The Ultimate Guide To Regional Hot Dogs

Nothing can inspire fierce regional loyalties perhaps as much as the hot dog. From sonorans to the New York dog, Americans are staunchly loyal to their preferred style of tubed meat. Let’s break down some of the most identifiable regional styles and the ways to eat them without offending the hot dog purists.

New York dog: The key to the New York dog lies in its simplicity: a Kosher all-beef hot dog topped with sauerkraut and mustard. Stop by iconic Gray’s Papaya or Katz’s Delicatessen next time you are in town to try one for yourself.

Sonoran dog: From the Southwest comes a hot dog wrapped in bacon and stuffed in a steamed bolillo roll. It is topped off with pinto beans, chopped onions, tomatoes, mustard, mayo and jalapenos. Variations might include anything from guacamole to cotija cheese.

Chicago dog: A Vienna beef frank in a poppy seed bun topped with whole tomato slices, celery salt, dill pickle, sport pepper, yellow mustard and relish. Don’t even think about adding ketchup.

Maine red snappers: Easily identifiable by its bright red casing, the Maine red snapper is usually served in either a steamed roll or toasted bun. The crisp snap comes from the all-natural lamb casing while the color is the result of food coloring.

Washington D.C. half smokes: These hot dogs are really just a spicy sausage in a bun topped with chili, onions and mustard. Legendary establishment Ben’s Chili Bowl serves up the original on a daily basis.

Slaw dogs: A Southern delicacy, these hot dogs are topped with a finely chopped, mayo-based coleslaw. Variations in the type of frank and the exact coleslaw ingredients will vary from state to state, though Nu-Way in Georgia is generally recognized as being the best.