I was always fascinated by the Dane’s hot dogs (“polser”).
They are long and skinny-and NEON red-they almost glow in the dark.
Anyway, they are made by the firm that imports “Plumrose” Danish Ham-I wrote them once (to see if I could by them in the US)-never got an answer.
they are good-and having a natural casing, they give you that satisfying “snap” when you bite into them.
I’m a Pittsburgher from a younger generation and, as you mentioned, mine doesn’t seem to be aware of local hot dogs being anything special. I know Station Street Hot Dogs recently opened attempting to tie itself to the past. To me it just looks like a needlessly fancy hot dog place, but I guess their claim that they’re reopening a restaurant that’s been closed for decades might point to something like what you’re describing.
The Original HotDog Shop, or as I always knew it, The Dirty O. A Pittsburgh tradition.
IMHO, the best hot dogs in the world were served at the “O” (Oakland’s Original) just down the street from Pitt. I spent many an hour their playing pinball and eating hotdogs when I went to CMU. I was saddened to hear that they are gone now.
I’ve had ‘dogs from all over the country, and none come close, although Rutt’s Hut is pretty good.
Chicago dogs are OK, but too mushy for my preference.
ETA: You Go! kayaker
We’ve recently been experimenting with hot dog toppings. Can I ask what everyone’s preferred combo is? My last one was American cheese, mayo, chipotle sauce, dill relish. It wasn’t bad. Usually I do ketchup, mustard, dill relish, and American cheese.
I have always been strictly a fan of the classic Chicago style, but have made room in my heart for another. I recently had a Sonoran style dog at Big Star in Chicago.
From the menu:
crispy, bacon wrapped, all beef hot dog, pinto beans, lime mayo, mustard, onions, hot sauce, on a bolillo roll
Now if that don’t put the lead in your pencil, I am not sure what will.
If you want a Sonora dog (not just Sonora-style) come and visit - I’ll take you here (a food truck in a parking lot).
Sonoran dogs are absolutely amazing. I try to hit up El Guero Canelo whenever I’m in Tucson. I’m surprised they’re already in Chicago, but all the better. This is something that needs to be national.
Frankly, (heh), I’m surprised. If I pop into a random Vienna Beef joint, I would always bet on the skinless dogs bring served. In my experience, it’s about 85% of the time. I’ve given up. In an unfamiliar neighborhood, if I’m jonesing for a hot dog, I will opt for a Portillos (which is a good dog.) And the prepackaged retail Vienna Beefs are skinless, too (well, I believe they started offering the natural casing retail product recently, but I haven’t seen it. You could always get the natural casing at the Vienna Beef factory store, and occassionly, a place might carry it in their meat/deli section by the link.)
It’s become enough of an issue, one intrepid soul made a map to track where the natural casing dogs. I live on the Southwest Side (in the city) and since Chickie’s switched to skinless under new owners, I don’t even know where there is a natural casing Vienna stand within several miles of house. And Ive been looking. There are probably at least 20 places selling hot dogs within a mile or two of my house. All skinless.
And I’ve only had slightly better luck at random North Side stops.
Do I have to make up a CARE package of Farmer John’s Dodger Dogs?
Actually, the correct answer is Pink’s.
Anyone remember “Weiner World” in Pgh?? Hot dogs with spaghetti!
Armour hot dogs!
What kind of <kick punch throttle beatdown unimaginable violence>
Why would anyone want to remember that?
They don’t serve hot dogs in Chicago. They serve handheld salads that have a little meat buried in them.
Is there anyone on the planet who actually prefers skinless hot dogs? I’ll tolerate them because I’m a cheap bastard, but I still unambiguously prefer the natural-casing one. I understand that genuine natural casing is expensive, but can’t someone at least come up with an artificial alternative that has the same texture?
And the single best, bar none, topping to ever put on a hot dog is Bertman’s Ballpark Mustard, but good luck finding it anywhere outside of Cleveland. That stuff is God’s gift to sausage.
http://www.bertmanballparkmustard.com/Order%20Form.htm
You’re welcome.
Not completely true. That’s the most well-known style, but some iconic places, like Gene and Jude’s, don’t have all that crap. In my neighborhood, relish, onions, mustard were the standard toppings, as I said above. It’s the frank I like, not the salad.
Apparently, yes. My go-to place in my neighborhood, Chickies, switched to skinless because of customer demand and the new owner said he didn’t like the snap and skin texture of natural casing dogs. 
I’m willing to bet most consumers don’t even know the difference.
Sweet Moses, I grew up in Burlington.
One of the best dogs I’ve ever had was the Jackalope dog from Frank in Austin.
http://www.hotdogscoldbeer.com/austin/eats/
http://www.seriouseats.com/2012/03/hot-dog-of-the-week-the-jackalope-from-frank-austin-tx.html