Where To Taste The Most Iconic Hot Dog In North Carolina

NORTH CAROLINA — JJ's Red Hots in Charlotte is the most iconic hot dog in North Carolina, according to a state-by-state look at the American fare favorite.

"At JJ's, they take quality very seriously. Almost everything that goes on their gourmet dogs is made in-house and customers say JJ's has the best dogs they've ever eaten. There are three locations in Charlotte to get tasty dogs like the Quarter Hounder, with beer cheese, bacon and secret sauce," said Taste of Home and writers Nancy Mock and Lisa Kaminski.

The writers' picks came with more than a few surprises. For one, their favorite dog in New York state can’t be found anywhere near New York City. Frank’s Gourmet Hot Dogs in Buffalo got the nod there, although Mock and Kaminski still say they are fans of the hot dogs in America’s most populous city.

“With a plethora of hot dog carts in NYC alone, it's hard to choose just one hot dog joint for all of New York.”

A more obvious choice was made in Illinois. Superdawg Drive-In, which has featured classic Chicago dogs since 1948, was the top pick there.

Some creativity was found in the names of a few of the states’ best, too — for instance, “I Dream of Weenie” in Tennessee and “Haute Dogs & Fries” in Virginia.

Taste of Home is the latest to offer its favorite franks by state. David Landsel of FoodAndWine.com had a different take in a similar list published a month ago. And Bruce Kraig, author of “Hot Dog: A Global History,” has declared his “best of the best.”

Let us know about your favorite hot dog joint in the comments section below.