Hot dogs, whether tucked in a bun at the ballpark or served on a stick at the state fair, are a great American summertime tradition. Fierce regional loyalties still shape the hot dog business: Many of the dogs produced in this country are made by local, often family-owned businesses, and flavors and styles vary widely from place to place. From North Carolina’s peppery red skinless franks to Oregon’s salami-like beef-and-pork dogs, from garlicky weiners made in Pennsylvania from a 1939 recipe to Coney Island’s famously snappy franks, we love them all.
John Morrell Bistro Naturals
OHIO Made in Cincinatti from 100 percent uncured beef, John Morrel’s Bistro Natural hot dogs are delicately seasoned with celery and sea salt. $2.50 for a 1-pound package at a local store, like Family Dollar
Bright Leaf Skinless Frankfurters
NORTH CAROLINA Whether grilled or fried, there’s an unmistakable bite to these bright red, peppery, skinless frankfurters. They’ve been a Southern classic since 1940. $5.99 for a 1-pound box at Carolina Packers
Caspers Famous Hot Dogs
CALIFORNIA Made from a beef-pork blend with a sweet oniony flavor, these hickory-smoked dogs have been made by the same family-operated business since 1934. $18 for a 2.5-pound box at Spar Sausage
Cloverdale Meats Mariner Dogs
NORTH DAKOTA Though they’ve been made in North Dakota since 1915, these all-beef weiners with a zesty, citrusy taste are the official hot dog of the Seattle Mariners. $45.95 for twelve 1-pound packages at Cloverdale Country Store
Continental Sausage Wieners
COLORADO Continental’s nitrate-free wieners are brightly seasoned with celery powder, sea salt, and turbinado sugar. $6.96 for a 12-ounce package at Continental Sausage
Deck Farm Old World Hot Dog
OREGON With a salami-like flavor, Deck Farm’s beef-and-pork franks are generously seasoned with garlic. $9.85 for an 8-ounce package at Deck Family Farm
Dearborn Beef Franks
MICHIGAN Made by a family-owned company since 1945, these all-beef, paprika-laced franks are beloved by Detroit Red Wings fans. $3.99 for a 16-ounce package at Dearborn Sausage Company
Dewig Meats Jumbo Wieners
INDIANA Three generations of the Dewig family have been producing these colossal wieners — flavored with a hint of rosemary — since 1916. $2.99 per pound at Dewig Meats
Dietz & Watson
PENNSYLVANIA The garlic- and onion-rich recipe for these hot dogs hasn’t changed since Gotlieb Dietz started making them in 1939. $7.49 for a package of 8 at local grocery stores, such as Gristedes
Eckrich Premium Beef Franks
Indiana Sweet and peppery, these all-beef franks are reminiscent of Italian summer sausages. $2.49 for a 12-ounce package at local Indiana stores, such as Walmart
Field Roast Vegetarian Hot Dogs
WASHINGTON This meatless frank from Seattle can stand up to any pork or beef hot variety; they’re plump and flavorful with a garlic-rich, tangy spice. $7.49 per pound at VeganEssentials
Let’s be Frank Uncured Beef Frank
CALIFORNIA Former Chez Panisse “meat forager” Sue Moore is behind these peppery franks, made from grass-fed beef. $7.50 for a 12-ounce package at Let’s Be Frank
Gwaltney Big 8’s Angus Beef Franks
VIRGINIA Made from a combination of beef, pork, and turkey and naturally smoked, these juicy hot dogs have been beloved in Smithfield since 1870. $1.49 for a 16-ounce package at local Virginia supermarkets, such as Shoprite
Hebrew National Jumbo Beef Franks
NEW YORK A Yankees game wouldn’t be complete without an all-beef frank from Hebrew National, a kosher dog with a strong paprika note. $7.49 for a 12-ounce package at Netgrocer
Hoffy Hollywood’s Original
CALIFORNIA All-beef with a super-snappy skin, these dogs were made famous by Pink’s in LA. $69.95 for six 12-ounce packages at Amazon.com
Hummel Bros. Natural Casing Frankfurters #5
CONNECTICUT New Haven’s Hummel Bros. have been producing their iconic smoke-cured beef and pork frankfurters since 1933. $4.85 for an 8-ounce package at Hummel Brothers
Indian Valley Alaska Hot Dogs
ALASKA Reindeer meat gives these Alaskan dogs a robust, gamey flavor. $3.69 for a 12-ounce package at Indian Valley Meats
Kayem Fenway Franks
MASSACHUSETTS These plump, all-beef franks are irreplaceable to Red Sox fans at Fenway Park. $5.19 for a 16-ounce package at Kayem
Koegel’s Natural Casing Viennas
MICHIGAN Available throughout Michigan, Indiana and Ohio, Koegel’s Viennas are smoked to give a rich, almost bacon-like flavor. $10.99 for 2 packs of 8 at Koegel Meats
Kunzler Grill Franks
PENNSYLVANIA One of the nation’s oldest hot dog producers, Kunzler has been making their plump pork-and-beef franks in Lancaster since 1901. $34.60 for eight 1-pound packages at Wholesome Foods
Rocky Mountain Organic Beef Hot Dogs
WYOMING 100 percent organic, these hot dogs are made from grass-fed sirloin, top round, and chuck, and are packed with spicy ground mustard and white pepper. $7.95 for an 8-ounce package at Rocky Mountain
Sahlen’s Smokehouse Hot Dogs
NEW YORK Family owned since 1869, Sahlen’s spiced beef and pork franks are the official hot dogs of the Buffalo Bills football team. $59.99 for a 3-pound package at Made in Buffalo
Saugy Skinless Frankfurts
RHODE ISLAND Family-operated Saugy has been producing their all-natural, buttery-tasting skinless franks since 1869. $100 for a 5-pound package at Saugy
Schweigert Hardwood Smoked Beef Wieners
KANSAS Made in Wichita, these snappy-skinned, hardwood-smoked wieners have a punchy garlic taste and are a fan favorite at the Minnesota Twins ballpark. $5.99 for a 14.3-ounce package, see Schweigert Meats to find a local retailer
Thumann’s Frankfurters
NEW JERSEY Carlstadt’s own deli-style frankfurters, made from pork and beef and naturally cased, have had the same buttery richness since 1949. $20-$29 for a 5-pound package at local New Jersey supermarkets
Tony Packo’s Hickory Smoked Hungarian Hot Dog
OHIO Toledo is famous for its smoked pork Hungarian franks with kielbasa-like heft and flavor. $109-$129 for Tony Packo’s 15 Original Hot Dog Pack at Tony Packo’s
Usinger’s Old World Style Wieners
WISCONSIN A Milwaukee staple since 1880, Usinger’s wieners are made of beef, pork, mace, garlic, and plenty of paprika. $3.75 for a 10-ounce package at Usinger’s
Vienna Beef Frankfurters
ILLINOIS A classic in Chicago, these dogs have a snappy casing and a juicy center. $89.99 for the Chicago Style Hot Dog Kit including 16 Poppy Seed Buns, one 1.2-ounce container celery salt, one 10.5-ounce jar Plochman’s yellow mustard, one 12-ounce jar Bright Green Relish, and 16 Skinless Hot Dogs at Vienna Beef
Wimmers Natural Casing Wieners
NEBRASKA The Wimmers family has been making these hardwood-smoked wieners in Snyder since 1934. $8.49 for a 1.5-pound package at a Midwest grocery store, like Jerry’s Hometown Meats
Zweigle’s Pop Open
NEW YORK These plump, paprika-spiced “hots” in natural casing split when grilled. $4.25 per pound at Zweigle’s
