Hot dog! It’s a hot dog holiday

By Taylor Hartz | Staff Writer

All-beef frank, yellow mustard, sweet pickle relish, chopped white onions, a dill pickle spear, tomato wedges, pickled sport peppers and a dash of celery salt on a poppy seed bun. No ketchup. When it comes to hot dogs, that’s the Chicago way.

The famous Chicago dog is an important part of the city’s culture year-round, but this month, it is honored—July is National Hot Dog Month, with celebrations peaking on National Hot Dog Day, Wednesday, July 18.

Here are the best variations on a classic: In Eater Chicago’s list of the top 22 Chicago dogs, Superdawg Drive at 6363 N. Milwaukee Ave. comes in at No. 1, with the Jumbo Char Dog at Wolfy’s at 2734 W. Peterson Ave. coming in a close second.

Serious Eats Chicago gave the number one suburban dog award to Gene and Jude’s at 2720 N. River Road in River Grove. They gave the top dog in the city to Hot

Doug’s at 3324 N. California Ave.

At Gold Coast Dogs, 159 N. Wabash Ave., all hot dogs are under $5. Grab a dragged-through-the-garden Chicago dog for $3.50 or try another type of Chicago classic—a Polish-style dog. Choose from the Maxwell Polish topped with mustard, grilled onions and sport peppers, for $4.50, or a Chicago Polish, with mustard, onion, relish, tomatoes, pickle spears, sport peppers and celery salt.

Or check out the chilli and cheese dog topped with Merkts Sharp Cheddar or nacho cheese and homemade chilli, or for a spicy option order the Joey Dog, which comes with fries, garlic-wasabi aioli and tabasco.

Portillo’s, in River North, also offers a char-grilled Maxwell Street Polish sausage, along with the classic Chicago-style dog. Both come in jumbo size.

Looking for a new style? Find it at Lincoln Park’s Dog Haus Biergarten.

Their menu is filled with unique creations like the SOOO Cali with wild arugula, avocado, tomato, crispy onions and spicy basil aioli and the Ringer, with cheddar cheese, smoked bacon, onion rings and barbecue sauce, or the Free Bird made with a turkey dog, avocado, tomato, smoked bacon and miso ranch.

Or take a stab at the DIY dog suggested by chef Antoni Porowski on Netflix’s “Queer Eye.” Porowski suggests sliced, grilled dogs, topped with mixed dijon mustard and honey and crushed potato chips.