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10 Hot Dogs to Eat in San Diego This Summer

The best between two buns.

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Hot dogs, or "meat in tube form" as Anthony Bourdain fondly likes to call them, are a summertime staple. If you don't get your fill during trips to the ballpark this summer, here's where you can enjoy great renditions of these handheld wonders around town.

Note: map points are not ranked.

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Coin-Op Game Room

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Gamers at this arcade bar have one hand on their joysticks while the other hand is left free to clutch one of Coin-Ops gourmet dogs; we recommend the wild boar dog, which comes with a fried egg, crispy onions and mustard aioli or the German and Baywatch-inspired Hasselhoff, a pork dog topped with sauerkraut, chopped onion, horseradish aioli and IPA mustard.

S&M Sausage & Meat

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The shipping container wonderland that is the East Village's Quartyard holds a satellite of S&M Sausage & Meat; try the Coney Island 2.0, a housemade wagyu frank topped with pork chili, cheddar and diced onion.

Delux Dogs

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This island destination is a hot dog specialist, offering top-it-yourself bacon-wrapped hot dogs or grass-fed beef franks, plus signature concoctions like The Tokyo, which glazes the dog with teriyaki sauce and piles on Asian condiments, including Kewpie mayo, dried seaweed, sesame seeds and Sriracha.

Lefty's Chicago Pizzeria

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Both Lefty's locations (Mission Hills and North Park) serve the best local versions of the iconic Chicago dog, a classic Vienna Beef hot dog, steamed and tucked into a poppy seed bun with all the essential toppings — mustard, onion, pickle, relish, sport peppers, celery salt and tomato.

Fathom Bistro, Bait & Tackle

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This pier perch and craft beer oasis on Shelter Island does several hot dog variations, but justly, the most popular is their Explodo Dog, a bacon-wrapped frank with pepper jack cheese, mustard, and admirable housemade kimchi.

La Puerta

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The standard TJ Dawg plate at La Puerta includes two bacon-wrapped turkey hot dogs smothered in diced tomatoes, grilled onion and poblano, jalapeños, ketchup and mayo, plus fries, for $9.99, but regulars know that TJ dogs are just $2 each from 3 p.m. to close every Taco Tuesday.

Daddy's Hotdogs

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This no-frills joint specializes in sassy service and nothing but hot dogs. Go Tuesday, when hot dogs are $1 off and try the El “Cubano”, a hot dog/Cuban sandwich hybrid that tops a beef dog with bacon, grilled onions, ham, melted Swiss cheese and a pickle spear. [Photo via Yelp]

The Blind Burro

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The secret to The Blind Burro's TJ Dogs are the candied jalapeños that top each bacon-wrapped, all-beef hot dog. Pair it with a side of hot sauce-spiked, crema-enriched street corn and you're golden.

Salt & Cleaver

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You could try a different meat in tube form every day of the week at this sausage-centric eatery, where chef Carlos Anthony tops a classic frank with roasted tomato and bean chili, cheddar, creme fraiche and green onions.

Craft & Commerce

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Technically, the sausages used for C&C's famous mini corn dogs are bacon-wrapped, cheddar-studded bratwurst and not the traditional franks, but these squat sausage pops, served with spicy cheese fondue and stone ground mustard, are such an upgrade that you'll forget about the original mall favorite.

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Coin-Op Game Room

Gamers at this arcade bar have one hand on their joysticks while the other hand is left free to clutch one of Coin-Ops gourmet dogs; we recommend the wild boar dog, which comes with a fried egg, crispy onions and mustard aioli or the German and Baywatch-inspired Hasselhoff, a pork dog topped with sauerkraut, chopped onion, horseradish aioli and IPA mustard.

S&M Sausage & Meat

The shipping container wonderland that is the East Village's Quartyard holds a satellite of S&M Sausage & Meat; try the Coney Island 2.0, a housemade wagyu frank topped with pork chili, cheddar and diced onion.

Delux Dogs

This island destination is a hot dog specialist, offering top-it-yourself bacon-wrapped hot dogs or grass-fed beef franks, plus signature concoctions like The Tokyo, which glazes the dog with teriyaki sauce and piles on Asian condiments, including Kewpie mayo, dried seaweed, sesame seeds and Sriracha.

Lefty's Chicago Pizzeria

Both Lefty's locations (Mission Hills and North Park) serve the best local versions of the iconic Chicago dog, a classic Vienna Beef hot dog, steamed and tucked into a poppy seed bun with all the essential toppings — mustard, onion, pickle, relish, sport peppers, celery salt and tomato.

Fathom Bistro, Bait & Tackle

This pier perch and craft beer oasis on Shelter Island does several hot dog variations, but justly, the most popular is their Explodo Dog, a bacon-wrapped frank with pepper jack cheese, mustard, and admirable housemade kimchi.

La Puerta

The standard TJ Dawg plate at La Puerta includes two bacon-wrapped turkey hot dogs smothered in diced tomatoes, grilled onion and poblano, jalapeños, ketchup and mayo, plus fries, for $9.99, but regulars know that TJ dogs are just $2 each from 3 p.m. to close every Taco Tuesday.

Daddy's Hotdogs

This no-frills joint specializes in sassy service and nothing but hot dogs. Go Tuesday, when hot dogs are $1 off and try the El “Cubano”, a hot dog/Cuban sandwich hybrid that tops a beef dog with bacon, grilled onions, ham, melted Swiss cheese and a pickle spear. [Photo via Yelp]

The Blind Burro

The secret to The Blind Burro's TJ Dogs are the candied jalapeños that top each bacon-wrapped, all-beef hot dog. Pair it with a side of hot sauce-spiked, crema-enriched street corn and you're golden.

Salt & Cleaver

You could try a different meat in tube form every day of the week at this sausage-centric eatery, where chef Carlos Anthony tops a classic frank with roasted tomato and bean chili, cheddar, creme fraiche and green onions.

Craft & Commerce

Technically, the sausages used for C&C's famous mini corn dogs are bacon-wrapped, cheddar-studded bratwurst and not the traditional franks, but these squat sausage pops, served with spicy cheese fondue and stone ground mustard, are such an upgrade that you'll forget about the original mall favorite.

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