I'm not going to say Nicky & Pete's is officially my new favorite hot dog joint in Philadelphia, but the next time someone asks me where to go for hot dogs here, I'm sending them on a trip to 64th Street. They do the whole nine yards as far as Philly sandwiches go—hoagies, cheesesteaks, breaded chicken cutlet with longhots and sharp provolone, homemade meatballs. But what really knocked me out is the serious hot dog menu. They're cooking them up Philly-style with Dietz & Watson dogs split and grilled, served on club rolls. More

While technically not a hot dog, Dogmatic's locally sourced sausages—which are jammed into freshly baked mini baguettes with gourmet sauces like horseradish mustard, mint yogurt, and a truffle gruyere sauce—are a delicious alternative to the same old New York City street food. More

Many stadiums have signature hot dogs related to the regional tastes of their city, or even the stadium itself. Philadelphia is known as a cheesesteak and roast pork town, but Phillies games have always been one of the best places in the city to eat a hot dog—especially with "Dollar Dog Night" and the Philly Phanatic's air powered hot dog launcher. And for the 2010 season, Citizens Bank Park is getting into the signature hot dog game for the first time, recently putting three different Philly hot dogs up for a vote. More

The Bull Dog—named after the mascot of the United States Marine Corps, whose flag proudly waves in front—is what Danny's seems to be known for in the hot dog category, slathered in fried onions and Kuhn's Chili, an extra spicy hot dog sauce only available in Connecticut. But what really blew my mind was Danny's Slaw Dog. The texture of the deep-fried (but not incinerated) frank and well-toasted bun was perfect with piles of creamy slaw. And the slaw was so good I don't know what was going on there; I swear I tasted a hint of vanilla—or maybe I was just delirious from three days of nonstop driving and hot dog consumption. More

Expecting a run-of-the-mill, small-town hot dog joint, Fat Franks was anything but. Driving through the sleepy town of Bellows Falls, Vermont, you can't miss the shimmering glass windows, memorable logo, and hot dog flag flapping in the wind. More

From fast-food chains to street vendors, El Completo is Chile's hugely popular take on the hot dog. It starts with a wiener (known in Chile as "Vienesa") on a toasted roll with sauerkraut, then is buried under a thick layer of mashed avocado, chopped tomatoes, and an insane amount of mayo. More

Every Friday we look forward to Hawk Krall's take on a different hot dog variation in his Hot Dog of the Week column—from traditional small town hot dog joints to bizarre South American concoctions. He now has four brand-new prints from recent posts for sale for $29 each. The prints look as good, or even better, than the original paintings. Get a close-up of them here (and then realize that you want to cover your wall with them). More

In this week's edition of Hot Dog of the Week, we get a taste of Maine's famous red snappers, which are made with natural casing beef and pork franks and a healthy dose of FD&C Red #40. Why red? There's no definite answer, but the stories range from a simple marketing scheme to the legend that butchers were trying to hide the gray color of wieners made from old meat. More

In this edition of Hot Dog of the Week we follow the trail of Greek-owned hot dog stands in the Troy/Albany area of New York that sell mini hot dogs. Since the 1920s this region has been known to serve this truly unique regional variation, produced by local butcher shops and served on custom-made three-inch hot dog buns. More

This week on Hot Dog Of The Week, we check in with Pete's Hot Dogs in Newburgh, New York. Since 1932, Pete's has been a local favorite, serving up natural casing dogs with two different chili sauces. In addition to the food, the place offers a glimpse into the past of a changing small town. More