5 Pennsylvania Hot Dog Joints Among 75 Best In U.S.: Report

Independence Day is special, and not just because it’s America’s birthday. It’s of the few days of the year where it’s OK — nay, encouraged — to be a kid again and stuff your face with more meat and buns than your stomach can possibly handle.

But the Fourth of July holiday is also a day when self-proclaimed “grill master” Uncle Benny decides it’s a good idea to cook 75 sausages at the same time — and ends up undercooking exactly all of them — while repeating the Oscar Mayer weiner song because, in his eyes, it “never gets old.”

Sound familiar?

Luckily, the good folks over at The Daily Meal say Pennsylvania is actually home to five of America’s 75 best hot dog joints. So if you’re like the many others anticipating a less-than-edible sausage, why not treat yourself to a real dog?

Here are the best hot dog joints in Pennsylvania, how they rank and where you can find them, according to the report.

Texas Hot Dogs, Altoona

National rank: 51

"It’s an old-fashioned lunch counter with its grill in the front window and birch beer from the barrel, and the dogs here are slowly roasted on a well-seasoned grill, the buns are steamed, and the requisite toppings — housemade chili-like “Texas sauce,” yellow mustard, and chopped onions — are applied by countermen who line them up on their arm. Save room for a tour of regional favorites: deep-fried cheese balls, a steer burger baked in steamed onion broth, and creamy mac and cheese covered in Texas sauce."

Memphis Taproom Beer Garden, Philadelphia

National rank: 49

"The dogs here are prepared in an on-site truck, and start with long, skinny links from New Jersey cult favorite Best Provisions. The topping options here are mind-blowingly creative. There’s the Mackinac, which tops a chili cheese dog with macaroni salad; the Blue Hawaii, a bacon-wrapped dog with deep-fried banana, Dijon, and peanut butter powder; and the Popper, topped with jalapeño-Cheddar spread, fried jalapeños, and jalapeño mustard."

Texas Weiners, Philadelphia

National rank: 30

"Dating back to 1923, when then-recent Greek immigrant Stephanos Mandrohalos first opened its doors (or window), the stand has long been proudly serving up “The Works”: a split and grilled all-beef hot dog on a steamed club roll topped with mustard, onions, and a secret sauce whose recipe is still under lock and key."

Coney Island Lunch, Scranton

National Rank: 22

"The name of the place might suggest a Coney Island-style dog, but the specialty here is the Texas wiener. That's a variety of dog supposedly invented by a Greek diner owner in Altoona, Pennsylvania, in 1918, and considered an authentic regional hot dog style in the Altoona–Scranton–Philadelphia triangle today."

Jimmy John's Pipin' Hot Sandwiches, West Chester

National Rank: 10

"What started as a tiny stand has grown and grown over the years. Today it’s owned by Roger Steward, a former employee who started working there in 1974, and although it was gutted by a 2010 fire it was quickly rebuilt. Their thick, natural-casing “special frankfurters” are tucked into a short roll, and you can help yourself to all the toppings you want."

Chicago, where hot dogs are a religion, dominated the list with 11 mentions — the most of any city — including two in the top 10. But the king of the wieners is Katz’s Deli in New York City’s Lower East Side neighborhood.

“Made especially for the restaurant by Sabrett, these garlicky, natural-casing, jumbo-size all-beef dogs spend such a long time on the flat-top grill that the outside gets a nice char and snaps when you bite into it,” the authors note. “A smear of mustard is all that’s needed, but a little sauerkraut or stewed onions certainly won’t hurt. It’s a perfect hot dog, from a perfect deli.”

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