If you're in the mood for some Fruity Pebbles, peanut butter, and bacon on top of beef between
a bun, then it's time for you to check out the best of the best hot dogs in America!
Detroit is hallowed ground for its Coney hot dogs, a singular style of sausage that combines
traditional Greek ingredients with the American pastime.
In this case, it's beef chili with raw onions and a drizzle of yellow mustard.
The ritual lives on at hot dog temples like Lafayette Coney Island and American Coney Island.
However, Detroit is a city that values tradition and innovation, the latter of which you can
taste at Vinsetta Garage.
A fitting restaurant for a city known for its car culture, Vinsetta Garage is a modern
diner in a retrofitted garage, serving up novel takes on classic American fare.
Its unique creations include The 3 A.M.
Dog, which consists of a medley of housemade bacon jam, Sriracha mayo, fresh chives, spicy
fried onions, and a sunny fried cage-free egg.
The molten yolk oozes out over the plump beef sausage, nestled in a fluffy bun, just waiting
for you to take a bite.
Any butcher shop doubling as a meaty sandwich counter bodes well for its sausage offerings.
And indeed, Portland, Oregon's Pasture is a fast-casual place that takes classic American
sandwiches and elevates them with the highest quality locally sourced ingredients.
Plenty of deli-style favorites are available, but don't overlook the humble hot dog.
Customers can mosey right up to the deli case and take their pick of sausage.
Pork, beef, and chicken are all up for grabs, to be grilled and tucked inside buns with
a generous splash of mustard and zingy remoulade.
"When we do eat meat, it should be the right meat."
The chicken sausage is imbued with a bit of smoke and cooked until just slightly charred
and crisp.
Served with a smear of mustard, remoulade, and some snipped scallions, the spotlight
is on the quality of the hot dog itself, in all its plump, smoky glory.
It typically comes in a pillowy bun, but you can customize it by ordering it on a thick
slice of rye bread for an added boost of earthy flavor.
Some inventive restaurants use sausages as a blank canvas for audacious invention.
Such is the case at The Dog House, a quirky sausage-focused restaurant in downtown Pensacola, Florida.
They use Nathan's Famous all-beef hot dogs, Kobe beef hot dogs, and meat-free Beyond hot
dogs for a slew of zany temptations.
Much of the menu features customizable hot dog creations and epic items that sound too
crazy to be true.
You can order a more traditional Chicago-style dog or the tame Usual Dog, with chili, cheddar
cheese sauce, and onions.
Or you can throw caution to the wind and get the Rubble Rage, a one-of-a-kind mix of mustard,
ketchup, mayonnaise, chili, Sriracha, sour cream, and a smattering of Fruity Pebbles cereal.
The contrast of flavors and textures makes for an unusual hit, blending elements of sweet,
spicy, tangy, and sour, all juxtaposed by creaminess and crunchiness.
Billing itself as a "new take on an American classic," Hot Dog Pete's is an Atlanta fixture
that takes its hot dog history seriously while modernizing and innovating along the way.
This casual, colorful eatery unforgettably combines the old school and the contemporary.
That new-school ethos is evident in Hot Dog Pete's emphasis on top-tier ingredients that
are sourced from local purveyors.
Potential hot dog bases include cheddar wurst, jalapeño cheddar wurst, bratwurst, chicken
and apple sausage, and a plant-based Beyond sausage.
A highlight is the Slaw Dog, which includes an earthy collard green coleslaw, providing
more textural chew than typical cabbage slivers, along with a splash of mustard and chili.
"Hey, who's wearing the cole slaw?"
A Southwest tradition, especially in Arizona, the Sonoran hot dog is bacon-wrapped and consists
of colorful toppings like chopped tomatoes, beans, yellow mustard, mayo, and avocado puree.
Originally from the Mexican state of Sonora, this dog has migrated into cities like Phoenix
and Tucson, where it's flourished with new styles, toppings, and techniques.
One prime example is the Sonoran at the frills-free Ruiz Hot Dogs, a permanently parked food truck
in a lot on the near-south side of downtown Tucson.
The bread is a thick Mexican bolillo bun akin to New England-style lobster rolls.
It's buttered and griddled with a unique technique that adds richness to a crispy bacon-wrapped
hot dog.
Then there are layers of raw and fried onions, beans, finely chopped tomatoes, drizzles of
mustard and mayo, salsa, and a side of blistered peppers for added smokiness.
Meatier and smokier than most regional hot dogs, this bacon-wrapped beauty is mellowed
with mustard and mayo, while tomatoes add some cooling sweetness.
In Seattle, it comes down to one unexpected ingredient: cream cheese.
This variety became a thing when Hadley Long combined his passions for both bagels and
hot dogs by pairing the latter with cream cheese.
Nowadays, you can find hot dogs with various types of cream cheese and plenty of other
toppings throughout the Emerald City.
One place that really kicks things up a notch is Rain City Hot Dogs.
A modest-looking cart permanently parked in a Lowe's parking lot, Rain City offers the
classic Seattle Dog in the form of an all-beef variety with cream cheese and grilled onions
on a toasted bun.
But that's just the tip of the iceberg.
One daring alternative is the Smoky PB and J, a grilled hot dog that combines cream cheese
with peanut butter, roasted raspberry jam, and crispy strips of bacon.
It's a decadent mix of sweet, smoky, creamy, and salty stuffed inside a warm, toasty bun.
A quarter-pound all-beef hot dog is the go-to, but you can also swap in a spicy Louisiana
hot link or a veggie dog.
Los Angeles differentiates itself in the hot dog game with whimsical and inventive restaurants
like Dog Haus.
This local mini-chain offers a fresh take on traditions with sandwiches that elevate
every aspect of the form, from the bun to the garnishes.
Dog Haus uses hormone- and antibiotic-free all-beef hot dogs that come served in sweet,
oversized King's Hawaiian rolls.
Their French toast-like texture contrasts nicely with the snap of the sausages and the
crisp toppings.
Of all the dazzling options here, the Sooo Cali rises to the top.
It features a grilled jumbo sausage in a decadently doughy roll with wild arugula, fresh avocado,
bright tomato slices, crispy onions, and a generous drizzle of spicy basil aïoli.
The herbs and vegetables help it feel oddly fresh and light, even though it's filled with
beef and the size of a foot-long sub.
"10 out of 10, would eat again."
"This is the best thing I've eaten, today, and maybe I will for the rest of my life."
Perhaps no city in America is as synonymous with hot dog culture as New York City.
What makes them so omnipresent has a lot to do with the simplicity of it all.
The classic hot dogs are cooked in boiling water and served fresh with toppings like
brown mustard, sauerkraut, and sweet-onion relish.
Despite the simplicity, many hot dogs receive upgrades to new levels, like at Mile End Deli,
where the sole hot dog on the menu reigns supreme.
This modern Brooklyn spot specializes in elevated comfort food.
It's all about cooking inspired by family recipes and Montreal-style delis, as the name
comes from Montreal's Mile End neighborhood.
It's safe to expect the Hoyt Dog to be superb.
It's an all-beef variety topped with zesty relish and sauerkraut in a sweet, buttery
challah roll.
And be on the lookout for periodic specials, like a Seattle-inspired dog with cream cheese,
caramelized onions, and cucumbers.
In a city known for its meaty sandwiches, it takes a special kind of hot dog to stand
out from the crowd.
And that's exactly what New Orleans' Dat Dog does.
With a few locations throughout the city, this eccentric mini-chain specializes in one-of-a-kind novelties.
There's the burger dog, made with a burger patty shaped into a sausage, and wild game
hot dogs, including a few that lean into their Louisiana roots with daring ingredients.
But for the ultimate New Orleans experience, get the Snappy Dog, an alligator sausage that
blends a bit of the bayou with flavors from the Southwest.
Each snappy hot dog comes layered with cheese, guacamole, pico de gallo, chipotle mayonnaise,
and barbecue sauce in a traditional, slightly sweet bun.
At once smoky, earthy, and mildly spicy, it's a saucy original that stands out among New
Orleans' culinary traditions.
As a bonus, proceeds from the Snappy Dog go to Son of a Saint, an organization that provides
mentorship, education, recreation, and emotional support for young boys without fathers in
the New Orleans area.
Chicago-style hot dogs are some of the most storied dogs around.
They traditionally come with yellow mustard, celery salt, tomatoes, onions, sport peppers,
and neon-green relish.
New and old hot dog joints are a dime a dozen in the Second City, and at The Hot Dog Box,
a father-daughter duo manages to carve out a unique niche.
What started as a pandemic-induced pivot for Bobby and Brooklyn Morelli has blossomed into
a full-blown restaurant.
Classic Chicago-style dogs are naturally on the menu, but what makes The Hot Dog Box a
true original are the craftier creations that prove there's more room for sausages beyond
the garden standards.
The Bronzeville Bourbon is an absolute standout.
It tops a decadent steak dog with bourbon barbecue sauce, a fresh cabbage and carrot
medley, and hickory-smoked bacon, and it's all served in a chewy and rich pretzel bun.
"Let's do it, and let's elevate the experience."
In Rhode Island, hot dogs are a rite of passage traditionally made with steamed buns called
"wienies," as well as mustard, meat sauce, onions, and celery salt.
The state is also home to innovators and game-changers who are unafraid to color outside the lines
in terms of toppings, sauces, and buns.
Case in point: Spike's Junkyard Dogs.
With locations in Warwick and Allston, this vibrant restaurant offers inventive takes
on traditional American comfort foods.
But don't expect to find any traditional hot wieners here.
Instead, Spike's offers hulking hot dogs in hearty rolls with toppings from the condiment
bar, where everything from ranch dressing to teriyaki sauce is fair game.
The namesake Junkyard Dog is served with a winning combination of grainy mustard, tomatoes,
pickle slices, chopped scallions, and hot pepper rings for a bit of heat.
Wild Boar Dog — Biker Jim's Gourmet Dogs
In Denver, the godfather of encased meats is Jim Pittenger, an adventurous eater who
shows off his love for wild game with one of the wackiest menus in the nation.
Biker Jim slings exotic sausages from food carts and a concession stand at Coors Field.
Then there's his own brick-and-mortar restaurant, Biker Jim's Gourmet Dogs, the home base for
any number of gourmet dogs with one-of-a-kind toppings.
Beef hot dogs, bratwursts, and Louisiana-style red hots are all available for more familiar flavors.
But the bread and butter of Biker Jim's are the gourmet wild game options, which include
ostrich, elk, and rattlesnake.
Then there are the extravagant toppings, garnishes, and sauces, like caramelized apples, mustard
cream sauce, and wasabi aïoli.
For something on the wild side that isn't too intimidating, the wild boar fits the bill
with its porky flavor and texture, sweetened with apricots and cranberries.
To double down on the porkiness and add a little heat, opt for the El Diablo topping,
which includes tomatillo green chili salsa, Sriracha lime mayo, and smoked bacon bits.
What started as a modest hot dog cart in Houston called JonJon's Hot Dog has now morphed into
a food cart called DittyDog in Austin.
Conveniently surrounded by a sea of downtown late-night bars, this place marches to the
beat of its own drum, eschewing regional styles and typical toppings for something truly distinct.
To start, customers choose from either an all-beef hot dog, a veggie dog, or a plump
pork bratwurst.
The large sausages are split in the middle and grilled, ensuring a crisp snap and char
with each bite.
All hot dogs come fully loaded in a toasted bun with cream cheese, honey-mayo, caramelized
onions, Asian ketchup, chipotle mustard, Sriracha, and herbaceous green sauce.
It sounds like a lot, but this mishmash hits all the right notes with elements of sweet,
creamy, crunchy, spicy, smoky, and zesty.