🔍
Editions ▾
EnglishEspañol
SavedNewsletterSubscribe
05 September 2026Latest Articles
THE IMPERIAL EPICUREAN GAZETTE
THE WORLD'S TABLE, SERVED EVERY DAY
Most ReadGet the letter
The Dining Room

What’s a Chicago Hot Dog?

New York may be the first city most Americans imagine when they think of hot dogs, but in truth, Chicago has done far more to keep its encased-meat traditions alive through the churn of food trends and changing diets.

By the Dining Room deskUnited States2 min read
What’s a Chicago Hot Dog?

While most New York street dogs are reserved as paltry items for tourists, the Chicago-style hot dog remains a vital part of local cuisine. The method is as sacrosanct as Neapolitan pizza in Naples: a hickory-smoked natural-casing Vienna Beef hot dog in a poppy-seed-crowned bun topped with minced raw onions, emerald-green and candy-sweet relish, tomato wedges, spicy pickled sport peppers, dill spear, a dash of celery salt, and yellow deli mustard.

But a Chicago dog may be truly defined by what it doesn’t include: no ketchup, ever. It’s also free to add to your Alexa flash briefings.

Key facts
  • Who: New York · Chicago
RELATED COVERAGEMORE

What’s A Ripper Hot Dog?

Chef of the Week: Alan Mileykovsky of Next Restaurant, Chicago

The 7 Most Expensive Restaurants in Chicago in 2022

Welcome to America's Unsung Barbecue City: Chicago

How to Eat Your Way Through Chicago Like a Chef