Best Of 2025 | Scene
A hunt for the best St. Louis hot dog
Oh, the hot dog. An American staple that conjures up images of backyard barbecues on the Fourth of July, watching your favorite baseball team from the stands, and maybe even a trip to Coney Island. But let’s be honest — while cities like New York and Chicago may be known for their hot dogs, it’s not exactly the cuisine that St. Louis takes the most pride in. But, in the spirit of trying new things for Student Life’s Best Of, Aliana Mediratta and Nina Giraldo set out on a hot dog crawl to find the best dog in the city. Sacrificing their Sunday, their stomachs, and even a bit of their dignity, they hope you feel energized to get out there and have a hot dog.
Nina Giraldo (right) and Aliana Mediratta (left) set out on their hot dog crawl. (Aliana Mediratta | Managing News Editor)
Our dream hot dogs
Taste is subjective — some people love to try new, exciting foods, while other, less-cool people, stick with time-honored classics like chicken tenders. So, to calibrate our reviews, we have provided you with our idea of the perfect hot dog before we set off on our journey.
Nina: My earliest memories of hot dogs are from elementary school, when my fourth grade teacher showed us a video of how hot dogs were made. It’s likely she hoped that this video, which featured pink chemicals and the blending together of things that should never be blended together, would sway us from ever going near a hot dog again. If anything, it reinforced my likeness for hot dogs, because it made me realize how committed I was to them — that I could watch this disgusting video and still eat them when given the chance.
My dream hot dog is wrapped in a soft bun and gives the impression of being au naturel. Mustard is necessary. The best hot dog I’ve ever had was a Venezuelan hot dog that my mom’s friend made for me. It had these crispy fried bits on top that really sealed the deal.
Ally: My dream hot dog is salty and savory, doesn’t taste overly processed, and is large enough to hold a number of different toppings. Ideally, a hot dog bun should be light and not overly bready, maybe with some poppy seeds on it. In terms of toppings, I typically get mustard, relish, and onions — I’m a D1 ketchup hater.
Where: 5248 Delmar Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63108
What we ordered: Chicago Dog ($9.50) and St. Louis Style Dog ($9.50)
Steve’s Chicago Dog (bottom) and St. Louis Style Dog (top) were Nina and Ally’s first hot dogs of the day. (Aliana Mediratta | Managing News Editor)
We were able to catch Steve’s General Manager, Dustin Krueger, to chat about what makes an ideal hot dog. Krueger thinks it comes down to the basics: quality ingredients. His favorite hot dog on the menu is the Backyard BBQ Dog, which comes with baked beans, bacon, potato salad, and BBQ sauce all loaded on top. Krueger told us about the namesake of the store, Steve Ewing, who is the frontman for the band The Urge. Ewing’s interest in music inspired the general decor inside the restaurant, which includes a wall of band posters that actually feature many of The Urge’s shows.
“I’ve never worked for an owner that is truly proud of what he’s created and involved and engaged in everything,” Krueger said.
Ally: Walking into this hot dog crawl, Nina and I were seconds away from a physical altercation because of how hungry we both were, after forgoing breakfast to save room for dogs. As such, I was excited for the first dog of the day. I had the Chicago dog, which has raw onions, tomatoes, sport peppers (whatever that means), pickles, relish, and mustard. Overall, I did really like this hot dog — it was filling (which did not bode well for me and Nina since this was our first of many stops), it had a lot of different flavors, and I think the hot dog itself tasted great. My two qualms are with the tomatoes and the bun; I’m not the biggest fan of tomatoes on sandwiches and these were a bit pale in color. In terms of the bun, I wish it had been a little less bready and a bit smaller because it overpowered the dog a bit.
Nina: I had not eaten all day in preparation for this (it was 1:00 p.m. at this point). That meant that I was really starting to lean into the angry part of the hangry. I think I would’ve called grass delicious at this point, so my condition may have given Steve’s a leg up in my ranking. I got the St. Louis Style Dog, which laid under a pile of bacon. The hot dog was juicy and delicious. By the end, the basket it came in was merely an accessory, and the table and booth were a graveyard of severed hot dog toppings. I even found remnants in my hair. I devoured it so quickly that I hardly remembered what it tasted like. When I had finished, I wondered whether I even liked hot dogs to begin with (Ally editor’s note: when Nina said this to me, I almost punched her in the face). Ultimately, I decided that I did — whether from an epiphany or because I had no other choice is unclear. As far as the hot dog goes, I personally was not a fan of the smoky flavor, which was ever-so slightly present and brought this dog down a point for me. Call me cheap, but I’m also a fan of the traditional hot dog bun, and this one was more bready. Regardless, I still appreciated the hot dog itself, and this was also a very filling meal.
Overall, we think Steve’s is worth checking out. With six different locations in St. Louis, it’s certainly one of the most popular places to grab a hot dog for lunch.
Ranking:
Nina: 8.5
Ally: 8
Where: 6605 Delmar Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63130
What we ordered: Grand Coney Dog + onion rings ($13.99)
Nina: Driving to Fitz’s, my stomach was already in a fuss. I was also starting to get hit with a wave of post-lunch sleepiness. When we got there, though, we perked up and ordered root beer floats, onion rings, and chili cheese hot dogs. Was this a smart move for the crawl? Only time could tell. To be honest, I was pretty skeptical of a chili dog —I’ve never had one and personally am of the belief that beans should stay in their lane. Nevertheless, this hot dog surprised — no, floored — me. The bun was soft, the chili salty, and the dog was perfectly cooked. It was at this moment that I realized that to me, hot dogs are kind of like mac and cheese — the shittier the better.
Ally: Fitz’s has one hot dog on the menu: the Grand Coney dog. Topped with chili, beans, onions, and cheese, this was actually the first chili dog I’ve ever had in my life. I’ve spent 21 years thinking that chili dogs are the most abhorrent American creation out there and I’m shocked to say that I actually really enjoyed this. The dog itself was light and was balanced out well by the flavors of the chili and the onion. We did make the fatal error of ordering root beer floats — as two Fitz’s novices, we didn’t know just how large they would be, and found ourselves faced with three huge scoops of ice cream while also staring down the barrel of eating three more hot dogs.
Ranking:
Nina: 8
Ally: 6.5
Where: 8685 Olive Blvd, Olivette, MO 63132
What we ordered: Two plain hot dogs ($1.50 each)
Ally: As I looked at the graphics advertising a hot dog (and soda!) for $1.50 at Costco, my stomach started to turn over. Nina and I picked up our friend and fellow senior Saish Satyalfor moral support — and his Costco card — so our ranks were growing in size. Taking that first bite of the Costco hot dog triggered a gag reflex I didn’t even know I had. I actually thought, for a split second, that I was going to throw up on the linoleum floors. Going into this crawl, I thought I would be fine, because I’ve eaten three or four hot dogs in one sitting before, like any self-respecting American has. However, I hadn’t accounted for the impact of toppings. Another variable I failed to consider before sitting down was just how rubbery a hot dog could be. If the stereotypical hot dog makes you think of a blended amalgamation of various nearly-discarded meat parts, this is the hot dog you’re visualizing. P.S. I want to go back in time to when younger Ally and Nina decided to order root beer floats and smack them in the face.
Nina: At Fitz’s, our friend Saish asked if we could bring him a hot dog, and we said no. We then found out that he had a Costco membership, and that changed some things. Saish got in the car, and that’s when everything started to go downhill (sorry Saish). The contrast between his jovial demeanor — innocent to the toll that two topping-filled hot dogs does to the body — and Ally and I’s hurting stomachs and tired eyes, made Saish feel awkward and the two of us feel annoyed. By the time Ally mentioned she was going to go on a run later that day and Saish told me to “chill out,” I was on the verge of tears.
I knew immediately after receiving my hot dog, pale under the fluorescent lighting, that this had been a mistake. I had always dreamed of Costco’s $1.50 hot dogs and the glory in the American dream they could bring, but I couldn’t bear to look this dawg in the eyes. I took one bite and my throat immediately clenched up. It was disturbing — it’s body appeared swollen and far too big for the bun that encased it. All of a sudden, I feel as though hot dogs are all I’ve ever known. Ally and I could have done any type of crawl around St. Louis — we could have explored the city’s pastry scene, or done a tour of its prettiest parks. Yet here I am, sitting in a gray box of a building packed with carpentry materials and hot dogs. I fear that I will soon turn into one.
Ranking:
Nina: 2
Ally: 2
Where: 3639 Laclede Ave, St. Louis, MO 63108
What we ordered: Two plain hot dogs ($4.50 each)
Nina: My body is too tired to fight back anymore. I accept my fate at the basketball game that is currently taking place, and I accept that this fate will include another hot dog. Ally and I stand in line for a few minutes as we melt into the chaos of the court. This hot dog is much smaller than any we have eaten before, and I thank the skies for that. Topped with a single stripe of ketchup and mustard, the hot dog is … fine. It is just fine — and fine is good enough for me.
Ally: The three hot dogs I have eaten thus far were all unique — the toppings loaded onto the Chicago Dog at Steve’s, the chili on the Coney Dog at Fitz’s, and the intense rubbery quality of the Costco dog. All of this to say, though I was not excited to eat a hot dog when we arrived at the fieldhouse, I was glad that it was going to be a plain, simple dog. I’ve eaten a number of fieldhouse hot dogs at football and basketball games, so I knew what to expect going in. This is a solid hot dog, with a pretty good bun, so I honestly have no complaints. I’d recommend grabbing one the next time you’re cheering on the Bears.
Ranking:
Nina: 4
Ally: 5
Where: 1919 Woodson Rd, St. Louis, MO 63114
What we ordered: New York Style Hot Dog ($5.39), Woofie Dog ($5.49), Kathy Dog ($6.49)
Ian O’Leary has been running Woofie’s for the past three years, after his parents bought the place ten years ago. He says that the Vienna beef that Woofie’s uses, shipped down from Chicago, is what makes their hot dogs stand apart.
Woofie’s has many regulars, some of which visit the shop on the daily. According to O’Leary, it doesn’t take much to make someone into a regular — just a quality hot dog and some kindness at the register. O’Leary says that Woofie’s provides a good alternative to other fast food, as it is cheap but also made from high-quality ingredients.
Woofie’s has been around for almost 50 years — and you can tell when you walk in. Painted in mustard yellow and ketchup red stripes, the walls are adorned with signed headshots from St. Louis journalists from decades past, news clippings about the craft of the hot dog, and even a book that mentions having lunch at Woofie’s.
Ally: After eating four hot dogs on Sunday, there was no task that felt more daunting to me than eating another hot dog on Monday. But, alas, multiple people told me that Nina and I had to go to Woofie’s, so after I finished class, we set off for the second day of our crawl. Pulling up to the small restaurant, I found myself deeply dreading the idea of putting another hot dog in my mouth. But little did I know, this would end up being my favorite stop of the whole crawl. I ordered the New York Style Dog, which is a split and grilled dog with brown mustard, relish, and sauerkraut, and I absolutely loved it. In comparison to the Costco hot dog, I could tell that this was much higher quality.
Nina: I thought this hot dog crawl would be much easier than it was, as I’ve downed several hot dogs in one sitting before. What I neglected to take into consideration, however, are the toppings. It’s been one day since our hot dog eating spree, and my stomach still feels like a block of cinder. Heading to Woofie’s, I am dreading eating yet another sausage. As we pull in, however, I am struck by the nostalgia and old-timey feel that this place inspires — from the gumball machines, brightly colored walls, and red booths that sit facing the road outside. I ordered the Chicago-style hot dog, which featured a pickle spear, green relish, sport peppers, and chopped onions. The bun was perfectly soft, and the hot dog itself was delicious. I realized then how beautiful Woofie’s hot dogs are in their simplicity — the ingredients are more simple and sparse than Steve’s, which towered with toppings, and that’s what makes Woofie’s hot dogs so charming. After five hot dogs in the span of two days, Ally and I found ourselves ordering another hot dog from Woofie’s to split. I would wholeheartedly come back to this place. Everything — its cozy setting, reasonable prices, high quality food — was exactly what I envisioned out of the perfect hot dog when I came on this crawl to begin with.
Ranking:
Nina: 9
Ally: 9.5
FINAL RANKING (by Nina and Ally)
- Woofie’s
- Steve’s
- Fitz’s
- Fieldhouse
- Costco