17 Places for Hot Dog-Lovers Around the World

It all started in 1867 when a German immigrant by the name of Charles Feltman started hawking frankfurters from his cart in Coney Island. While the name may have been a reference to the German city of Frankfurt-am-Main and there was an undeniable resemblance to German bockwurst, these weenies were a decidedly American phenomenon. And although times may have changed, our national appetite for hot dogs has only grown—Americans eat some 7 billion of them between Memorial Day and Labor Day each year.

Part of the beauty of hot dogs lies in their accessibility. You seldom have to venture beyond your local grocery store for a high-quality specimen. If you’re seeking an exemplary one, however, there are plenty of weenies worth the journey. 

You could, for instance, head to Raleigh, North Carolina, where a family-owned joint has been grill-roasting sausages and serving them alongside ice-cold bottles of Coke and homemade baklava for 40 years. Or you could head to New York—either to the frankfurter’s spiritual home on Coney Island or to a hot dog stand that doubles as one of the city’s most famous speakeasies. 

If you like your dogs battered and deep-fried, you could head to one of several places that claim to have invented the corn dog. And while this tradition may have all-American roots, some of the best renditions can be found abroad. Book a flight to Reykjavik and you’ll be rewarded with lamb-based hot dogs topped with remoulade and crispy fried onions.