Seattle Dog Named Best Regional Hot Dog in the U.S.

Washington, take a bow.

In a bracket-style taste test meant to settle one of America's big food debates, the Seattle dog was named the best regional hot dog in the country. It beat out famous styles from Chicago, New York, Detroit, Cincinnati, and West Virginia.

A World-Class Chef Just Judged the Best Hot Dog in America

Wirecutter, the New York Times product and lifestyle review site, organized the competition and brought in chef José Andrés as the judge. Andrés is not just any food personality. He is a James Beard Award-winning chef and the founder of World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit that has delivered hundreds of millions of meals to communities recovering from disasters. If anyone can settle a hot dog debate, it's him.

Eight regional styles competed in the bracket. Chicago entered its famous dog with yellow mustard, neon relish, tomatoes, a pickle spear, sport peppers, and celery salt on a poppy seed bun. Ketchup was strictly off-limits. New York offered its simple steamed frank with mustard and onion sauce. Detroit, Cincinnati, and West Virginia also made strong cases for their local traditions.

Chicago and New York Didn't Make the Cut — Seattle Did

In the end, it was Cincinnati versus Seattle in the final, and Seattle came out on top.

The Seattle dog starts with a soft potato bun, a generous layer of cream cheese, a butterflied beef frank, caramelized onions, sriracha, spicy brown mustard, and sliced jalapeños. The mix might sound unusual, but once you try it, the cool cream cheese balances the heat from the jalapeños and sriracha, while the caramelized onions add sweetness. Andrés was convinced.

Why the Seattle Dog Has Always Been Special — and the World Just Found Out

The Seattle dog has a long history in Pacific Northwest food culture. It started with late-night food carts and has been a favorite at Seattle sports events for years. Cream cheese on a hot dog might seem odd to some, but people in Washington have always appreciated it.��If you've ever wanted to try a Seattle Dog, I've seen their popular hot dog stand in the shadow of Seattle's Lumen Field.

Now the rest of the country knows it too. This Fourth of July, you know what to make.