Every hot dog I tried in my quest to find the best in metro Phoenix

This is not a typical top 10 list. And it was never meant to be.

For one thing, there aren’t 10 hot dogs on it. There are 15. And I didn’t rank them. Also, I didn’t have a bad hot dog, because there really isn’t such a thing. Some were better than others, certainly. Maybe I caught one place on a bad day, another on a good one. I didn’t abide by the traditional eat-three-times rule of reviewing a restaurant because, you know, I do have my health to think about.

Also, there were no ground rules, no uniform method to my madness. I didn’t order a chili dog at every place. If a restaurant was known for a Chicago dog, that’s what I got. A Sonoran dog joint? I’ll have one, thanks.

The point was never to list things in order, but to try to get back to that possibly mythical place I was in when my grandmother boiled a hot dog, slid it into a Rainbo bread bun, topped it with mustard, ketchup and diced onions and called it lunch.

I don’t know that I really found that, or if I could. But I had a hell of a time trying. Read all about it here. Or read on for a handy list of really good hot dogs.

The Chicago dog from Jimmy's Hot Dogs.
The Chicago dog from Jimmy's Hot Dogs.

Some of the best hot dogs in metro Phoenix

Follow in my footsteps and explore a world of hot dogs in metro Phoenix. Here's where I went:

Ted's Hot Dogs

Footlong hot dog ($6.09).

Details: 1755 E. Broadway Road, Tempe. 480-968-6678, tedshotdogs.com.

El Guero Canelo

Estilo Sonora ($4).

Details: Various locations in Tucson and Phoenix. 520-882-8977, elguerocanelo.com.

El Sabroso Restaurant

Hog dog Sonora Special ($5).

Details: 4216 W. Indian School Road, Phoenix. 480-760-3127, elsabrosohotdogs.com.

Chicago Hamburger Company

Chicago dog ($7.95).

Details: 3749 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. 602-955-4137, chicagohamburger.com.

Luke's of Chicago

Chicago dog ($8.75).

Details: 1602 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. 602-264-4022, lukesofchicago.com.

Jimmy's Hot Dogs

Chicago dog ($3.65), Sonoran dog ($5.75).

Details: 4022 E. Broadway Road # 101, Phoenix. 602-759-8357, instagram.com/jimmyshotdogs.

Portillo's

Chicago dog ($3.99).

Details: Various locations throughout the Valley. 480-967-7988, portillo's.com.

Detroit Coney Grill

Detroit Coney ($5.85).

Details: 6953 N. Hayden Road, Scottsdale. 480-597-4300, detroitconeygrill.com.

Sweet Magnolia Smokehouse

Magnolia link ($12).

Details: 4929 E. Chandler Blvd., Suite 405, Phoenix. 623-221-2608, sweetmagnoliasmokehouse.com.

Short Leash Hot Dogs

The Lady ($10).

Details: 4221 N. Seventh Ave., Phoenix. 602-795-2193, shortleashhotdogs.com.

Cold Beer and Cheeseburgers

Deep South dog ($14.50).

Details: Various locations in the Valley. 480-590-6502, coldbeers.com/cheeseburgers.

4th Avenue Deli

T-Dog ($6.25).

Details: 425 N. 4th Ave., Tucson. 520-624-3354, 4thavedelic.com.

Dog Haus

Downtown ($9.49).

Details: Various locations in the Valley. 480-621-6603, doghaus.com.

Costco

Hot dog and drink ($1.50).

Details: Various locations nationwide. 480-496-6651, costco.com.

Read about the quest: Why I spent weeks eating Arizona hot dogs

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Every hot dog I tried in my quest to find the best in metro Phoenix