“A hot dog at the ballgame beats a steak at the Ritz,” is a line widely attributed to movie star Humphrey Bogart. Whether or not he said it is besides the point since hot dogs and baseball go together like, well, hot dogs and baseball. Do some people go to a game to watch baseball? I guess. But we believe the rest are there to eat.
Standard baseball fare has gotten a lot fancier since the game’s early days, hot dogs included. In the late 1800s, Harry M. Stevens was credited with being the first vendor to hawk frankfurters at Manhattan’s Polo Grounds before founding his namesake empire, but even the “King of Concessionaires” might be surprised at the range of dining options available today. Nowadays, baseball is a great way to sample the tastes of a city, and each stadium has a signature dog, often reflective of their hometown’s cuisine. Hot dog vendors inside the park try to up their game every year too, with better buns, bigger dogs and more unconventional toppings. In 2024, you might find pot roast, kimchi, cheesesteak, alligator chili or mini pierogies atop your dog, with bold flavors like lemongrass, meat and vegetable jams, Thai chili pepper or various secret sauces.
Unless you’re on a tight budget (the average price for a plain hot dog hovered just over $5 last year), it’s worth it to splurge on a one-of-a-kind concoction only available at the game. Here are each stadium’s signature must-try hot dogs and/or sausages this season.
Arizona Diamondbacks | Chase Field, Phoenix
Local meat processing brand Bar-S is the Diamondback’s hot dog sponsor, and Big Dawgs in Section 105 is loading ‘em up with toppings. The signature serving style is an all beef frank nestled in a loaded crinkle cut fry plate smothered with queso, jalapeno-scallion chorizo, Pico de Gallo, chipotle aioli and scallions. Also noteworthy, the clever season-long rotating “versus” menu, which serves the hometown hot dog styles of visiting teams.
Atlanta Braves | Truist Park, Atlanta
Truist Park’s Perimeter Dog is brand new this year. It’s a footlong, half-pound hot dog topped with sweet bacon jam, sport peppers, diced Vidalia onions and lemon-pepper Dijonnaise sauce. If you don’t think that sounds delicious, just skip the rest of this article. Though hot dogs hog the spotlight, there’s a long tradition of serving both sausages at ballparks, as Truist Park does. Here it’s andouille sausage with bratwurst available. They’ve even been known to offer hybrid options like last year’s popular ‘Douille Dog, an Andouille Sausage topped with beef chili, onion and cheddar cheese.
Baltimore Orioles | Camden Yards, Baltimore
The Orioles are attempting to outdo themselves this year with their giant Warehouse Dog. Replacing the Yard Dog, a cleverly named but ultimately unappetizing three-foot, crab-laden monstrosity, Camden Yards will now pay homage to the phenomenon of pit beef, Baltimore’s local style of roast beef. It piles a footlong hot dog with a horseradish-infused sauce, pit beef queso fundido, pickled pico and onions onto a pretzel bun. Ringing up at $23, it’s a hefty investment.
Boston Red Sox | Fenway Park, Boston
Dress a Fenway Frank however you like. What matters is how it’s cooked. Most frankfurters are heated up just one way, but the fine folks in Boston have perfected the art of raising their hot dogs to temperature. Boiled first and finished on the grill, the final product is nestled in a classic New England split top bun. It’s basic, but the Massachusetts brand Kayem dogs stay juicy, but the textured skin yields a deeply satisfying snap.
Chicago Cubs | Wrigley Field, Chicago
Ketchup is just about the only thing you won’t find on top of a hot dog in Chicago. Dressed with mustard, neon green relish, chopped raw onion, sliced tomato, a kosher pickle spear, sport peppers and a shake of celery salt for good measure, a classic Chicago dog looks like it was dragged through a garden before it hit the plate. Vienna beef, the Windy City’s preferred hometown brand, is the official Wrigley Field hot dog
Chicago White Sox | Guaranteed Rate Field, Chicago
Blasphemy? Maybe. I prefer to embrace change as the menu at Guaranteed Rate Field now offers Impossible brand plant-based hot dogs with vegan and gluten-free bun options. Yes, even vegetarians deserve a hot dog at the ballpark.
Cincinnati Reds | Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati
If you’ve never indulged, the first thing you need to do inside Great American Ball Park is dive into a classic chili-cheese Coney hot dog from Skyline Chili. This year, it’s also a good idea to check out the options from Hempler brand hot dogs who are stepping up to the plate in 2024 as the Reds official all-beef sponsor. Try the new Hempler’s jalapeno cheddar sausage topped with ballpark kraut and mustard, served on a toasted pretzel bun.
Cleveland Guardians | Progressive Field, Cleveland
Several well established Cleveland restaurants are now prominently featured inside Progressive Field Stadium, and the hot dog and sausage offerings notably reflect local Polish cuisine. In a nod to the annual Polish Dyngus Day celebrating the end of Lent, Happy Dog in section 159 has a Dyngus Dog topped with sauerkraut, pierogies and horseradish sour cream. Fat Head’s Brewery makes a similar one but ups their game by serving it on a chargrilled kielbasa.
Colorado Rockies | Coors Field, Denver
Coors Field is home to the popular Rockies Dog, available almost anywhere in the stadium. It’s a grilled foot long topped with sauteed peppers, onions and sauerkraut. Another local option served at P149 Drinks and Links is Polidori specialty sausage, a Denver family-run company established in 1925 that brags about its use of lean cuts of pork shoulder seasoned with just enough spices to add the right flavor.
Detroit Tigers | Comerica Park, Detroit
Detroit has a well-deserved reputation as a hot dog holy ground. The standard Coney hot dog has deep roots in the Motor City, flourishing on what feels like almost every block since the early 1900s when Greek immigrants picked up the recipe in New York and brought it with them to the midwest. Inside Comerica Park, regional chain National Coney Island serves a classic version, covered in chili, mustard and onions. After the game, take a stroll to Lafayette Boulevard for a hot dog history lesson at infamous nextdoor rivals Lafayette Coney Island and American Coney Island. Pick a team only after you’ve tried them all.
Houston Astros | Minute Maid Park (The Juice Box), Houston
Regular hot dogs and specialty sausages from the Slovacek sausage carts are scattered all around Minute Maid Park. For something different, though, check out the H-Town Grills found throughout the stadium. Their Curveball Corn Dogs may be mini sized, but they’re loaded with chili, cheese and diced onions. Perfect for sharing. Or not. If you’re going to drop good money on a big plate of tiny corn dogs, then you’re entitled to eat every last one.
Kansas City Royals | Kauffman Stadium (The K), Kansas City, MO
There are plenty of opportunities to sample Kansas City’s renowned barbecue at The K, but don’t miss out on the Moon Dog. That’s two Vienna dogs sliced onto a round potato roll and topped with in-house crafted Blue Moon bacon and onion jam, then finished off with mustard. There’s also the fan favorite Korean corn dog, a specialty prepared in a panko and corn chips mix, and served with a spicy sriracha ketchup.
L.A. Dodgers | Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles
Fast fact: over 1.5 million Dodger Dogs are consumed every season. Clearly, this hot dog has a following. Demonstrably the best selling and arguably the most famous hot dog in baseball, the skinny 10-inch all pork wiener is available steamed or grilled. Most admit that it tastes better grilled, but concessionaires prefer to steam the dog so that the wafting smoke doesn’t strangle the stands.
Los Angeles Angels | Angel Stadium, Anaheim, CA
“What’ll you have?” takes on new meaning at Angel Stadium. Customizable specialty hot dogs are the name of the game at Crafty Dogs located in the 1st Base Food Court. Up your social media game with jealousy-inducing pictures of all the wild concoctions possible here. Popular templates include the Mac & Cheese Dog, the Pastrami Dog, and especially the crowd pleasing Al Pastor Dog. With options like Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, furikake seasoning or guacamole, why not push the weirdness factor out as far as you can?
Miami Marlins | Loan Depot Park, Miami
Two words: alligator chili. At Heavy Hitters, the brand new Florida cuisine-inspired concept restaurant in Section 23 of Loan Depot Park, you can grab a traditional hot dog topped with a spicy gator chili, onions and cheese. In case you were wondering, alligator tends to be a leaner meat than traditional beef, so you might find yourself going back for seconds if it suits your tastes. Talk about a hot dog with some bite!
Milwaukee Brewers | American Family Field, Milwaukee
They may switch up the zany toppings every year, but one thing always stays the same: Secret Stadium Sauce has been a staple Brewers condiment since the 1970s. Running short on mustard and ketchup one day, a harried vendor mixed up a batch of leftover barbecue sauce, smoked syrup, and however much of the yellow and red stuff he had left. When he crossed his fingers and served it to patrons, a legend was born. Try it on this season’s Dog of the North dish also topped with apple kraut, yellow mustard, jalapeno mayo, chopped bacon and Bavarian herb sprinkles.
Minnesota Twins | Target Field, Minneapolis
Minnesota has seen a booming Hmong population in recent years. The displaced ethnic group from China and Southeast Asia has brought along its language, culture and its food. This year, Union Hmong Kitchen at Target Field is rolling out a Banh Mi Brat that uses Hmong sausage, a unique pork link seasoned with herbs like lemongrass and Thai chili pepper. Topped with pickled vegetables and caramelized garlic aioli, the meal is a standout amongst giants.
New York Mets | Citi Field, Queens, NY
A lot of New Yorkers prefer their franks without too much fuss. A dash of mustard and onion sauce or kraut is standard prep in the birthplace of the hot dog. But I’m going to do something wild — I’m going to tell you to participate in the great American tradition of baseball and ignore one of its stadium’s local traditions. Instead of acting like a can’t-be-bothered New Yorker, go heavy. Go Philly. Get the Double Play Dog from Chiddy’s Cheese Steaks. This Philly-style dog tops an extra-long beef hot dog with steak, red sauce onions, cheez whiz and jalapenos.
New York Yankees | Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Unlike at Citi Field, at Yankee Stadium, you should do as New Yorkers do. “The flavor of New York” permeates the stands with Nathan’s Famous original and extra-long beef frankfurters sold throughout the park. Of course, Glatt Kosher hot dogs are available for anyone who wants them, and the stadium also sells Premio brand hot and sweet Italian sausages. But that’s about it. As far as dressing these dogs goes, follow the lead of the sweaty guy next to you: mustard, onion sauce, kraut.
Oakland Athletics | Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, CA
Operations are winding down and the final games are being played at the Oakland Coliseum as the dust settles from the divisive decision to move the Athletics from their longtime home. Thus, fans are getting back to basics, and there’s nothing more basic (or nostalgic) than a hot dog at the ballgame. This year is the last opportunity to enjoy the bacon-wrapped Colossal Dog at “baseball’s last dive bar” before the A’s move to Sacramento, and then, eventually, Las Vegas.
Philadelphia Phillies | Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia
Hatfield brand Phillies Franks remain the official stadium hot dogs for the Philadelphia Phillies, but their popular $1 hot dog night promotion has come to an end after rebellious fans littered the field with flying wieners last year. The new $5 BOGO promo is still a good deal for price conscious consumers. Top ‘em however you like. Like Dodger Dogs and Fenway Franks, a Phillie Frank is more about the hot dog itself than whatever you put on it.
Pittsburgh Pirates | PNC Park, Pittsburgh
The Pirates are making headlines this season with their decadent new Renegade Hot Dog, which takes a footlong and loads it with tender pot roast, mini pierogies, caramelized onions and pickle slices. It’s almost unimaginable NOT to eat such a thing of beauty when provided with the opportunity, but, hey, it’s a free country. A solid on-deck is the Cheddar and Chive Bratwurst served in a Martin’s potato roll and topped with peppers, onions and deli brown mustard.
San Diego Padres | Petco Park, San Diego
At Petco Park, the standout hotdogs come from local Chicano comfort food stand Barrio Dogg. The restaurant channels the cross-cultural experience of San Diego’s Barrio Logan neighborhood, which sits along the city’s land border with Mexico, with their signature Tijuana-style, bacon wrapped hot dogs on brioche buns. Go for the basic La Virgen doused in ketchup, mustard and mayo for a good idea of what they’re trying to do, or the La Yorona if you’re feeling spicy.
San Francisco Giants | Oracle Park, San Francisco
Oracle Park pays homage to the link that emerged from the mash up of culture and history in the Mission District, known simply as the Mission Style hot dog. A plain bun stuffed with a crackling bacon-wrapped hot dog and topped with sauteed onions and jalapenos, it’s traditionally dished out of a gas-burner heated baking pan. One with everything comes doused in ketchup, mustard, and mayo.
Seattle Mariners | T-Mobile Park, Seattle
Of the myriad ways to serve a hot dog across the U.S., it has to be Seattle that takes the prize for weirdest commonly-used condiment. While other toppings fluctuate, cream cheese typifies the local style. T-Mobile Park doesn’t disappoint locals with the Ultimate Seattle Dog. It’s a footlong frank with a smear of cream cheese on a freshly baked roll dressed with bacon, caramelized onions and jalapenos. But what does it taste like? Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.
St. Louis Cardinals | Busch Stadium, St. Louis
Don’t stress if you have to run out the door without breakfast before you get to Busch Stadium. The new Slinger Dog is a 3:1 (that’s three hot dogs to one pound in hot dog lingo, and also really big if you’re not so good at math) all-beef hot dog topped with fresh and crispy hash browns, taco meat and two sunny-side up fried eggs. Don’t listen to ketchup naysayers. This one begs for it.
Tampa Bay Rays | Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
Capitalizing on the best-selling, out-of-left-field popularity of the tasty but unremarkable pretzel wrapped footlongs the Rays served last year, a range of pretzel wrapped concessions are newly available at Twisted, an experimental, pretzel-inspired concept stand. You should try at least one of their offerings. Other notable hot dogs include a traditional Korean corn dog, battered and dipped in crispy potato and fontina cheese, served with a spicy dipping mayo, as well as the all-beef Hawaiian hot dog from Pacific Counter that comes on a potato roll with Hawaiian salsa, sesame seeds and a chili aioli.
Texas Rangers | Globe Life Field, Arlington, TX
If you’re going to Globe Life with plans to eat, get season tickets. You’ve got options. Start with the shiny, brand new Ranchero Chile Relleno Dawwg. It’s an Angus beef hot dog topped with Texas chili, stuffed with queso chihuahua, wrapped in a roasted banana pepper and then again in bacon, grilled, placed on a Martin’s potato roll and finally smothered with grilled onions.
Toronto Blue Jays | Rogers Centre Stadium, Toronto, ON
It’s almost inevitable that travelers to Toronto will consume poutine at some point. They might as well try it on a hot dog. The name of the hot dog game here is Schneiders, a Canadian meat brand pumping out quality hot dogs since 1890 from authentic recipes with premium ingredients. The Poutine Dog is topped with hash brown potato, cheese curds and gravy. Enjoy it from Schneiders Porch, the new hot dog headquarters with bird’s eye views of the ballpark.
Washington Nationals | Nationals Park, Washington, D.C.
Ben’s Chili Bowl is the legendary joint responsible for the mystique around D.C.’s pervasive and highly recognizable sausage-like hot dog, the Half Smoke. The iconic original location on U Street is a must-visit institution, but if you’re in town to see the Nationals play, there’s no need to leave the stadium: Ben’s has locations inside. Start with an Original Chili Half Smoke, grilled and served on a steamed bun with mustard, onions and the spicy chili sauce. Rinse with beer. Repeat.
