The Seattle Way to Make Hot Dogs 10x Better

Hot dogs are an all-American street food with tons of regional identities. While almost everyone loves a good hot dog, how it’s dressed depends on where you’re standing—and let me tell you, people take it seriously.

Chicago is sacred hot dog ground. The “Chicago Dog” is an all-beef frank nestled in a poppy seed bun, topped with mustard, neon-green relish, onions, tomatoes, sport peppers, a pickle spear and a dash of celery salt. But don’t even think about ketchup. Mentioning it might get you exiled from the city. 

Meanwhile, New Yorkers keep it classic with sauerkraut and spicy brown mustard. Simple, reliable and perfect for a quick bite while dodging slow-walking tourists in Times Square. NYC is another place you might want to think twice before asking for ketchup on your dog.

Travel south to Atlanta, and you’ll find chili dogs stealing the show—piled high with chili, onions and maybe some shredded cheese. You’ll need a stack of napkins to get through these!

And let’s not forget Arizona’s Sonoran Dog, with its bacon-wrapped hot dog loaded with pinto beans, jalapeños and a drizzle of mayo. It’s not for the weak! 

Moving up the west coast you’ll find that Seattle also has a beloved hot dog variation and it’s one we can’t wait to try. Content creator Matt Groark (@groarkboysbbq) shared the details on the Seattle hot dog on Instagram and we are drooling! 

Related: The 47-Second Trick for Infinitely Better Hot Dogs

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The Seattle Hot Dog That Started As a Bagel

According to Matt, Hadley Long is credited with popularizing the Seattle Dog, a hot dog topped with cream cheese. He introduced it in the late 1980s while working a late-night food cart in Seattle, catering to the post-bar crowd. Matt said Long didn’t want to be a”hot dog guy. He was a bagel man.” That’s why he sold bagels and cream cheese with a hot dog sandwiched between the bagel pieces—giving the people what they wanted, while still selling his bagels. 

Unfortunately, the city started cracking down on street vendors, but Long’s creation had become iconic, so a few restaurants picked it up and it now has a permanent place in the city’s culinary scene.

Related: The Viral Recipe That Has Us Rushing to the Store to Buy Hot Dogs

How to Make a Seattle Hot Dog

A Seattle hot dog is typically served on a toasted bun (Matt grilled his) that is smeared with cream cheese. The hot dog is then topped with onions, usually grilled. Matt used fried onions. 

The Seattle Dog may also include toppings like jalapeños, mustard or sriracha for added flair. The Seattle Dog is celebrated for its rich, tangy flavor and unconventional twist on the classic hot dog. It’s quirky, delicious and undeniably Seattle.  

“Yes the iconic Seattle dog is an after-hours staple,” someone commented on Matt’s post. 

“This looks so good,” another person said. We totally agree and we can’t wait to give it a try!

The hot dog competition? Always fierce. The debates? Hotter than a fresh-grilled dog. But at the end of the day, whether you’re team pickle spear, bacon-wrapped or cream cheese-smeared, hot dogs unite us all as the ultimate crowd-pleaser.

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