said Aronson. Soon after they closed.

Riverside Grille in "The Square" had also closed after new owners gave it a go, but recently 'The Grille' has reopened at its Riverside Square location.

At the September 6th East Providence City Council meeting, David Roy was given a license to reopen the famous Sparky's on Taunton avenue. The wiener joint however will have a new name - EP Wieners. "I want to take over Sparky's and open it up as EP Wieners," Roy told the city council. Before the council could vote on his request there was loud applause from those in attendance. "We don't need another vacant building across from City Hall," said Roy. "We're gonna open it up and clean it up, hopefully soon." Roy is hoping for an October opening.

Also reopened at the former Riverside Kitchen site is Tachis New York System. Tachis has been opened for a couple of months and seems to be doing well. New furniture and a diner like atmosphere greet patrons. "So far we're doing okay," said an employee during our visit there.

The very first Coney Island System on Taunton avenue was opened by the Kanelos family around 1900. The Kanelos' eventually owned 5 wiener systems in East Providence, including the site where the current Riverside Grille exists in Riverside Square. Jimmy Kanelos owned his Taunton avenue business for some 50 years before retiring around 1985. Kanelos served on the East Providence School Committee for 23 years. During those early Kanelos years, many a patron would come in to talk about school issues "over a dog and a coffee." It was social networking of its day. Many are glad that the famed Coney Island System will again serve hot wieners and other diner fare to hungry patrons. This time with new owners and a new name.One other constant in the city for hot wiener connoisseurs has been the popular M&M New York System on Waterman avenue.

M&M's remains open and has become a veteran of "wiener joints" in East Providence. M&M's has added to their menu by offering homemade stuffies, chowders and soups, etc. "Dogs (wieners) are the lifeline of our business," said owner Paul Mello, "but we also have a big breakfast business. We don't stay open too late." For now, M&M's is doing okay but working hard at it.

So rest easy you lovers of late night indigestion. EP is once again full of Hot Wieners, affectionately known as "gaggers". A perfect destination after a long city council meeting.