Weiner on Wieners- Tampas Hot Hot Dog Scene (Part 1)

Apr 30

The mighty hot dog has been around for centuries in some form. Still, recently, besides sporting venues, street vendors, and backyard barbeques, it has mostly been relegated to the kid’s menu at restaurants. In the past, some Tampa spots like Lum’s Famous Hot Dogs Steamed in Beer made them core menu items, but they have rarely been featured elsewhere until now. Wieners are having a gourmet moment, and given the gravity of this situation, I did a deep 2-month hard-hitting investigative journalistic dive into the world of the Tampa tube steak to find Tampa’s top dog. It wasn’t easy, and there were some surprising results. In this two-part series, I break down my findings into traditional dog houses and newer craft weenie joints.

At their core, frankfurters are a simple pleasure. They are encased meat products nestled in a soft bun adorned with a medley of condiments. While they've faced criticism for their salt and sulfite content, they remain a reliable and affordable treat. The innards of a hot dog are typically crafted from 'trimmings,' the byproducts of pork and beef slaughter. By the way, 'all beef wieners' means that only beef byproducts were used. It’s not some fancy cut of ground steak. Drawing inspiration from centuries-old sausage making, these flavorful scraps are ground into a paste and stuffed into casings, formerly made of intestines, hence the nickname' tube steak.' The term' hot dog' emerged in the late 1800s when street vendors in New York began selling them as dachshund sausages, likely due to their distinctive shape.

As hot dogs gained popularity and became a staple in many households, they evolved into regional specialties with over 50 distinct styles. Here are just a few of the most beloved variations;

Chicago Dog: an all-beef hot dog served in a poppy seed bun with yellow mustard, bright green pickle relish, chopped onion, sliced tomato, dill pickle, sport peppers, and celery salt.

Chili Dog: any red hot on a bun topped with chili with beans in it, usually piled high with shredded cheese.

Coney Dog: a beef frank topped with a meat sauce with NO BEANS, chopped onions, and piled high with shredded cheese.

New York Dog: with sauerkraut, brown mustard, and onions.

Dodger Dog: A foot-long dog on a bun with ketchup, mustard, chopped onions, and relish.

Memphis Dog: wrapped in bacon, with barbeque sauce, chopped scallions, shredded cheddar

Part 1: Tampa’s Traditional hot dog houses.

Mel’s Hot Dogs (formerly called Mel’s Red-Hot Ranch)

Travel food photographer Tampa — Mel’s Special- mustard onions, sauerkraut, relish, and a garlic pickle

Tampa food blogger and writer — Mel’s Chicago Dog- yellow mustard, bright green pickle relish, chopped onion, sliced tomato, dill pickle, sport peppers, and celery salt on a poppy seed bun

No discussion about Tampa hot dogs can start without mentioning the OG Mel Lohn. He owned his doggery next to Busch Gardens for 50 years, slinging Chicago-style all-beef franks for generations to share. After careful vetting, he sold the place in 2023, and much of it has stayed the same. It’s like stepping back in time. The atmosphere is lively, with orders taken at the counter while dogs are prepared in front of customers. When ready, their names are called over to the PA for pick-up. The red and white interior feels nostalgic, with the walls peppered with pictures and memorabilia of a half-century of Mel fun. The service is friendly, the pricing is inexpensive, and it’s a dang good dog.

Although they offer 16 different varieties, I stayed with the classics; a Chicago dog ($5.75) and the Mel’s Special -the house version of a New York dog ($5.25): mustard onions, sauerkraut, relish, and a garlic pickle. It’s a respectable offering. The Chicago has all the essentials, with the onions, relish, and pickle doing their part and the tomatoes, celery salt, and hot sport peppers chiming in with some extra kick. The Mel’s Special is a testament to the longevity of this place. All the ingredients mixed with that kraut make this dog sing and make it worth returning for.

Food photographer and writer Tampa — Mel’s Hot Dogs prep station where customers can watch the magic

Mel's Hot Dogs interior, with the walls packed with half a century of Mel memorabilia

Mel's Hot Dogs exterior, next to Busch Gardens

Mel’s Hot Dogs, 4136 E. Busch Boulevard, Tampa, Florida 33617

Open Every Day 11 AM - 8 PM https://melshotdogs.com/

Portillo’s

Portillo’s arrived in Tampa with some fanfare in 2016, bringing its brand of tube steak from Chicago. Their USF store, Tampa’s second, is a cavernous building on the outparcel of University Square Mall on Fowler Ave. Chicago-style jazz plays in the background, and checkered tablecloths cover the many tables. The servers are very cheerful and quick. Surprisingly, their dog menu is short, offering two types of beef hot dogs, Chicago and Chili Cheese. There is a plant-based dog and their Maxwell Street Polish Sausage as well. I order the two hot dogs.

Even when ordered to eat in-house, wieners are put in a paper boat, wrapped in paper, and placed in a take-out sack. So, when opening the chili dog, it's already falling apart, and it requires a fork to scoop up the mess. It would be less wasteful and more visually pleasing if customers who order for dine-in got their dogs in cardboard boats.

The chili dog ($5.19) is covered in a mild brown sauce and onion-forward, dominating any other taste. The flavor of cheese or beef in the chili is buried. It is served on a fresh, soft, sweet poppy seed-covered bun.
The house all-beef traditional Chicago Dog ($3.99) is stacked with fat, plump wiener, onions, garlic pickle, tomatoes, and mustard piled on a poppy seed bun. It is hot dog perfection with just enough heat from the accompanying sport peppers. With this dog, it’s easy to see why Portillo's is such a revered national brand.

Portillo’s- 2102 E Fowler Ave, Tampa, FL 33612 (several locations) https://www.portillos.com/

Chicago Paulies

Tampa food writer — Chicago Paulie’s Chicago Dog

Chicago Paulies has been at its gas station location for ten years and has become a West Tampa go-to. When I arrive, Pauly is there. He is a gruff kind of guy with a sharp attitude. It felt like was in Seinfeld's soup nazi’s place and was waiting for a “no dog for you” bark. That didn’t happen, but he's not polite. His f-bomb-dropping demeanor has the tone of being inconvenienced by customers. He does it with everyone, even those who seem to be regulars. It's obviously part of the charm of the place. The server at the window, however, couldn't be more pleasant. Being Tampa’s only hot dog stand (according to Paulie), there is no place to sit and eat. Some diners sit in their cars, or in my case, the tailgate.

A menu of six different dogs on the wall inside has no prices. Two hot dogs and a drink are $13. I go with two classics, the Chicago Dog and the Chili Cheese Dog. Paulie’s only serves lemonade for beverages, but there are three flavors: plain, strawberry, and mango.
The chili dog is what one would expect, with mild chili heat and just a few onions. The cheese is shredded and could use more tang, but it is a delicious bite. Paulie's Chicago Dog has the standard toppings that are fresh and flavorful. The tomato slices are ripe and red, the sport peppers add enough zing, and the garlic pickle finishes it off. Diners should try it for the Paulie experience. Chicago Paulies is only open from 11:00 to 2 daily. It is closed on Sundays,

A friendly smile at the Chicago Paulie’s service window.

Chicago Paulie’s Hot Dogs stand doesn’t offer anywhere to sit while eating, though there are stools to perch on while waiting for an order

Paulie’s is located in the Discount Food store and gas station 1301 N Howard Ave in West Tampa

Chicago Paulie’s, 1301 N Howard Ave, Tampa, FL 33607

7-Eleven

7-11 Hot Dog offerings include Johnsonville Italian Sausage, Big Bite, and Cheeseburger Bite styles

Because I sacrifice for my storytelling craft, I must try hot dogs at the 7-Eleven convenience store. You know… where legend has it that they spin for weeks on that roller grill, developing a leathery, wrinkled skin with a taste fit only for late-night stoners.

7-Elevens Big Bite™ with top it “any way you want it” hot dog is $2.49. They are a popular item. Hot dogs were sold out the first time I visited this store at lunchtime. When I returned on a Sunday afternoon, two other customers bought dogs in my five minutes there.

The friendly clerk tells me that their dawgs are 100% beef. It’s a build-your-own set-up. Individual buns are stored in cellophane wrappers in a drawer under the pastry shelf, and diners pick their wanted wiener from the rotating grill. Toppings at the self-serve condiment bar don't look all that appealing, so I stick with the basic mustard and tomato/onion/pepper relish. It's a 1/4 lb. fat frank, fast, edible, and ordinary. It's not leathery, stale, or chewy, as legend would have it. The bun is fresh and sweet, and the whole thing is what one might expect for a $2.50 hot dog.

Self-serve buns are wrapped individually in cellophane

7-11 Big Bite hot dog on their self-serve bun

7-Eleven condiment cart with mustard, catsup, dill pickles, salsa, veggie relish, pickle relish, onions, and barbeque sauce

Weiner’s Winning Wiener (Part One)- Tampa’s top traditional hot dog

So, who's Tampa’s top traditional dog in Weiner World? The criteria for selecting a winner are simple: atmosphere, price, service, and taste make up the list. In the traditional category, Weiner’s winning wiener is Mel's Special Dog, with its heart and soul based in Tampa. It’s a great dog with good feels, visiting the nostalgic place all at a great price. Portillo’s Chicago Dog, with its perfected ingredients, pulls a close second.

Continue this delicious journey and see Part Two of the story, where Tampa’s top craft hot dogs are reviewed and winners decided.

Full disclosure. I was not compensated by the restaurants visited for this story. I went in, waited my turn, and paid for my meals like you would. It’s the only way to tell the true story.

Chip Weiner