If you’ve ever spend any amount of time on the east coast or in large mid western cities like Chicago and Detroit you have most likely eaten from or at the very least seen a hot dog joint. Depending on where you are a hot dog joint can be a number of different venues. In New York City (where many argue see as the home of the hot dog) you will mostly find small shiny silver hot dog carts with brightly colored umbrellas serving grilled dogs right on the sidewalk. It really can’t be any more convenient.

For many years (and maybe still; I should have done more research!) Chicago did not allow pushcart operations so for that reason it is more typical to find hot dogs sold from stands. Much like the umbrellas of the New York street vendors Chicago’s hot dog stands are usually bright and eccentrically colored so as to attract attention from passerby’s. Regardless of where you are in America or even the world you will find that hot dog vendors almost always have one thing in common: they are centered around the on-the-go culture we now accept as day to day reality.

With it’s mobility and accessibility the hot dog became a food staple at a time when America was booming with industry and it’s large immigrant population, many of whom came from sausage-loving countries such as Germany and Italy, was always on the move. Eating a hot dog requires very little effort because usually you only need one hand, which opens up a whole realm of possible things you can do while eating a hot dog (Saveur Seeking does not condone ALL types of hot dog multi-tasking.

In this sense the hot dog is on par with another classic street food: the taco. Ethnic groups and immigrants popularized both tacos and hot dogs. They are also both typically sold by mobile street vendors. Not to mention tacos and hot dogs have been established street food long before the recent wave of food trailers. It’s safe to say they laid the foundation for the scene we have today. And this is where Austin and Dogello’s come in.

Tacos in Austin are about as common as hot dogs in New York. This, and the abundance of food trailers that offer any type of food you can think of, has often made me wonder why their aren’t more hot dog vendors in Austin. Sure there are some, but a good hot dog can actually be tough to find. Don’t get me wrong, there are some great dogs to be found in Austin, but most tend to try and do crazy things with the dog. I’m a fan of crazy hot dogs but I also like sticking to the basics.

Out of his modest trailer on West Campus Joe Holland serves up the best of both worlds. He sticks to the basics by using all-beef Hebrew National hot dogs served on your standard hot dog bun. Nothing fancy, right? Well then he takes things to a different level by offering those classic dogs with delicious chili that he makes himself every day and/or his homemade relish. The relish is made using peppers such as jalapeno, chipotle, and habanero, as well as different fruits such as mango and cherry. He combines the spicy and the sweet and throws it right on top of the dog. Amazing!

Austin needs more hot dogs and Dogello’s does a great job at serving up affordable dogs with friendliness, quality, and a little bit of sarcasm. In honor of the trailer’s former occupants Dogello’s also serves delicious Cuban style coffee. Get it iced, trust me. So if you’re like me and you appreciate a great frankfurter stop by Dogello’s some time.

For more info visit their WEBSITE.

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