Hot Dog Hot Spots

Where to get that summer dog before the dog days are over

By Alexandra Dailey | Aug. 20, 2022

There’s nothing like a late-summer neighborhood party where friends get together, fire up the grill, and create a smorgasbord-style potluck. If you’re nostalgic for those summer nights but can’t create your own backyard charcoal ambiance, we recommend you, your friends, and your neighbors head to one of the NoMi establishments known for their hot dogs. There, you’ll find all of the flavor and none of the clean-up…plus some truly creative takes on America’s go-to summer food.

Capital Dog, Lake Leelanau

Open daily at 106 St. Mary’s Street
Brand new this summer season, Capital Dog opened in May and set up shop in Lake Leelanau’s original fire station. The summer staple is owned by Kevin and Sue Burns, who entered the restaurant business with a mission in mind: to create a place for families to eat in Leelanau County that is economical when it comes to expense and time.

“What we’ve loved most about opening and operating Capital Dog is how welcoming the Lake Leelanau community has been. We’re filling a void here, and the local support has been overwhelming,” Sue says.

The atmosphere of Capital Dog is straight out of Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life, with a full-service ice cream counter, vintage decor, swivel stools, booth seating, and an antique apothecary counter. (In fact, you might sense that Jimmy Stewart could make an appearance and shout “hot dog!” at any time.) As a bonus, there’s a quaint back patio for additional seating outdoors.

It took several years of thought and planning before the boutique restaurant opened its doors, but Capital Dog is now thriving on serving a variety of specialty hot dogs, small-batch slow-cooked pork, and ice cream for hot summer days.

“We opened Capital Dog May 1, and one thing we’re learning is that everyone has an opinion about their hot dog preference,” says Sue. “There’s lots of banter between customers regarding Detroit-style vs. Flint-style vs. Chicago-style—and it’s all in jest! We didn’t set out to reinvent the wheel; we just wanted to serve darn good dogs and hit high marks with our customers.”

All dogs and buns are steamed, but there are several versions in particular that the people love.

“Our bestsellers are the Narrows Dog with kraut and mustard and our signature, the Capital Dog, with shredded cheddar, chili, fresh diced garlicky dill pickle, onion, ketchup, and mustard,” says Burns.

Peruse the menu and learn more at capitaldog.net.

FrankZ, Frankfort

Open daily at 325 Main St
Located in lovely downtown Frankfort is FrankZ, a restaurant featuring—you guessed it—franks. Owned and operated by Joey Barcheski, Franks also serves other American classics, like chicken tenders, fries, and wings, as well as gyros and specialty egg rolls.

On the dog side of the menu, you get to choose between 11 different iterations. Embrace the coming of fall with the Cheddar Dog, topped with FrankZ chili and shredded cheddar. Go above and beyond the Works Dog, which starts with ketchup, mustard, onions, pickles, and offers the option for unlimited toppings. Or lean into a local legend with the Dog Man, featuring honey sriracha, onion, jalapeño, and FrankZ’s man dip.

According to Barcheski, FrankZ’s mission is to offer a superior product at an affordable price. Another part of Barcheski’s mission is to give back to his community by supporting events and funding local schools. FrankZ also offers full-service catering for birthdays, graduation parties, company picnics, family reunions, tailgates, holiday parties, weddings, and more. (Possibly even that neighborhood backyard cookout we were daydreaming about earlier.)

Get the details at frankzfrankfort.com.

Howard’s Hot Dogs, Traverse City

Open Wednesday through Sunday at 109 S Union St.
Since 2015, Howard’s Hot Dogs of Traverse City has been supplying the late-night Union Street bar district patrons with delicious Coney dogs between 10pm and 2:15am.

The mobile food vendor is a mere stone’s throw away from 7 Monks Taproom, Union Street Station, and Dillinger’s Pub, and the bars’ patrons love indulging in late-night snacks.

“My mission has always been to provide customers with the most delicious and authentic Coney dog they’ve ever tasted,” says Howard Byrne, proprietor and namesake of the eatery. “After all, the Coney dog is the official state food of Michigan!”

[Editor’s Note: We looked this up, and while Michigan doesn’t technically have a state food, people sure like to think Coney dogs are it.]

As for what to eat? “To this day—er, night—my two top-selling menu items continue to be the T.C. Coney and T.C. Coney with Cheese,” states Byrne.

Find Howard’s Hot Dogs on Facebook for more information.

Still hungry?

As summer winds down, make sure you don’t miss out on catching a whiff of a charcoal-infused breeze or licking relish, ketchup, and mustard off your fingers—we’ll be eating chili and wearing sweaters before you know it.

Other hot dog hot spots to try are Glizzy’s in Traverse City, Rusty Dogz in Cheboygan (they’re going mobile—check their website for updates), Wienerlicious in Mackinaw City, and Legs Inn in Cross Village (their Polish-based menu is all about the kielbasa!).