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I Want Me A Chili DAWG
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
DO YOU DIG THE DOGS as much as John Kerry did back in 2004? At the Varsity, he ordered chili dogs, a Varsity orange and onion rings.
Photo: Curtis Compton/AJC staff
I’ve been trading emails with Scott Sapp, a reader and local connoisseur of all things Southern ( the guy makes his own maps of the best BBQ in the state — but more on that in a week or so).
He’s also a chili dog fan and claims, as I do, that the good ole Varsity has the “filet mignon of frankfurters in Georgia.” He also mentions the Nu-Way in Macon, and Dinglewoods in Columbus.
Summer’s coming, and I want a DAWG. Who makes your favorite chili dog?
Permalink | Comments (44) | Post your comment | Categories: Dining




DEL.ICIO.US

Comments
By Yum
May 20, 2008 12:41 PM | Link to this
Brandi’s World Famous Hotdogs in Marietta. The chili dogs are spicy and deeeelicious!!!
By mike
May 20, 2008 1:08 PM | Link to this
Rusty’s Sports Bar at Opryland…..it’s huge, hot and loaded
By JJ
May 20, 2008 1:15 PM | Link to this
It’s a “dog” not a “dawg”. The journalist, like most at the AJC is catering to the UGA mutts. I could not find a reference to “dawg” as being a hot dog. Maybe I just need to lighten up a little but it gets old.
By Hey JJ
May 20, 2008 1:36 PM | Link to this
Go back down to your parents basement and play some more D&D you Tech loser!
By GTSAE
May 20, 2008 1:48 PM | Link to this
Nu-Way by far. I’ve had so many Varsity hot dogs during 5 years at GT and several trips each year during football season that Nu-Way was a refreshing improvement. Any trip south of Atlanta has to include a stop at one of the Nu-Way stores in the Macon area. Custom spicy weiners grilled, custom secret chili recipe, all the right stuff on top. The Greeks do it best. BTW, DAWG is definitely synonymous with weiner, but a hot dog is a culinary delicacy perfected by Nu-Way.
By Jim
May 20, 2008 1:50 PM | Link to this
The best chili dog can be found at THE LUNCH BOX in DOWNTOWN LAWRENCEVILLE.
By i'm hungry
May 20, 2008 2:15 PM | Link to this
this is perfect timing. it’s lunch-time and i’m off to wienerschnitzel for chili-cheese dogs.
By The real JJ
May 20, 2008 2:23 PM | Link to this
To the Posted assuming my blog name JJ. Darling, you are in the south, and dog is pronounced DAWG. It’s just a fact of southern life..
We don’t have dogs…..we have DAWGS.
It’s Georgia DAWGs, and HOT DAWGS, and Chili Dawgs……..you order a “dog” and someone will ask, what breed, and people are going to look at you funny……
By chi-town bill
May 20, 2008 2:38 PM | Link to this
Any place that serves real Vienna Beef franks… from Chicago!
There are a few Chicago hot dog places in and around Atlanta, and while chili is not “Chicago Style” Vienna dogs are the best no matter how you top them!
By David
May 20, 2008 2:38 PM | Link to this
Skyline has the best chili dogs, although you won’t find them in the south.
By sccannon
May 20, 2008 2:40 PM | Link to this
Check out Skip’s in Decatur. They have a grilled super dog!!
By EC Steve
May 20, 2008 3:06 PM | Link to this
Barker’s Redhots off of Windy Hill serves a spectacular grilled all-beef chiliDAWG.
JJ is just another NERD obsessed with UGA. Get a life, dude. You probably think Arsenio Hall’s show was about UGA since the audience barked constantly.
By Lissa
May 20, 2008 3:07 PM | Link to this
Nu-Way of course! They have the best dogs.
By JDS
May 20, 2008 3:25 PM | Link to this
Zestos is the best for tasty chili dogs, and the fries are also tasty!
By Tiffany
May 20, 2008 3:28 PM | Link to this
I’m with chi-town bill! Ya’ll Georgians don’t know a thing about a real hot dog until you’ve had a Vienna Beef hot dog! I used to work in Macon, and I had my first and last experience with a Nu-way hot dog. Why the heck are they pink? WTF is up with that? I love Georgia’s weather, but boy do I miss Chicago food. These Atlantans don’t even know what a pizza puff is!
By R.M.
May 20, 2008 3:28 PM | Link to this
Brandi’s hotdogs in MArietta has the best chilli/slaw dogs. also Sam’s hotdogs in Huntington, WV.
By Chris
May 20, 2008 3:29 PM | Link to this
Dinglewood Pharmacy in Columbus by far makes the best one. Dinglewood is nationally known.
By chris
May 20, 2008 3:33 PM | Link to this
Jimmy’s Hotdog in Albany Georgia.
By spence
May 20, 2008 4:04 PM | Link to this
The Cremo Drive-In in Dalton has fantastic foot-long chili dogs!
By Mutter
May 20, 2008 4:04 PM | Link to this
i make the best chilli dogs. First, i start out with HEBREW NATIONAL. hands down, the best hot dogs available to purchase. They answer to a higher authority. As far as adding chilli, you will need to either make some, or buy a can.
By Shelly
May 20, 2008 4:25 PM | Link to this
Dinglewood Pharmacy in Columbus - no contest!
By Shelly
May 20, 2008 4:28 PM | Link to this
Dinglewood Pharmacy in Columbus - no contest!
By Shelly
May 20, 2008 4:28 PM | Link to this
Dinglewood Pharmacy in Columbus - no contest!
By Boots
May 20, 2008 5:01 PM | Link to this
It’s hard to put much confidence in a person who thinks hotdogs from Chicago with tomato, celery salt, and all manner of foreign matter is a masterful “dawg.”
Varsity and Greek “dawgs” like NuWay are the best.
By scott
May 20, 2008 5:21 PM | Link to this
lawrence pharmacy gainesville ga
By tyrone
May 20, 2008 5:29 PM | Link to this
Ben’s Chili Bowl in DC, 13th and U Streets NW
By scott
May 20, 2008 5:48 PM | Link to this
lawrence pharm gainesville ga pool room ellijay ga fourway lunch cartersville ga nu way macon ga dinglewoods columbus ga shady lane tifton ga nichols diner flowery branch ga jimmy’s albany ga fievets pharm washington ga dooug jr’s cartersville ga brandi’s marietta ga the varsity atlanta ga broad st. pool hall thomasville ga willie’s wennnee wagon brunswick ga martin’s douglasville ga brad’s grill gainesville ga creamo dalton ga mr. p’s ellijay ga bbq kitchen college park ga vandy’s statesboro ga cordele rec room cordele ga hot dog alley st simons island ga yellow jacket drive in calhoun ga monroes americus ga burger shake gainesville ga
By brygr2k8
May 20, 2008 6:36 PM | Link to this
There’s a new “chili dawg” in town and it’s made in my kitchen. It’s called the “chili-kraut dawg”, OK I made that up, but try it you’ll never eat another “chili-slaw dawg” again. It will make any frankfurter taste great. Just add the fixin’s mustard,onion on the dawg then top with chili and a dollop of sauerkraut, for heaven on a bun.
By brygr2k8
May 20, 2008 6:38 PM | Link to this
There’s a new “chili dawg” in town and it’s made in my kitchen. It’s called the “chili-kraut dawg”, OK I made that up, but try it you’ll never eat another “chili-slaw dawg” again. It will make any frankfurter taste great. Just add the fixin’s mustard,onion on the dawg then top with chili and a dollop of sauerkraut, for heaven on a bun.
By scott
May 20, 2008 6:46 PM | Link to this
brandi’s W.F.H.D.’s are hotter’n a two peckered billy goat.
By Rodney
May 21, 2008 10:24 AM | Link to this
LOL @ Scott
I mean, c’mon - Varsity is classic.
But I agree with a number of you - Nu-Way in Macon has great hot dogs.
Then again, I’ve rarely met a hot dog I didn’t like. :)
By mike jackson
May 21, 2008 10:37 AM | Link to this
BBQ IS BEST AT DILLARDS IN GAINESVILLE
By scott
May 22, 2008 11:09 AM | Link to this
doug jr’s in cartersville makes a bodacious chili dog
By Berkshire Dawg
May 22, 2008 2:18 PM | Link to this
Charlie Joseph’s in LaGrange since the 1920s is pretty tasty, as is Skin’s in Cornelia (based in Anderson, SC). I also enjoy a footlong chili-slaw dog at the legendary Zesto and Nu-Way in middle GA is up there in the pantheon of greatness. The Varsity, however, IS “The Holy Grail” of exceptional culinary grease.
By TD
May 26, 2008 2:27 PM | Link to this
If Mr. Sapp really thinks the varsity is “filet mignon of frankfurters in Georgia” then he really needs to get out more. I am convinced if the Varsity started there business today they would fall flat on their “buns”. They are bigger than life and have become part of the fabric of Atlanta not because they serve a quality hot dogs but because they have been around so long. When your a college student you eat just about anything and those fond memories of surviving a Varsity binge just stay with you. People don’t go to the varsity because the food is good they go there because everyone else goes there. It’s the heard mentality. Every time I eat a Varsity hot dog I kick myself. I can eat 2 of those dogs and they sit in my stomach like lead weights. As a matter of fact they would probably make good fishing weights. The Varsity hot dog is a skinless dog cooked in water. The water pulls all the flavor out of the meat - if is meat to begin with. The Varsity dog is more than likely one of the cheapest dogs available. If it was made by a reputable meat packer they would acknowledge the brand. Well enough of the varsity.
“If you are looking for a killer hot dog than check out Barkers Red Hots.” They started downtown in Woodruff Park in 1984 as Atlanta’s first licensed street vendor. I used to wait in their line 40 minutes for one of their delicious charcoal broiled red hots. They cook everything to order right in front of your eyes over real lump charcoal. “it is worth the wait!! Grilling a dog brings out the real flavor of the dog. The dogs are made by one of the oldest meat packers in US, Sahlen’s a fifth generation company started in 1869. All of Barkers dogs and sausages are stuffed in either a natural or tender casing. They offer two types of dogs - the “Original” Red Hot which is a beef and a pork blend typical of an Old world style dog and all beef “Jumbo” red hot. You can have chili on it but I recommend their “signature” dog with their “famous hot sauce” which is spicy-sweet relish, fresh diced onion and a pickle on the side. It is awesome!!!!! Try their fresh cut onion rings or their crinkle cut fries washed in vinegar and then wash it down with a Crystal Beach Loganberry and you are in dog heaven. If you don’t want a dog they have a Smoked Polish Sausage which is made by Sahlen’s and a Italian Sausage with Romano cheese which is made by another 80 year old company. The original owners who started it all on the streets 24 years ago just recently opened their first restaurant in 13 years. They sold their vending business in 1995 because the City of Atlanta treated vending like a JR achievement program instead of business. Barkers Red Hots is back better than ever. Check them out on Windy Hill Rd and Powers Ferry Rd in Marietta. They have a web site www.barkersredhots.com FYI - you can buy their famous red hots by the pound so you can grill them yourself.
By TD
May 26, 2008 2:29 PM | Link to this
If Mr. Sapp really thinks the varsity is “filet mignon of frankfurters in Georgia” then he really needs to get out more. I am convinced if the Varsity started there business today they would fall flat on their “buns”. They are bigger than life and have become part of the fabric of Atlanta not because they serve a quality hot dogs but because they have been around so long. When your a college student you eat just about anything and those fond memories of surviving a Varsity binge just stay with you. People don’t go to the varsity because the food is good they go there because everyone else goes there. It’s the heard mentality. Every time I eat a Varsity hot dog I kick myself. I can eat 2 of those dogs and they sit in my stomach like lead weights. As a matter of fact they would probably make good fishing weights. The Varsity hot dog is a skinless dog cooked in water. The water pulls all the flavor out of the meat - if is meat to begin with. The Varsity dog is more than likely one of the cheapest dogs available. If it was made by a reputable meat packer they would acknowledge the brand. Well enough of the varsity.
“If you are looking for a killer hot dog than check out Barkers Red Hots.” They started downtown in Woodruff Park in 1984 as Atlanta’s first licensed street vendor. I used to wait in their line 40 minutes for one of their delicious charcoal broiled red hots. They cook everything to order right in front of your eyes over real lump charcoal. “it is worth the wait!! Grilling a dog brings out the real flavor of the dog. The dogs are made by one of the oldest meat packers in US, Sahlen’s a fifth generation company started in 1869. All of Barkers dogs and sausages are stuffed in either a natural or tender casing. They offer two types of dogs - the “Original” Red Hot which is a beef and a pork blend typical of an Old world style dog and all beef “Jumbo” red hot. You can have chili on it but I recommend their “signature” dog with their “famous hot sauce” which is spicy-sweet relish, fresh diced onion and a pickle on the side. It is awesome!!!!! Try their fresh cut onion rings or their crinkle cut fries washed in vinegar and then wash it down with a Crystal Beach Loganberry and you are in dog heaven. If you don’t want a dog they have a Smoked Polish Sausage which is made by Sahlen’s and a Italian Sausage with Romano cheese which is made by another 80 year old company. The original owners who started it all on the streets 24 years ago just recently opened their first restaurant in 13 years. They sold their vending business in 1995 because the City of Atlanta treated vending like a JR achievement program instead of business. Barkers Red Hots is back better than ever. Check them out on Windy Hill Rd and Powers Ferry Rd in Marietta. They have a web site www.barkersredhots.com FYI - you can buy their famous red hots by the pound so you can grill them yourself.
By TD
May 26, 2008 3:30 PM | Link to this
If Mr. Sapp really thinks the varsity is “filet mignon of frankfurters in Georgia” then he really needs to get out more. I am convinced if the Varsity started there business today they would fall flat on their “buns”. They are bigger than life and have become part of the fabric of Atlanta not because they serve a quality hot dogs but because they have been around so long. When your a college student you eat just about anything and those fond memories of surviving a Varsity binge just stay with you. People don’t go to the varsity because the food is good they go there because everyone else goes there. It’s the heard mentality. Every time I eat a Varsity hot dog I kick myself. I can eat 2 of those dogs and they sit in my stomach like lead weights. As a matter of fact they would probably make good fishing weights. The Varsity hot dog is a skinless dog cooked in water. The water pulls all the flavor out of the meat - if is meat to begin with. The Varsity dog is more than likely one of the cheapest dogs available. If it was made by a reputable meat packer they would acknowledge the brand. Well enough of the varsity.
“If you are looking for a killer hot dog than check out Barkers Red Hots.” They started downtown in Woodruff Park in 1984 as Atlanta’s first licensed street vendor. I used to wait in their line 40 minutes for one of their delicious charcoal broiled red hots. They cook everything to order right in front of your eyes over real lump charcoal. “it is worth the wait!! Grilling a dog brings out the real flavor of the dog. The dogs are made by one of the oldest meat packers in US, Sahlen’s a fifth generation company started in 1869. All of Barkers dogs and sausages are stuffed in either a natural or tender casing. They offer two types of dogs - the “Original” Red Hot which is a beef and a pork blend typical of an Old world style dog and all beef “Jumbo” red hot. You can have chili on it but I recommend their “signature” dog with their “famous hot sauce” which is spicy-sweet relish, fresh diced onion and a pickle on the side. It is awesome!!!!! Try their fresh cut onion rings or their crinkle cut fries washed in vinegar and then wash it down with a Crystal Beach Loganberry and you are in dog heaven. If you don’t want a dog they have a Smoked Polish Sausage which is made by Sahlen’s and a Italian Sausage with Romano cheese which is made by another 80 year old company. The original owners who started it all on the streets 24 years ago just recently opened their first restaurant in 13 years. They sold their vending business in 1995 because the City of Atlanta treated vending like a JR achievement program instead of business. Barkers Red Hots is back better than ever. Check them out on Windy Hill Rd and Powers Ferry Rd in Marietta. They have a web site www.barkersredhots.com FYI - you can buy their famous red hots by the pound so you can grill them yourself.
By scott
May 26, 2008 6:59 PM | Link to this
what is a crystal beach loganberry? i am unfamiliar with barker’s red hots, seems i must not get out much as i thought. i have had a lucky dog whilist in new orleans, and formed an immediate impression of street vendor franks. i can’t wait to try a barker’s red hot, thanks for the info!
By TomL
May 28, 2008 6:05 PM | Link to this
Barkers had the smelliest charcoal grill in town. Five minutes in front of that meat wagon would put you in Grady Hospital with carbon monoxide poisoning.
And it’s not hot dogs we’re discussing it’s chili dawgs. Whadda you have?
By Chris
May 29, 2008 4:51 PM | Link to this
The finest chili slaw dogs in all the world are at Betty’s World Famous Hot Dogs on the Church Street Extension in Marietta. I can barely maintain my concentration while thinking about eating two of them with a giant sweet tea. If you don’t believe me, challenge Prince to a game of basketball.
By jim
May 30, 2008 3:56 PM | Link to this
I’ll bet Betty’s chili dogs are great, BUT Flo’s dogs with the secret chili onion sauce cannot be passed by. Flo’s shop is on Route 1 in Wells, Maine.
By J
June 13, 2008 2:00 PM | Link to this
Brandi’s World Famous Hot Dog in Marietta Georgia has the best chili slaw dog.
By Showd
June 20, 2008 10:57 AM | Link to this
Dinglewood’s Scamble dog is the best.
By scott
July 1, 2008 3:03 PM | Link to this
fourway lunch in cartersville has an outstanding chili dog. the recipe dates back to ernie, who at one time was the richest man in cartersville with mustard on his shoes according to a local expert in the mercantile business.