Bruce Kraig is a professor and author of Hot Dog: A Global History. Hawk Krall (@hawkkrall) is an illustrator and food writer from Philadelphia who spent three years as a hot-dog columnist for Serious Eats. 

What is more American than hot dogs? Hamburgers, you say?  Not if history is to be credited.  

Before the cult of cheeseburgers took the nation by storm, hot dogs were the first and greatest democratic food. Around 1850, Germans came in great numbers, introducing their expert sausage-making traditions. It was an easy sell—Americans were proud carnivores from the start, and who could resist the smell of wieners and franks cooking on open grills in public places? Served from portable carts or stands, the hot dog, as it came to be known, was the first meat-based street food. By the 1880s, what were once considered German sausages had become normalized—no longer called "Weisswursts," but "red hots" or "hot dogs." 

Originally served on buns with only mustard and onions, the hot dog's DNA developed thanks to the innovation of immigrant communities. Between 1890 and 1920, about a half million Greeks arrived in the United States. From Rhode Island to Oklahoma, Greek stand owners loaded up their hot dogs with sauces that they labeled chili, Laced with spices from their native cuisine such as cinnamon and nutmeg, sometimes with paprika and hot pepper.

By 1900, hot dogs were everywhere, on the streets and in American pop culture. But despite the popularity of Oscar Meyer jingles in the 1950s, hot-dog chains never experienced the same type of scale and success as burger franchises. Instead, frankfurter culture remained rooted in local companies and institutions. 

Inspiring such intense local pride, we know that compiling a list of the best dogs in each state is bound to ruffle some feathers. In order to narrow our search, my colleague, Hawk Krall, and I had to set some parameters. Are we limiting the search to emulsified all-beef or beef and pork? Should we include other meats such as elk or reindeer, or sausages styles like the Polish or bratwurst? We concluded that some really great stands had varieties, so places like Biker Jim’s in Denver and Jim’s Original in Chicago must be on the list. Hot dogs are regional foods too, so we always had an eye towards those places that best represented local traditions.

But, even so, how to choose among the various styles in such diverse states as New Jersey, Connecticut, and California? With the help of some trusted sources, and hours spent on the road searching for holy-grail franks, we're ready to declare the best of the best.  

Here are the best hot dogs from each of the 50 states. 

Address and phone: 1915 4th Ave N, Birmingham (205-251-4540)
Website: gushotdogs.com

Birmingham boasts a unique hot dog tradition by way of the “Special Dog." It's a flat-griddled frank with kraut, loose ground beef and chili, topped with a secret spicy-sweet sauce and a shake of dried cayenne pepper. Small Greek-owned hot dog shops once lined the streets of Birmingham, but after the nearby legendary Pete’s closed in 2011, Gus’s is one of the last few standing. Run by 75-year-old Greek-born George Nasaikos, Gus’s makes a deliciously sloppy “Special Dog” dripping with “sauce.” There’s really nothing like it anywhere else in the country.—HK

Address and phone: 440 E Northern Lights Blvd, Anchorage (907-227-3081)
Website: N/A

Reindeer dogs have been a tradition in Anchorage for at least 20 years, most often found at downtown street carts during the summer. But International House Of Hot Dogs, a trailer serving a variety of specialty dogs, is one of the few places to eat them year round. “The McKinley dog is just one of many reindeer sausage dogs at IHOH and includes a special spicy sauce and caramelized onions," says our Alaska correspondent Victoria Petersen, who previously covered Anchorage’s reindeer dog scene for The Northern Light. "Spicy and hearty, reindeer sausage is versatile enough to go well with many different flavors and ingredients, but also simple and tasty enough to stand on its own.”—HK

Address and phone: 5201 S 12th Ave, Tucson (520-807-9620)
Website: elguerocanelo.com

Tucson is dotted with hot dogs trucks, but it was Daniel Contreras who made the Sonoran-style famous and widely emulated. The classic creation is a bacon-wrapped sausage set into a freshly made bolillo, topped with beans, onion, tomato, mayonnaise, mustard, and jalapeño sauce. The grilled guero chile and knob onions served at all Sonoran hot dog places are fabulous too. Try the original location on 12th Avenue.—BK

Address and phone: 511 Front St SW, Lonoke (501-676-2812)
Website: N/A

Local food writer Kat Robinson vouches for this neighborhood favorite ice-cream stand in the small town of Lonoke. This foot-long is topped with bright, sweet slaw, onions, jalapeñ​os, and doused with a pool of Arkansas cheese dip—a concoction invented in Little Rock. “Tidwell’s Dairy Bar makes theirs out of American-processd cheese like Velveeta, with a little chili powder and pureed salsa throughout," says Robinson. "It’s a little runny, but that’s okay.”—HK

Address and phone: 709 N La Brea Ave, Los Angeles (323-931-4223)
Website: pinkshollywood.com

Hot dog fans can find wonderful places all across the state of California. But for longevity, quality, and varieties of preparations, Pink’s remains the champion. Located at the corner of La Brea and Melrose since 1939, Pink’s serves a stunning variety of hot dog creations using long sausages specially made for them. Best known is the chili dog and several meat-upon-meat extravaganzas: Brooklyn Pastrami and the Swiss Cheese Dog with mustard. Numerous specials are named for the many celebrities who frequent the place. Pink’s is a must visit.—BK

Address and phone: 2148 Larimer St, Denver 80205 (720-746-9355)
Website: bikerjimsdogs.com

Offering one of the most adventurous menus in the country, Biker Jim’s serves varieties of sausages that you wouldn't find at your local road-side stand. Options like wild boar, reindeer, elk, antelope, and rattlesnake are not meant to tap into a deep sense of nostalgia (although you can still order excellent all-beef ones). Toppings are equal to the sausages, ranging from wasabi mayo to Malaysian curry jam. The thick potato chips made on the spot are not to be missed either.—BK

Address and phone: 1886 Post Rd, Fairfield (203-259-9023)
Website: N/A

Another serious hot dog state, Connecticut is up there with New Jersey and Chicago for just sheer number of amazing heirloom hot-dog shops per square mile. After much consideration, we agreed on Rawley’s, an old house-turned-roadside lunch shack dating back to the 1940s. Their specialty is a fat, natural casing deep-fried dog, finished off on the grill and served on a well-toasted bun. Order one with “hot relish”—somewhat of a Connecticut standard, and far superior to the sweet green stuff—or topped “all the way” with deep fried bacon, brown mustard, and sauerkraut. Either way, a fine pick for the state’s official frankfurter.—HK

Address and phone: 1200 N Dupont Hwy, New Castle (302-328-5380)
Website: N/A

A really interesting little roadhouse counter on the side of the Dupont highway in Delaware, Dog House serves up a dog with as much relation to nearby Philadelphia’s hoagie and cheesesteak tradition as to the world of wieners. Foot-long dogs are split and grilled hard, then served on toasted local Liscio’s Italian rolls baked in South Jersey. They're garnished with lettuce, tomato, onion, American cheese, and mayo. It's a wild hot dog-hoagie fusion that’s surprisingly delicious.—HK

Address and phone: 1213 U St NW, Washington, DC (202-667-0909)
Website: benschilibowl.com

When hot dog fan President Barack Obama first toured Washington, Ben’s Chili Bowl was a de rigueur stop. Everybody's there — politicians, ordinary people, a cross section of every human being on the planet. Ben’s, founded in 1958, is famed for its split and griddled half smokes, a pork-beef-and sausage made with a light smoke and served with a proprietary chili, along with mustard and onions. They also have pork and all-beef sausages served in similar fashion. Homemade coleslaw and potato salad are excellent accompaniments.—BK

Address and phone: 7101 N Armenia Ave, Tampa (813-374-9184)
Website: N/A

The Sunshine State has long been a haven for transplant Chicago-style dogs, most notably the ones served at the legendary Mel’s. But we gave the nod to a tradition that really represents modern Florida, and nothing embodies that better than the Colombian Perro, a South American hot-dog variation that has been popping up all over the state in the past decade. El Chuzo, a late-night Colombian fast-food joint in the Latin American food mecca of West Tampa, serves theirs topped with bacon, cheese, fried potato sticks, and a variety of sauces.—HK

Address and phone: 61 North Avenue NW, Atlanta (404-881-1706)
Website: thevarsity.com

One might be tempted to name Columbus’ Dinglewood Pharmacy the best for it “scrambled dog.” But we're still giving the nod to The Varsity. It’s the world's largest hot-dog stand with seats for 800 and tons of drive-up slots. Every customer is greeted with the varsity slogan,"What'll ya have?" The all-beef hot dogs come in several forms, loaded with chili, cheese, or cole slaw—the latter a classic Southern-style option. Sides include freshly cut french fries and onion rings.—BK  

Address and phone: 66-236 Kamehameha Hwy, Haleiwa (808-634-2834)
Website: huladog.com

Hula Dog, an offshoot of Puka Dog that came about through a complicated tangle of divorce and business rights, hones in on a Hawaiian regional specialty. They start with a Portuguese hot dog, stuffed into a white, wheat, or bacon taro bun, “shoved on top of a long hot spike about an inch in diameter, thoroughly toasting the inside of your roll and bringing a surprise crunchy layer between the soft roll and the hot dog,” according to our source Philly Noise Rock producer and Hula Dog devotee, Brad Wallace. The dog is then slathered with a variety of sauces, from Lilikoi mustard and coconut relish to spicy garlic lemon sauce.—HK

Address: Western Idaho State Fair
Website: sharemyfair.com

The northern mountain states can be a bit of a hot dog desert. The great Greek “Coney Island” hot dog migration of the 1920s typically didn’t stretch out this far, and thus never established a base for hot-dog culture to bloom. Instead, we look to the State Fairs, which embrace local pride and shameless showmanship. At Idaho's, you'll find the incredible tater pig: a baked potato with a hole drilled out of it and stuffed with a hot dog or sausage, then topped with chili, cheese, bacon, and sour cream.

We got the lowdown from Eric Quitugua, who wrote about Tater Pigs for the Twin Falls Magic Valley Times back in 2015. “Technically, you can eat it with a fork but that’ll just turn into a hassle when the potato slides out of your paper plate, shooting all that cheese and chili onto your favorite white T-shirt. Instead, why not sit down, enjoy the ambiance of a county fair, and grab a fistful of Idaho?”—HK

Address and phone: 1250 S Union Ave, Chicago (312-733-7820)
Website: jimsoriginal.com

Chicago-style hot dogs are world renowned. The city has many excellent stands, but Jim’s Original, born in the celebrated Maxwell Street Market, is particularly noteworthy. In 1943, Jim’s originated the Maxwell Street Polish, a pork and beef variety (though you can get an all-beef one now) that's flat griddled and loaded with mounds of caramelized onions, which are freshly cut every day, all day long. Jim’s also does hot dogs and a pork chop sandwich, but the Polish is not to be missed. They also pickle their own sport peppers, hotter than most other stands, so beware.—BK

Address and phone: 131 W Main St, Fort Wayne (260-424-2997)
Website: fortwaynesfamousconeyisland.com

Indiana’s pick, a classic Coney-style hot dog joint going back to 1914, comes courtesy of Chicago-based food blogger Titus Ruscitti, who has been writing about Midwestern regional food for almost 10 years. Fort Wayne Coney specializes in dogs cooked in the window-front grill, topped with onions and meat sauce. "The sauce there is tongue tingling. These Coneys are almost like hot dog sliders; they’re on the small side so you always get a few” he says. Also recommended is a side of “chili soup,” which Ruscitti says “purists and those from Texas would [lose their minds] if they were served this. [But] I’m a fan.”—HK

Address and phone: 5th Ave SW, Le Mars (712-546-5445)
Website: N/A

Bob’s Drive Inn in Le Mars is another selection from trusted source Titus, who has a knack for finding dogs in some seriously out of the way places. Bob’s is mainly a “loose meat” restaurant, referring to the Iowa loose ground-beef sandwich specialty memorably referenced on the sitcom Roseanne. But they also offer their one-of-a-kind “Bob Dog”—a juicy, natural casing German-style wiener from a local butcher topped with “loose meat” and onions.—HK

Address and phone: 10326 State Line Rd, Leawood (913-381-4618)
Website: fritzskcmeats.com

For Kansas, we looked to former Kansas City star editor, Gary Marx. He recommended Fritz’s Smoked Meats and Superior Sausage Company in Kansas City, a small butcher shop. “Made on sight, their all-beef dogs come with mustard and kraut. Lunch time only, folks, so there’s no serendipitous midnight munchie runs. You gotta plan ahead.” Fritz’s dogs are also served around the clock at reputable joints like Westport Flea Market Bar & Grill.—HK 

Address and phone: 733 Monmouth St, Newport (859-291-5337)
Website: dixiechili.com

The Cincinnati tradition of Greek “three-way chili” and cheese coneys—tiny slider-sized dogs topped with soupy Greek-spiced chili and mounds of shredded yellow cheese—isn’t really restricted to Ohio. It dominates the hot dog landscape in nearby Indiana and northern Kentucky, too. Dixie is a small Kentucky chain that does right by both of these traditions, and adds their own stamp: the “Alligator Coney,” consisting of a dog topped with a pickle, that same pile of cheese, and mayonnaise.—HK

Address and phone: 5030 Freret St, New Orleans (504-899-6883)
Website: datdog.com

Trailblazer Dat Dog, now with four locations, uses excellent sausages that range from natural casing all-beef to local alligator and crawfish. Set in good sourdough rolls, the dogs benefit from unorthodox toppings like etouffe, hummus, and pico de gallo. The fries are not to be missed either.—BK 

Address and phone: 1359 US-1, Cape Neddick
Website: floshotdogs.com

Serving one of the most unique and delicious hot dogs in the country, this tiny red shack is a Route 1 tradition, open for only a few hours each day. As a result, people line up for ten or twelve of Flo’s steamed, natural casing Old Neighborhood brand New England wieners. They're topped with a spicy-sweet, chutney-esque relish “hot sauce," a squirt of mayonnaise, and dash of celery salt. Best washed down with a can of Moxie. This is the place that inspired me to start writing about hot dogs, many moons ago.—HK

Address and phone: 809 S Broadway, Baltimore (410-327-0228)
Website: N/A

A small, charming place located near the Baltimore Harbor Market, Stuggy’s falls in line with the second-wave hot dog stands focusing on out-of-the-box flavor profiles. The sausages themselves, from all-beef to Polish and Italian, are excellent, but when topped with the likes of mac n' cheese, lump crab meat, and sprinkle of Old Bay (The Crab Mac) or jerk chicken, red cabbage slaw, grilled jalapenos, and mango mayo (Bob Marley), Stuggy’s truly stands out. Go for the duck-fat fries and fried Oreo cookies.—BK

Address and phone: 931 Bedford St, Fall River (508-678-9574)
Website: N/A

A funky old-school, main street hot dog shop, Graham's is located in the working-class town of Fall River—birthplace of Emeril Legasse and home to multiple unique foodstuffs, thanks to an interesting mix of Portuguese culture, coastal cuisine, and New England classics. Graham’s hits all these notes with fried clam specials, spicy Portuguese chourico dogs covered in hand-cut fries, and franks piled with sweet baked beans in a thick sauce, a legend known as the "Fall River Bean Dog."—BK

Address and phone: 114 W Lafayette Blvd, Detroit (313-961-7758)
Website: coneykit.com

Now 100-years-old and run by descendants of founder Constantine “Gust” Keros, American Coney Island is the classic southeastern Michigan model of excellence for coneys. It also symbolizes the Greek influence on American hot-dog culture. Served on steamed buns, the sausages are a proprietary natural casing pork-and-beef mixture, which are flat griddled and loaded with a meat-laced chili sauce, sweet onions, and mustard. The sauce—often called a “wet sauce” as opposed to the “dry sauce” used in nearby Flint—is a mixture of spices that enhance the sausage, unlike the more heavily cinnamon-flavored versions you find in Cincinnati. If American is crowded, just step next door to Lafayette Coney Island, founded by Keros' relatives, and equally venerable.—BK

Address and phone: 1829 Riverside Ave, Minneapolis (612-353-4794)
Website: prairiedogsausage.com

Set inside the Viking Bar on Riverside Ave, this upscale sausage vendor features hand-made products from locally sourced meats—although its menu offers a global perspective when it comes to hot-dog culture. Sausages include spicy merguez with piquillo, peppers, house mustard, and feta; a pork banh mi version comes with chicken liver pate; and a Sonoran style comes wrapped in bacon.—BK

Address and phone: 510 Raper St, Winona (662-753-9702)
Website: N/A

Small Time Hot Dogs, a food truck with an experimental bent, relies on good hot dogs and Polish sausages to create items that reflect various Southern food traditions. For instance, the Ragin' Cajun is a large Polish sausage covered in mild crawfish; the Southern Dog has hickory smoked pulled pork, coleslaw, and barbecue sauce. What distinguishes this place is its regional specialties: Delta tamales, steamed or fried, fried green tomatoes, and fried pickles. When in Mississippi, this is a must-find truck. Look for current locations on their Facebook page.—BK

Address and phone: 2131 Marconi Ave, St. Louis (314-762-9899)
Website: stevehotdogsstl.com

Steve's, opened by musician Steve Ewing in 2011, offers a cheffy take on the humble frankfurter, taking cues from several food cultures. The Backyard Barbecue dog is a four-ounce smoked sausage with baked beans, potato salad, bacon and barbecue sauce. The Storm Trooper Dog is a smoked Salsiccia topped with Rotini Alfredo, bacon, fried onions, and freshly grated Parmesan. Diners can order Hungarian or Jamaican dogs, and even a St. Louis style that emulates New Jersey’s Italian style.

Address and phone: 114 N 27th St, Billings (406-281-8291)
Website: theburgerdive.com

Montana is cattle country, so it’s not surprising that hamburgers hold a certain cachet here compared to hot dogs. It's only natural, then, that the state's best version can be found at The Burger Dive in the scenic town of Billings. Order the “Mazatlan” Mexican Dog: bacon, shredded cheddar cheese, pico de gallo, guacamole, and chipotle mayonnaise.

Address and phone: 1020 Lincoln Rd, Bellevue (402-905-9541)
Website: bbclassicdogs.com

This combo arcade-hot-dog joint is located in Bellevue, just south of Omaha. The hot dogs are not local, but B&B shines when it comes to its gonzo approach. One version comes wrapped in bacon and dipped in Buffalo hot wing sauce; another bacon-wrapped dog is placed in a pretzel bun with tzatziki sauce.—BK

Address and phone: 2291 S Fort Apache Rd, Las Vegas (702-570-7560)
Website: buldogis.com

There’s nothing native about what’s in Las Vegas, including hot dogs. Chicago-style, New York types, Los Angeles-based chains, and lately Detroit coneys can all be found. One operation, however, is more in line with modern, fusion cuisine. Cue Buldogi’s, which is a Korean-inspired take on doggies. Good griddled sausages can be topped with 19 different combinations, including a homemade kimchi. For a breather from traditional hot dogs, you have to head west of The Strip.—BK

Address and phone: 175 Fleet St, Portsmouth (603-431-6343)
Website: gilleyspmlunch.com

A tiny, old fashioned lunch-cart/mini diner that holds maybe a dozen people, Gilley's is located in the small town of Portsmouth and has been around since the 1940s. Here they serve up super snappy New-England style natural casing dogs—Shields brand beef and pork on butter-toasted split top buns. They're delicious when topped with wet bean chili, although you can always order them with just mustard and onions. (In that case, pay 25 cents extra to get the dog grilled instead of steamed.) Also highly recommended is a side of their homemade poutine.—HK

Address and phone: 60 Washington St, West Orange (973-325-9897)
Website: jimmybuff.com

According to New Jersey hot dog guru John Fox, there are at least six different hot dog styles in the state, each with their own competing outlets. The most original is the Italian hot dog. Created by the Racioppi family in 1930s Newark for their factory worker friends, this signature dog is a tribute to multi-ethnic, urban America. A deep fried all-beef sausage is set in a specially made half-moon shaped bun, then covered in mustard and loaded with fried green pepper strips, onions, and fried sliced potatoes. There are other Italian hot dog stands in the state, but try the original family’s place in West Orange.—BK

Address and phone: Central Ave NW, Albuquerque (505-243-1019)
Website: N/A

Perhaps most famous for its appearance in Breaking Bad, this colorful Albuquerque roadside trucker shack is also legendary for their foot-long red chile dogs. Said chile is rumored to be made with bacon grease, flour, ground beef, and ground New Mexico chiles. Locals recommend ordering a side of green chiles (off-menu) to dump onto your dog as well.—HK

Address and phone: 815 Oriskany Blvd, Yorkville
Website: N/A

New York is another tough state to pick a top dog for, with long-standing traditions stretching from Coney Island to Buffalo. But Zweigle’s short, fat “Hots” out of Rochester are our favorites made in the state by far, and I’ve never had them served better than at Voss Bar-B-Q, a dairy-bar stand outside of Utica. Voss' does both the standard “Red Hots” (topped with chili and crumbles of Voss’ signature “chopped cheese”) and the unique “White Hots” (a delicious frankfurter variation that is made with veal, egg white, and spices like nutmeg and coriander). Voss' griddles the dogs and serves them on miniature butter toasted split-top buns.—HK

Address and phone: 4400 Old Walkertown Rd, Winston Salem (336-767-2211)
Website: N/A

A 100-year old lunch hut on the outskirts of Winston Salem, Pulliam’s makes the finest slaw dog I’ve tasted in the South. Starting with well-charred neon red wieners, the dogs are dressed with mild chili and super finely chopped sweet, creamy slaw. This is all piled into an "upside-down-toasted" bun, butter-grilled to a golden brown crisp on the top of the bun (rather than the sides), a little detail I've never seen anywhere else. Top it off with some of owner Big Ed’s homemade hot sauce, and wash it down with a glass bottle of Cheerwine pulled from the vintage ice chest. One of my favorite hot dog places in the world.—HK

Address and phone: 305 N Washington St, Grand Forks (701-757-4000)
Website: N/A

DogMahal near the University of North Dakota is set in a facility that sells comic books and vintage vinyl records. The hot dogs range from plain all-beef dogs for $2 to extraordinary creations such as Fireballs of Freedom, loaded with spicy meatball marinara sauce, their proprietary “dogma” sauce, mozzarella cheese, and spicy giardiniera. A dozen others of this breed grace a menu clearly meant for cold weather hot dog fans.—BK

Address and phone: 1902 Front St, Toledo (419-691-6054)
Website: tonypacko.com

Founded in 1932 in Toledo’s immigrant Hungarian community, Tony Packo’s serves what they call a Hungarian hot dog. It's a deliciously spicy natural casing sausage in a bun topped with a unique beef-laden chili sauce: paprika, cumin, and red pepper. Filling and flavorful as this is, it should be accompanied by a side of deep-fried pickles and peppers—very Southern, but a tradition ensconced in Toledo. Stop in at the original location at 1902 Front St to admire the decor and a collection of celebrity-signed hot dog buns.—BK

Address and phone: 107 N Boulder Ave D, Tulsa (918-587-2821)
Website: N/A

This part of the country has a unique hot dog tradition that takes a page from Cincinnati’s playbook—“Greek” chili served over spaghetti or tiny hot dogs—and fuses it with Southwestern tastes like frito pie. Our pick, Coney Island Hot Weiner Shop, comes courtesy of  Tulsafood.com writer Maurie Traylor. A family owned business since 1926, they cook up pink hot dogs on a flat grill, topped with chili and a scattering of a unique “grinded” cheese product. Ask for a “death dog” and you’ll also get a healthy mound of raw onions, hot chili sauce, and a dusting of cayenne.—HK

Address and phone: 126 SW 2nd Ave, Portland (971-386-2199)
Website: opwurst.com

The concept of gourmet hot dogs seems to happen in waves, every few years or so. Trends tend towards international takes on the dog or cheffy toppings, but a few standout places also focus on the craft of high quality frankfurter making. OP wurst—fittingly in the hip food mecca of Portland—is one of those places, making and smoking frankfurters in their shop. Editor Matthew Korfhage of Willamette Week calls them "the finest in America. The frank is stuffed with pork shoulder and smoked over apple and hickory wood, its lamb-casing endowed with snap as taut as piano wire. The classic dog with ketchup, mustard, relish and onion is like the song that meat would sing to itself—deep and low and lovely, another form of the blues.”—HK

Address and phone: 3901 Forbes Ave, Pittsburgh (412-621-7388)
Website: theoriginalhotdogshop.com

Opened in 1960 in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh, near old Forbes Field and the University of Pittsburgh, “The O” (or "Dirty O") is a staple of the community and a national treasure. The flat griddled natural casing hot dogs are flavorful with lots of snap. Varieties of toppings include cheese, parmesan, slaw, relish, chili, sauerkraut, and tomato among them, but with sausages just mustard and onions will do. The fries are among the nation’s best, and can be had with cheese, ranch dressing or, best of all, gravy.—BK

Address and phone: 420 Social St, Woonsocket (401-762-5424)
Website: N/A

The tiny state of Rhode Island is serious hot-dog territory, with several legendary hot-dog styles and places fighting for the top spot. My favorite is a lesser-known joint in Woonsocket that combines two Rhody food traditions: Saugy Dogs and Dynamite Sauce. “Dynamites” are Rhode Island sandwiches that are sort of like Sloppy Joes, but with an Italian-ish tomato meat sauce, chock full of celery and green peppers, and served at hot dog joints. Castle Luncheonette takes this a step further, ladling the sauce onto grilled, super-snappy local Saugy Dogs before putting them in a toasted bun.—HK

Address and phone: 2805 N Hwy 17, Mt Pleasant (843-884-7677)
Website: jackscosmicdogs.com 

About ten miles north of Charleston, Jack’s Cosmic Dogs has consistently won “best of” awards. In addition to regular hot dogs-fried in butter, they have locally made bratwurst, knockwurst, kielbasa, and andouille. But it's the toppings that make Jack's the go-to place in the state (think blue cheese slaw and sweet-potato mustard). Slaw dogs are excellent as they should be for a southern hot doggerie, too.—BK

Address and phone: 422 S Sanborn Blvd, Mitchell (605-990-4300)
Website: N/A

If you are visiting the world famous Mitchell Corn Palace, then the new Hungry Dog is the place to stop for South Dakota sourced hot dogs. The beef-pork natural casing sausages are made nearby from locally raised meats, which benefit from the vast roaming grounds of the Great Plains. Their "Chief" dog is topped with homemade chili and South Dakota’s Dimock cheese, while a unique Egg Dog is an all-beef sausage wrapped in a wonton skin, deep fried, and served on a bed of cole slaw with wasabi mayonnaise.—BK

Address and phone: 205 Beale St, Memphis (901-527-3937)
Website: dyersonbeale.com

This legendary joint on Memphis’ Beale Street is famous for burgers deep-fried in 100-year-old fryer oil, slowly replenished but never fully changed since they opened. But their menu’s sleeper hit is a porky, bright red southern dog, dropped in that same “heirloom grease." It's cooked to a crisp and served on a warm, oil-slicked burger bun with a simple, almost bbq-esque garnish of raw onion, mustard, and pickle. The perfect nightcap after several beers at a few of Beale Street’s historic blues bars.—HK

Address and phone: 407 Colorado St, Austin (512-494-6916)
Website: hotdogscoldbeer.com

For the Lone Star state, I turned to poster designer and hot-dog aficionado Ralph Stollenwerk, who travels to Austin regularly. Frank is a modern hot dog spot and music venue, but still rooted in hot dog tradition. Co-founder Geoff Peveto did his homework by scouring the country for hot dogs for several years before opening Frank in 2011. Offerings range from a fairly restrained Chicago-style Vienna beef dog to a classic German currywurst, or even Ralph’s favorite antelope-rabbit “Jackalope” sausage topped with cranberry compote.—HK

Address and phone: 829 N 750 E, Orem (801-764-0463)
Website: N/A

Another state not known so much for hot dogs, Utah is however rich in state fair and roadside grub that make their way into the frankfurter world. Native American frybread is a specialty found all over the state, used as base for tacos and, yes, even hot dogs, at makeshift vendors, but rarely year-round. Sportz Dogs, a mobile operation in Orem, is fire-grilling big all-beef dogs and polish sausages, and serving them on “Utah scones,” a pillow-y Mormon cousin of Native frybread, topped with Sport secret sauces.—HK

Address and phone: 74 Maple St, Burlington (802-864-5963)
Website: handyslunch.com

Vermont is another fascinating hot dog region, where frankfurter traditions of New England like butter-toasted split-top buns collide with concepts like “Michigans,” hot dogs named after Michigan, but served in northern NY state and Canada. Handy’s, a cozy lunch counter that opened in 1945, is the favorite from our source Tom Anderson of Burlington. They add to the regional confusion by calling theirs a "Texas Dog"—a Boar’s Head frank split and grilled on both sides, topped with Texas chili.—HK

Address and phone: 416 W Main St, Waynesboro (540-942-9093)
Website: N/A

This tiny little hot dog joint resides in a sleepy Virginia mountain town. Sam’s is a local chain that serves up the chili-and-slaw Southern mainstays, but this Main Street location takes it to the next level with their pimento cheese dog. A creamy, comfort-food pale orange cheese mixture is slathered on top of an all-beef dog, topped with yellow mustard and finely diced onions. Sam’s dogs are a small but perfect three bites. You’ll want to order at least two—maybe six.—HK

Address and phone: 900 Occidental Ave South, Seattle
Website: N/A

Washington’s pick comes from former Seattle Weekly writer Hanna Raskin, who wrote the definitive oral history of the Seattle Cream Cheese hot dog back in 2012. Flamed-grilled dogs and Polish sausages are served in big toasted rolls and topped with cream cheese and jalapenos or coca-cola fried onions. This unique style spawned at bagel shops near the Pioneer Square neighborhood (epicenter of the early Grunge scene) in the late 80s. The drunk-food cult following of these bagel dogs spread all over the city, to late-night street carts and stadium street vendors like Joe Bernstein of Joe’s Grilled Gourmet Dogs, who has been pumping cream cheese out of a caulk gun onto hot dogs outside of Safeco Field since 1998. Joe's is still considered one of the first and one of the best.—HK

Address and phone: 6951 Ohio River Rd, Lesage (304-762-2458) 
Website: hillbillyhotdogs.com

We know, the satirical name is cliché, but this hot dog place on the Ohio River has excellent grub. There is a wide variety of hot dog styles, including the paradigmatic West Virginia slaw dog. Deep fried weenies can be had with everything from habanero sauce to fried Spam. Most options have the restaurant’s proprietary tomato-ground beef hot dog sauce. Likely what made the place famous is its Homewrecker dog—15 inches loaded with everything imaginable.—BK

Address and phone: 2659 S Kinnickinnic Ave, Milwaukee (414-539-3593)
Website: vanguardbar.com

In a German hub such as Milwaukee, to be a successful sausage and beer place you have to be really good. Located in Milwaukee’s historic and scenic Bayview, the Vanguard is just that, offering lamb, duck, all beef with smoked paprika, and smoked pork varieties. Some styles lean on American regional traditions, such as the Portland with cream cheese. Others borrow international flavors like Piri Piri, sour orange, and achiote. Did we say that they have craft beers? This is Milwaukee, after all.—BK

Address and phone: 1740 Fleischli Pkwy, Cheyenne (307-256-7336)
Website: N/A

Traditional hot-dog culture never really caught on in the Great Plains, but game-meat sausage has really become the defining hot-dog style in this part of the country. Think elk, bison, and other proteins indigenous to the region. Weenie Wrangler is a hot dog cart outside of a Home Depot in the town of Cheyenne, run by a former fine-dining chef who brings a nimble approach to elk, wild boar, and boudin sausages.—BK