We swear there’s a Nathan’s hot dog cart on practically every street corner in Manhattan. And we’ve eaten our share of the ‶famous″ franks as peripatetic lunches. On a sunny day in late November, with the temperature predicted to rise into the 50s, we made the pilgrimage to Coney Island, where Nathan’s (1310 Surf Avenue, Brooklyn; 718-333-2202; nathansfamous.com) all began. For once, we could sit down to eat.

From midtown, it took nearly an hour to get to Coney Island on the F train, giving us an appreciation of the extent of the metropolitan subway system. Once we reached Brooklyn, the last stretch of the route rose onto tracks elevated above the rooftops. We knew we were getting close when we spotted the Wonder Wheel on the mid-distant horizon. The iconic Ferris wheel debuted on the boardwalk in 1920 — just four years after Nathan’s opened along Surf Avenue.

Finding Nathan’s was hardly a problem. When we stepped out of the subway station, the entire corner diagonally across Surf Avenue was emblazoned with signs and festooned with neon like a beachside Christmas tree. (We exaggerate only slightly. See photo above.)

The exterior led us to expect an old, rather funky beachside spot. But the interior is fresh and bright, awash with white paint and stainless steel. If we’d thought about it, we would have realized that everything had to be renewed over the winter of 2012-13 after the devastation wrought by hurricane Sandy. The historic eatery was closed for six months, reopening just before Memorial Day 2013.

Even when beach is empty, Nathan’s bustles

Also contrary to our expectations, the menu was extensive, encompassing all the fried and grilled food a beachgoer could hope for. Several folks ahead of us in line were ordering fish and chips, heaping mounds of fried shrimp, cheesesteaks with peppers and onion, and various forms of triple decker burgers and chicken sandwiches.

But we were enthralled by Nathan’s reputation for hot dogs. Self-confessed regulars advised us to get some with sauerkraut and some with chopped onions. At the condiment station, we were to add mustard to the sauerkraut and ketchup to the onions. We dutifully followed orders. Traditions, clearly, have a reason. The all-beef dogs were a little messy but they were some of the best we enjoyed in New York, providing a satisfying snap with every bite.