A traditional Chicago dog.

Dish of the Week: Chicago hot dogs
Where: PS7’s, ChiDogo’s, Windy City Red Hots

Move over chili cheese dogs: Chicago dogs are taking over the city with the expected opening of ChiDogo’s at 1934C 14th Street NW in October. With a Chicago dog, the usual recipe is a Vienna beef dog nestled in a poppy seed bun and topped with neon green sweet pickle relish, sport peppers, fresh tomato, dill pickle, chopped white onions, a sprinkling of celery salt, and yellow mustard (no ketchup!). The combination of spice, sweetness, and acidity contrast well with the hearty beef dog.

If you can’t wait for ChiDogo’s, you can try out traditional dogs at Windy City Red Hots. And for those who are interested in a more haute dog, you can head to PS7’s for Peter Smith’s interpretation of the traditional recipe. His house-made dogs are topped with green relish and a sweet tomato relish, accompanied with a spicy brown mustard. Far from tradition, it’s still one of the tastiest items of the lounge menu.