Gauley Bridge HDJ Review: Two Broke Sisters

We've been passing by this little food trailer for months and noticed that it recently moved from the parking lot of a nearly-abandoned shopping center to a more visible location alongside a historic building that used to be the Gauley Bridge train station. Our attention was first drawn to the hand-lettered sign boasting "WV Hot Dogs" on the side of the trailer, and later we became more attentive because the obvious commitment they had of maintaining open hours in spite of bad weather. We decided today that it was time to give them a try.

When we walked up to the ordering window, our first question as always was "what is everything?" But before we heard the answer, we saw it in the form of a printout of the West Virginia Hot Dog Blog's "Anatomy of a WV Hot Dog" graphic that clearly explains it. Chili, slaw, mustard and onions, just as God intended it.

It only took a few moments to get our hot dog and we were well pleased to see it wrapped up in foil which is usually a good sign of quality. Opening up the wrapping we were treated to that amazing aroma that tells the story of a chili that was prepared with care. Indeed this chili is as good as any you will find, and the slaw was obviously prepared to complement the chili. You know it's great chili and slaw when it is applied sparingly and still has that great flavor and presence. The onions were chopped a little larger than we like, but they weren't too strong so it didn't matter much. The weenie was adequate.

But the bun. We need to talk about the bun. It was big and soft but not steamed. Now a food trailer has limited ability to have all of the necessary equipment, we understand that, and we could forgive the non-steamed bun except for the fact that it was cold to the touch. Hot dogs are supposed to be hot, it's right there in the name! 

Of course, it was in the upper 40s when were were there so it's eminently explainable why the buns were cold so we're not going to ding them too hard. And the owner told us that she plans to add a steamer to the trailer soon, so maybe soon this problem will be rectified. 

In spite of the cold bun, this is a great hot dog. We're going to give it a Four Weenie rating and hope to get back to re-review it once that steamer is running.

We also want to highlight one other thing about Two Broke Sisters: The owner told us that the reason she started selling hot dogs in Gauley Bridge was because there was nowhere else to get a decent hot dog in the area. That is the kind of entrepreneurial spirit we need more of in West Virginia. 

You can find Two Broke Sisters right beside of US Route 60 in Gauley Bridge. They are open most weekdays and Saturdays from 10:00 till 4:00. 

Logan HDJ review: Janet's Park & Eat

We've been trying to get to this place for literally years. First it was a matter of never being in Logan on days it was open, then it up and closed. We thought it was gone forever, but started getting a lot of comments that claimed it was back open and still serving hot dogs that were as good as Morrison's or Parkway. Some folks said they were superior. Finally we received a private message from the new owner of the restaurant who said they bought the place in 2023 and had been running it themselves since August. 

Now if you look for them on Facebook, be warned that the old Janet's Park & Eat page still exists, but the new one is called "Janet's LLC" and if you are looking for the place on Google Maps, you need to search for Janet's LLC. 

The restaurant is located in a strange part of Logan that is hard to get to if you aren't familiar with it. It is located on Mud Fork Road near the intersection with Enterprise Drive, if that helps.

Janet's is an unassuming little place that serves a full menu of classic country cooking items. Service couldn't be more friendly and food comes out quick. We of course got hot dogs and couldn't pass up the chance to try their house-made onion rings. The onion rings were as good as any we've ever had anywhere. But the hot dogs, well, they didn't live up to the hype. Here's the breakdown:

The bun was fresh and soft, and if it was not steamed it didn't need to be. The large caliber weenie didn't taste like the best quality, but that's never a problem if the toppings work. But they kinda didn't. The chili and slaw generously applied and the slaw was creamy, maybe even a bit too creamy. It lacked much flavor. The chili was sweet and flowed nicely, more like a sauce than chili. The sweet chili and bland slaw had no synergy, and even though they were served in a large quantity,  the hot dog was somewhat unsatisfying. 

We have no way of knowing whether this most recent incarnation of Janet's is as good as its former self, but we were kind of disappointed after hearing so many good things about their hot dogs for so many years. It was, overall a decent hot dog. in many towns it might be the best but in Logan, with Morrison's and Parkway just a short drive away, it's a distant third. 4 Weenies.

 

Mount Hope HDJ Review: Eating With Sinners and Tax Collectors at The Table

The Table is easy to find in downtown Mount Hope

 Full disclosure: We love this charming little place in downtown Mount Hope and have had many delightful lunches there. With some terrific sandwich meats and salads, it is an oasis in the food desert of Mount Hope. They also have a small selection of fresh and delicious baked goods, perfect for an after-lunch treat. The staff has been ever-so-friendly and service has always been fast and efficient.

On our most recent visit, however, they were offering a hot dog special that we couldn't pass up, although now we kinda wish we had. 

"Why does your teacher eat with sinners and tax collectors?"

With expectations high from our prior experiences, our first disappointments came rapid-fire when we saw the New England Style Split Top Lobster Roll buns and slaw served on the side. Then we noticed that bun had separated on the bottom and the weenie had already fallen through the crack and was resting on the paper-lined tray.  

After we applied our coleslaw properly to its proper place on the top, then came the difficult task of trying to pick the thing up and taking a bite without having a lap full of deconstructed hot dog. Before long we were forced to use a fork, which is the world of hot dog eating is like -- well, having to use a fork! Not at all a satisfying experience.

Once we were able to get a taste of the elements, we found that they were decent. The slaw was more than decent, it was actually very good. The chili was lackluster and the weenie was not very good at all, overcooked and kind foreign-looking like something you'd find in Chicago. That bun, though. Nah. Don't try to be so fancy. 

The bun wasn't up to the task.

Overall we're going to have to give The Table a low 1.5 Weenie rating, and it pains us to do so since we like the place so much. Our recommendation is to stick with the regular menu. 

We'll be back for one of your excellent sandwiches, but not for hot dogs. 

Parkersburg HDJ Review - The Root Beer Shack

Who doesn't love frozen root beer? After the last A&W in Charleston closed in the early 80's there was no other root beer place around that offered this frozen goodness. We'd pass by Huntington's Frostop Root Beer and see the giant mug on top of the restaurant with its representation of a head of frozen root beer, but it was only a cruel joke: Frostop has no frost on top. Nor does Stewarts. Nor does Farley's. It seemed that frozen root beer had become just another reason to long for the good ol' days. 

So when we saw some chatter on a recent WV Hot Dogs Facebook post by a hot dog enthusiast from Parkersburg about the hot dogs at The Root Beer Shack, it piqued our interest.  We were thrilled when he mentioned that the root beer was "icy," hoping that meant that it was full of the wonderful icy sludge. But enough about root beer, for now; we're here for hot dogs, right?

Well, you're gonna have to wait on that. Because we sure did. Arriving (we thought) before the lunch rush would allow us to get in and out in short order, but before we even placed our order we were warned that there would be a 20-25 minute wait for food. OK, no worries because we didn't have anywhere else to be so we got our root beer and found a table to wait. (We noticed that many other patrons who came in after we were seated did not choose to wait. While we were there at least 12 people left after hearing about the long wait.)

We had to request mustard and onions as extras, because The Shack's "Slaw Dog" only comes standard with chili (except since this is the Ohio Valley it's called "sauce") and slaw. We were asked to choose between "spicy" and "sweet" sauce, so we got one of each. 

After the expected delay, our hot dogs arrived at our table and we immediately noticed that they were prepared on New England Style buns (and for the umpteenth time, there is no such thing as an "English" bun!) that had been buttered and toasted. The slaw looked decent if a little coarse (although the presence of carrots will offend some purists), but the flavor was a little odd. Like maybe it was a bit past its "best by" date. The spicy chili was a little spicy, but nothing like Fairmont spicy. The sweet stuff was bland. 

Overall the hot dogs weren't very good. Filling, yes, mostly because of the voluminous bun, but not deserving of more than a 2 Weenie rating. 

The consolation prize was that we did get to wash them down with some really good root beer with a frozen icy head, just as we hoped we would find. 

Charleston HDJ Review - Bogey's

We finally made it to Bogey's at Capitol Market to try their WV Hot Dog. 

Billed as "Award Winning" because some amateur hot dog influencers made a video a while back that concluded that Bogey's original location in Tornado had West Virginia's Best Hot Dog. Seems like every time we tried to get to the original location it was closed, but their new place has more predictable hours.

Bottom line is that it's absolutely NOT the best hot dog in WV, heck, not even in the best in downtown Charleston, but it is pretty, pretty good. We'd have added a third "pretty" except that the bun was stiff, having obviously been dry-heated instead of steamed. Even after traveling a few miles in the paper coffin it was still pretty crunchy on the outside. 

Bogey's WV Hot Dog

The slaw is a bit too coarse, but still very creamy and it tasted great. The chili was really very good. Very finely ground meat and terrific flavors. We say "flavors" because it was quite complex, with some sweet, some tangy and some savory notes. It paired perfectly with the slaw. 

The red onions are a little suspect for a true WV hot dog, but it's not unheard of for a HDJ to try to fancy it up, especially when the price point is, well, kind of pricy.

We're going to give Bogey's a 3.5 Weenie rank. A decent example of a "Genteel Dog," presented with care but missing the mark on flavor and textures by >this< much.

The Great Kanawha Valley Hot Dog Joint Tour of 2023

The Secret Ballot Form

Last week Stanton and three other hot dog enthusiasts decided to sample hot dogs from six different HDJs in one long lunch hour. Beginning in Nitro and ending in Marmet, they selected the six from a long list of potential targets, basing their selections on both quality and convenience: all HDJs had to have achieve at least a 4 Weenie score on their last review, and they had to be places you could be sure to get in and out quickly, because time is money. To make the trip go quicker, orders where placed to go and judged in the car. Not the most comfortable dining spot, but it proved efficient.  

Please note: No claim is being made that these six are the best in the Valley, but it was felt that they offered a good representation of the variations that exist in the Kanawha Valley hot dog culture, so spare us your flaming comments.

At each HDJ, two hot dogs were ordered with chili, slaw, mustard and onions. Each of the four reviewers were given a half to judge. They were asked to score on our official Weenie Scale, using a private ballot form as to ensure their review was not influenced by the others. At the end of the trip, scores were to be tallied and the six HDJs would be ranked. Reviewers were also instructed to take notes to be used as tie-breaking criteria. 

Nitro Dairy Queen

Nitro DQ

The tour began at the Nitro Dairy Queen, which is a locally owned "Treat" franchise that -- unlike "Chill & Grill" locations -- is not beholden to DQ Corporate on how to make its hot dogs which means that "everything" means chili, slaw, mustard and onions, just like God intended hot dogs to be dressed. Arriving at their opening time of 11:00, our reviewers were treated with a delicious Utilitarian Dog with perfect-looking slaw sitting atop equally perfect looking chili. Wrapped in wax paper, the hot dog had nicely steamed itself and was soft and warm. Three people said the hot dog seemed small, but everyone agreed that it was well-executed and tasty. 

Bammy's Chili Dogs

Bammy's

Jumping over the bridge to St. Albans, the tour continued with a stop at Bammy's Chili Dogs. When the cashier heard the order placed as "two hot dogs with chili, slaw, mustard and onions" she read it back as "two West Virginia Hot Dogs" which on this blog is worthy of extra consideration and should have scored Bammy's an extra point or two in their scoring. Turns out, they would need the extra points because our reviewers didn't like the too-large onion pieces and said the chili's taste was, in the words of one reviewer, "a little off." Kudos, though, for wrapping the hot dogs in both aluminum foil and wax paper to maintain their freshness. 

Next stop was supposed to be Hot Diggity Dogs in North Charleston, but as luck would have it, they picked this week to close for vacation, something our team didn't know until they drove up to the front door.  Faced with this dilemma, the team had to improvise quickly and choose an alternate HDJ, preferably one that wasn't far away.  After a brief conference they decided to visit the most recently reviewed HDJ on the blog, Dancing Dog Ice Cream on Charleston's West Side. Wimpy the Weenie Wonk had given this place a 4.5 Weenie score just last month so, it seemed promising.

Dancing Dog Ice Cream

Dancing Dog Ice Cream

At Dancing Dog in Elk City, our reviewers found it easier to get out of the car and do their judging inside, where they were greeted by a friendly staff and the only grilled bun of the day. The bun was grilled on top and bottom, but the sides were still soft and supple. The bun also held the snappiest weenie they found at any of the six HDJs. Reviewers mostly liked the chili and slaw combination and overall seemed impressed by the quality of the entire hot dog. One reviewer didn't care for the grilled bun, and another thought it made the hot dog better. If presentation mattered in the scoring, DD would have gotten some extra points, as it would have for friendly service. 

Super Weenie

Super Weenie

A quick trip across town found our group at Super Weenie on Quarrier Street. Here they only had to order a "West Virginia Hot Dog" because the well-trained staff knows what that means, and it is posted on a sign that lists several optional ways to get your WV Dog, including a "Polite WV Dog" which comes with no onions. We've always found that Super Weenie lives up to its motto "We're Serious About These Hot Dogs" but on this day the reviewers were a tad disappointed in the taste and texture of the weenie, and one felt the chili was too spicy. 

Of course there are several other options for good hot dogs in downtown Charleston, but time was short so the group headed across the bridge and up McCorkle Avenue to Kanawha City. 

The Pepperoni Grill 

Pepperoni Grill

When the team arrived at the Pepperoni Grill, they were thankful to have a covered picnic table where they could escape the car's lackluster dining ambiance while they waited on their order. Once it arrived they quickly noticed and remarked on the generous amounts of toppings piled high on the hot dogs. This had also been the slowest order of the day, and after one bite they understood that the delay was due to a well-grilled weenie that was still piping hot. Three out of four appreciated the extra effort and felt the grilling treatment made the weenie delectable. One reviewer found the chili and slaw to be too sweet, and one thought it was "too bready," but the overall consensus was that the hot dogs were filling and satisfying. 

Chum's Hot Dogs

Chum's

Last stop of the tour was Chum's Hot Dogs in Marmet, the home of the yellow slaw. It might have been a little apples-and-oranges to include Chum's because when you're having yellow slaw it's recommended to leave the mustard off of your standard order, so they did. Also, being the last stop of the day with the remnants of five other hot dogs in your belly, it might be hard to judge fairly due to "Hot Dog Fatigue." Nevertheless, our team bravely faced the unique yellow slaw variation with as much objectivity as it could muster. Only one reviewer felt Chum's was up to snuff, with the others having complaints "too vinegary" or "a cheese-like flavor." One was disappointed because of his fond memories of yellow slaw at a HDJ of yesteryear that Chum's didn't measure up to. 

Results

At the end of the tour, here's how these six ranked on this day:

1. Nitro Dairy Queen - Simply a great West Virginia Hot Dog.

2. Pepperoni Grill - Delicious and satisfying but the chili is a little too sweet.

3. Tie - Super Weenie & Dancing Dog Ice Cream - Our team couldn't break the tie, finding both of these HDJs a perfectly adequate for a lunchtime hot dog with nothing negative to say about either. 

5. Bammy's Chili Dogs - When four hot dog experts agree that the chili was a little off, it's probably a little off. 

6. Chum's - Unique doesn't mean it's better, just different. Too different from the others on this day. 

Charleston HDJ Review - Dancing Dog Ice Cream

Dancing Dog Ice Cream Cafe is located at 201 Washington Street West, in the up-and-thriving, hip “Elk City District” near the mural on Charly Jupiter Way, a roadway named for the renowned local artist.

Lunch is served from 11 a.m. to 3p.m. Monday through Saturday. 

Ice cream is served all day.

In fact, Dancing Dog deems itself, “The Sweetest Place in Town.”

While the emphasis is on dairy delights, including cones, shakes and smoothies, they sure put out a quality Dog!

It may even put you to dancin.’

Hot dogs are listed on the menu with available toppings chili sauce, “our own,” slaw, onion and relish. A mustard bottle is available beside the counter for a do-it-yourself squirt. They also come with a grilled bun. The weenie is a Nathan’s all beef. 

The components of this delicious hot dog are neatly applied and in near perfect proportion. The chili sauce is neither too spicy nor too mild, a pleasing flavor and texture. It blends well with the slaw, which wasn’t dry nor runny - perfect consistency.

4.5 Weenies

For the soft drink lovers, Coke products are served in cans.

Having savored two hot dogs, I was already looking forward to my next visit - or ordering a third. But I showed some restraint. I’ll be back, soon.

I highly recommend this tasty treat. Save room for dessert, because there’s plenty of options. 

- Wimpy

Barboursville HDJ Review - Dog Haus Biergarten

Editor's note: This is Wimpy's second review this week. Not bad for a beginning Weenie Wonk! Keep it up, Wimpy!

Opening in December 2021, Dog Haus brought its 50th location, and its first one in West Virginia, to Barboursville in Cabell County.

They currently have restaurants in 10 states, primarily in Texas.

They’ve had success too, as Entrepreneur Magazine chose Dog Haus No. 2 on its Top Food Franchises: Hot Dogs list for 2021, up from No. 4 in 2020.

With a variety of other foods, one might be tempted to order chicken sandwiches or burgers, but the company calls itself a Dog Haus, right?

And perhaps in an effort to ingratiate itself to its new fan base and customers, they immediately put a “Almost Heaven” hot dog on the menu, with chili, slaw, mustard and onions when coming to West Virginia.

Someone did their homework.

Dog Haus’ bun is unique for hot dogs found in our state.

For starters, it’s three Kings Hawaiian Rolls that have not yet been pulled apart. So it makes a big hot dog bun. It’s toasted only along the top, remaining soft and fresh otherwise. Still, it merits a slight point deduction for a non-steamed bun.

Grab a lot of napkins, because they don’t skimp on the amount of toppings.

The chili/sauce is a slight bit spicy but not at all overpowering while the slaw is creamy and finely shredded.

They pair together nicely.

The yellow mustard is served on top of the slaw, along with finely shredded onions. This Weenie Wonk prefers mustard applied first, but it still works.

The star of Dog Haus’ Almost Heaven is the weenie, dense and packed with flavor. And pretty good size, filling the remarkable bun size appropriately.

Proud of the quality of its product, Dog Haus displays a framed motto on its wall:

“Our Haus dogs are made from beef that is raised without hormones and antibiotics. Our proprietary recipe includes a unique spice blend of brown sugar, bay leaves, garlic, salt, and black pepper.”

One can certainly discern Dog Haus’ difference in the quality of the weenie. It’s stellar.

The Almost Heaven Dogs earns 4 Weenies

For those who enjoy a “cold one” with their hot dogs, there’s plenty of options at this location, a Biergarten serving craft beers and cocktails. There’s ample indoor seating and an inviting outdoor patio as well.

Kids meals are offered, so bring the little ones if you wish. There’s also soft serve ice cream, shakes and floats if you still have room for dessert.

Dog Haus is open:

10A-10P Monday through Thursday, 9A-10P Friday & Saturday,

and Sunday 9A-9P.

Dog Haus Biergarten

6310 US Route 50

Barboursville, WV 25504

St. Albans HDJ Review - Butcher's Black Angus

 

Editor's Note: This is the first review from Wimpy, our newest Weenie Wonk. Welcome to the team, Wimpy!

The hot dogs at Butcher’s Black Angus are carry-out only, but chances are, they won’t make it past the parking lot.

Sure, you can do some shopping at this small, neighborhood market. But you’ll want to saunter over to the deli case and order a couple of hot dogs to take home (or to the car.)

They’re delicious.

Hot dogs are “made your way” with chili, ketchup (!), mustard, onion and slaw listed as options.

Slight score deduction for the ketchup hiccup and the added cheese offering.

Be sure to upgrade to the all beef weenie, because of course, we go premium.

It takes a few minutes, no matter how busy the store is. They take their time steaming the buns and applying the toppings neatly. It’s a generous portion of toppings, yet they hold their place. Save the napkin for your mouth afterwards.

The chili/sauce is meaty, finely ground beef with a good proportion of spice. It marries well with the slaw, perfectly blended between creaminess and its shredded cabbage.

(The in-house made chili/sauce and slaw are also available fresh made daily to purchase from the deli cooler.)

This hot dog seemingly melts in your melt, yet with a crisp snap of the beef weenie. The taste of summer, available 12 months a year in fact.

Butcher’s Black Angus is known for its quality meats and specialty item availability. And there’s plenty of lunch meats, salads and spreads to choose from.

If it seems like a blast from the past when you walk in, I’m sure that it is intentional. Good stuff, that will likely take you back a few years.

4 Weenies.

Butcher’s Black Angus

722 Kanawha Terrace

St. Albans, WV 25177

304-727-1234

Charleston HDJ Review - The Daily Dose Cafe

This little coffee shop got its start a few years back peddling coffee with cannabidiol (CBD), trying to
capitalize on the CBD craze. Sitting in a less-than-ideal location along McCorkle Avenue, where you have to go around the block and halfway up the alley to find the parking lot and the main entry, it isn't subject to a lot of walk-in business. Nevertheless, it has survived two setbacks that might have sunk lesser businesses: a 2019 ruling from the FDA that CBD should not be ingested in food and drink (due more to lack of study than any hard evidence that it's harmful), and the COVID19 pandemic. They have succeeded by changing into more of a full-service cafe with delicious breakfast items, sandwiches and a mix of healthy foods and decadent baked treats that pair well with a cup of coffee, now CBD-free. They still sell CBD supplements if you swing that way. 

Over the past few years while they were navigating the tricky waters that life and the FDA created for them, they had some inconsistent hours, but recently they have made a new commitment to their customers by increasing their open days (now Monday-Saturday) and hours (now 7-3 weekedays and 8-2 Saturday). As a way to announce their new hours and attitude they have been running a social media campaign and - in a brilliant stroke of marketing genius - added hot dogs to the menu.

Boasting "homemade chili and slaw" they caught our eye and so we just had to drop in and check them out. Now long-time readers of this blog know that "homemade" doesn't hold any water with our Weenie Wonks (we prefer professionally produced hot dogs), but we know that some of you always seem to think your homemade is better than the rest so we figured we'd give it a shot.

We ordered up and had to wait quite a while for our hot dogs to be made. This is common with places who don't specialize in hot dogs. In skilled and practiced hands, a WV hot dog is a very quick thing to prepare; slop the chili and sling the slaw. But give a newbie the task and they primp and preen, trying to make it pretty and take way too long. We can't fault The Daily Dose for this since they are brand new in the hot dog biz. We can find fault, though, for having ketchup in the list of "everything" toppings. No thank you.

When we did finally get them, our hot dogs were pretty and well made with plenty of toppings. Now we know that you purists out there are going to complain about the two things you always complain about, carrots in the slaw and onions chopped too coarsely. Ya'll are as predictable as Fairmont folks complaining about slaw. We don't mind the carrots and if the onions are mild, we don't mind them being big either. But you do you.

So here's the thing about these hot dogs: While usually a good WV hot dog has to have sweet slaw to offset the spicy and savory chili, this slaw was rather bland but the chili was quite sweet. And it kind of worked. The weenie was obviously high quality and seemed lightly grilled which brought out some flavor and the whole hot dog was very good. The bun was soft and warm if not steamed and as we mentioned before, the onions were a bit large, but overall this was a very good hot dog. 

We're going to give The Daily Dose a strong 4 Weenie score and encourage them the make hot dogs a regular menu item. 

You can find The Daily Dose at 5206 1/2 McCorkle Ave SE, Charleston, WV

(681) 265-3943

Charleston HDJ Review - Pepperoni Grill

Several years back, when politicians argued about things that mattered instead of making up lies about stolen elections and what not, a great debate brewed in the halls of the West Virginia state capitol. The issue at hand was one that many people cared passionately about, but try as they did they could not get certain elected leaders to state their position. Then Governor Earl Ray Tomblin was asked the question directly during a press conference and he hemmed and hawed and never really took a stance. The issue? What should be the official state food, the West Virginia Hot Dog or the Pepperoni Roll?

Now it might surprise you to know that this blog came down on the side of the pepperoni roll, since it is a truly West Virginia creation and not just a different version of something more universal. No, we bravely go where politicians fear to tread. Because here, right matters. And we love a good pepperoni roll as much as the next real West Virginian.

There are only a handful of places in West Virginia, though, that are truly serious about both of these quintessential West Virginia foods. Finding a place where you can get a good pepperoni roll AND a good hot dog is difficult no matter where you are in the state. One of them is Swiftwater General Store in Lansing, and the other is Kanawha City's Pepperoni Grill. Both of these purveyors make their own delicious pepperoni rolls, and -- we just found out -- both have excellent hot dogs. 

Pepperoni Grill is a tiny storefront on a side street in the Kanawha City section of Charleston. The ordering area is small and there are two small tables at which to dine. A larger dining area is just up the stairs and there is a small patio out front where you may dine alfresco when weather permits. The place is always hopping and parking spaces are in high demand between walk in customers and Door Dashers waiting to pick up orders. Service is reasonably quick, though. 

We arrived at the height of lunchtime but the line moved quickly and we were able to place our order for the hot dog special: Two hot dogs, chips and a drink for $7.99. Everything here sadly includes ketchup, so we had to delete that from our order, but everything else went smoothly. We grabbed one of the two nearby tables and soon we had our food. 

Interestingly enough, yellow slaw was listed as an option, but we declined. It seems that a lot of Kanawha City HDJs are now offering yellow slaw. 

The hot dogs were pleasing to the eye, with a large helping of just about everything and a plump bun to

hold it all. The bun was not steamed but was very soft. The all-beef Nathan's Famous weenie was perfectly grilled. The chili was good -- not great -- and not at all spicy. The chili paired well, though, with the very sweet and creamy slaw. While the onions were chopped on the coarse side, they were mild enough not to be overwhelming. The whole hot dog was delicious and well made. 

If the chili were a bit more spicy, and if the onions were chopped smaller, and we didn't have to specify "no ketchup" we might have given Pepperoni Grill a top score, but details matter and so we'll deduct a half-point and give it a 4.5 Weenie score. Still, one of Charleston's best hot dogs. 

The Pepperoni Grill is officially located at 4002 McCorkle Avenue in Charleston, but actually faces 40th Street a half-block off McCorkle. They are closed Sundays but open most days  till 8PM. 

Ravenswood HDJ Review - The Dawg Pound

Sometimes the best hot dogs are found inside the most unlikely looking buildings, and it's hard to imagine a more unlikely looking building than Ravenswood's "The Dawg Pound." From the outside The Pound doesn't look like anything. It is in a very large and very old building that bears no resemblance to any restaurant we've ever been in. If we'd not have Google Maps guiding us we may well have driven right by. The tall pole sign confirmed we had found it, but then, after seeing the walk-up window, we almost drove on by since we really didn't want to dine ala-car-go. Another look at the Google listing, though, convinced us that there was inside dining somewhere in there. 

But even after we found the entrance (which is kind of hidden on the right-rear of the building and not well-labeled as the entrance), walking into the tiny space that it opened into was still not matching up with our expectations for the number one-rated local restaurant in Ravenswood according to Google reviews. It was only after we were greeted and invited to find a seat in the adjacent dining room did we finally feel like we'd arrived at a bonafide HDJ. 

I should say, we found a seat in one of the adjacent dining rooms. There are three. Two of them with bars. And they are comfortable and decorated with care. They are just hard to find for the first time visitor. 

But hey, we don't score on decor and ease of access here, we are only concerned with the hot dogs, so let's talk about those. 

First, this is the Ohio Valley, so we know that we have to say "sauce," which we hate, because "sauce, slaw, mustard and onions" just doesn't roll off the tongue as well a "chili, slaw..." does it? And since this is a full-service restaurant and -- despite the name -- does not specialize in hot dogs, we're going to have to ask for no ketchup. That's a given. 

But once we've cleared these two hurdles, all that's left is to wait on our order and look around at the myriad of stuff that adorns the walls of the three dining rooms. Mostly Ravenswood High School and WVU themed, but also lots of NASCAR and general sports stuff. There's a lot to look at, and we barely got started before our hot dogs arrived. 

First off, I have to say I was fooled by the words on the menu into thinking this was going to be a ginormous Genteel Dog. I don't recall the exact wording -- something like "overflowing with toppings" -- but it was sufficient to make me believe that one would be enough. In reality, the hot dog was just average sized. The toppings were applied generously though, so no foul.

The bun was not steamed, but soft. It was warm but a bit crusty on the outside, like it had been oven-warmed. Not crusty enough to be problematic, but enough to deduct a half-Weenie from it's score. 

The chili, I mean sauce, was tasty with not much spiciness outside a slight chili powder flavor. The slaw was creamy and very sweet. The two paired well. The onions were nicely chopped, but were red which for some purists is a no-no. They didn't hurt the flavor here. The weenie seemed basic and not waterlogged, so I guessed it was lightly grilled. The mustard was applied evenly and almost invisibly. 

Overall the hot dog was  very good. The lack of steamed bun hurts a little, but it was still soft and easy to handle. The pairing of the sauce and slaw was just right. We'll give The Dawg Pound a 4 1/2 Weenie score. Pretty good by Ohio Valley standards.

They have lots of other things on the menu, and the atmosphere seems like it would be a cheerful place for lunch or dinner even if you weren't in the mood for hot dogs. 

But who is ever not in the mood for hot dogs? 

Montgomery HDJ Review - Leslie's Restaurant & Pub

Several readers have sent suggestions that we should review this newish HDJ in the upper Kanawha Valley. A recent trip that way gave us the opportunity to stop in for lunch. 

Leslie's is located on the lower end of Montgomery, just across the road from the giant Marsico Brothers American flag. It's also steps away from the local Dairy Queen, which has some of the worst hot dogs we've ever reviewed, so we were hopeful -- for the sake of the hot dog-loving Montgomery population -- that Leslie's would have good quality hot dogs. According to recent blog contributor Dale Claskey and others, we were not going to be disappointed. 

But we kinda were.

Don't get us wrong, Leslie's hot dogs are good, just not great. Every part of the hot dogs was was perfectly fine, but nothing about it was special. The only slights we could have is that you need to be careful when ordering because "everything" includes ketchup, and that they have one of those wrongfully named "English" hot dogs on the menu, but we're not holding that against them. 

The place is clean and the service is delightfully friendly if not terribly quick at the height of the lunch hour. A steady stream of to go orders kept the kitchen busy no doubt, but the relatively small number of tables didn't seem to account for the backlog. Not a terrible wait, but long enough to be noticeable. We could have shot a quick game of pool if we knew we had time. But we're not holding that against them either. 

Breaking down the hot dog, the chili was flavorful with barely a trace of spice, and the slaw was creamy but not sweet. The bun wasn't steamed. But you could tell that the hot dog was assembled with care, and that Leslie's gives a hoot about hot dogs. That's worth a lot. 

We're going to give Leslie's a solid 4 Weenie rating. Not as high as some of our readers seem to think it deserves, but still the best hot dog in Montgomery. 
 

One Reader's Opinion About (Parts Of) the 2022 West Virginia Hot Dog Trail

 (Editor's Note: Facebook follower and all-round hot dog fan Dale Caskey took a trip from his home in Kentucky to Southern West Virginia to check out some of the HDJs on our list. This is his report, and the opinions he expresses are NOT the views of the West Virginia Hot Dog Blog, although we think he's spot on about Hinton.)

So this years list has inspired me to get out and sample some new to me West Virginia Hot Dog Joints. As I live in NE KY I’m most familiar with the Huntington area restaurants. I’ve eaten at those for years. Took 2 short 1 overnight trips in the past few weeks. Ate at 9 Hot Dog Joints. 6 are on the Trail list (marked with an *) and 3 are not.

1. Leslie’s (Montgomery)

2. Fat Eddie’s (Mt. Nebo) *

3. Swiftwater General Store (Lansing) *

4. Huskey’s (North Charleston) *

5. Hot Diggity Dog’s (North Charleston) *

6. Jim’s Drive-In (Lewisburg)

7. Kirk’s (Hinton)

8. Dairy Queen (Hinton) *

9. Chum’s (Marmet) *

Leslie’s Restaurant & Pub (in Montgomery) may be a dark horse to make a WV HD future Trail list. A fellow reader on this site suggested that I try it out. This placed opened in the Fall of 2021. Excellent Hot Dog! Creamy world class slaw. Clean sports bar type place. Would give this dog an A rating.

Fat Eddies didn’t blow me away. Smallish sized dog kinda in between a standard WV and a Cincy style Coney. Would rate as a low average WV dog...Rating C-

Swiftwater General Store has a new, sparkling clean, beautiful operation. Hot Dog while a larger wiener than standard was excellent. I would imagine that other menu items would be great there as well. Just kind of wondering why the home Swiftwater in Charleston isn’t on the Trail list? Rating A-

Huskey’s was very old school. Reminded me of my local HDJ as a kid...”Big Ben’s”, RIP. Interesting the absence of the restaurant name on most all of the signage. Really good HD though. Rating B+

Hot Diggity Dogs so I could sample and compare each of them. This place was much more modern and maybe just a tad bit spiffier than the former. To be honest, while both dogs were very good, I preferred the Huskey Dog. Kudos to Hot Diggity Dogs for some fabulous macaroni salad though. Hot dog rating B

Jim’s Drive-In is a legit 1950’s Drive-In. Thought that I would pop by at 10:30 am on a Saturday morning and take a few pics while waiting for them to open. Well upon arrival I found 27 vehicles in the lot as they opened at 10:00 am. The locals truly love there HDJ. Borderline Trail worthy. The Dog was good. Rating B-

Hinton Impressions:

If you want a good hot dog, don’t expect it in Hinton. Went in excited to rate which is better between these two iconic joints. Neither impressed. Kirk’s was actually near disgusting. Filthy floors, sour order taker and of course no towels in the rest room. If you want to order the most expensive standard WV HD in the State, well at $3.79 a pop Kirk’s takes the prize as I haven’t seen any to rival that price. Rating D-

Dairy Queen was much cleaner. Beautiful and interesting multi decked interior seating overlooking the NEW River was a highlight. Wasn’t blown away by the hot dog though. Dog was a Hinton (but no where else in the State) bargain at $2.99. Rating D+

Both Hinton restaurants were busy on the Saturday afternoon that I was there. There’s no doubt of their loyal local followings.

Chum’s was the Absolute star of my 9 new WVHDJ tour. Yellow mustard used is both unique and scrumptious! Excellent Hot Dog. I really really liked it. Beautiful, Clean and efficient roadside stand operation. One of if not the Best HD in the State. Rating A+

The 2022 West Virginia Hot Dog Trail

It's Here! The 2022 edition of the West Virginia Hot Dog Trail is live. 

Starting and ending in the Capital City, Charleston, the route takes you to 38 of the best Hot Dog Joints in West Virginia in over 800 miles of driving through the beautiful Mountain State! 

Click here to go to the map in Google Maps

Here is this year's list in driving order. Hours and websites are based on published information and not guaranteed to be accurate:

Super Weenie
805 Quarrier St, Charleston
304) 410-0364
Mon-Fri 11am- 3pm
https://www.facebook.com/superweenieWV

Chum's Hot Dogs
8315 McCorkle Ave, Marmet
(304) 949-2486
Mon-Fri 10:30am - 6pm
https://www.facebook.com/ChumsHotdog

West Madison Grocery
302 Riverside Dr, Madison
(304) 369-1500
Mon-Fri 5:30am-6pm, Sat 9am-4pm
https://www.facebook.com/westmadisongrocery/

Parkway Drive In
401 Justice Ave, Logan
(304) 752-7703

Mon-Sat 8am-9pm
https://www.facebook.com/Parkway-Drive-In-233540399996268/

Morrison's Drive Inn
126 Stollings Ave, Stollings
(304) 752-9872
Mon-Sat 11am-9pm, Sun 12pm-9pm
https://www.facebook.com/Morrisons-Drive-Inn-Offical-Site-114921678593024/

Pinnacle Drive Inn
88 Pinnacle Ave, Pineville
(304) 732-7785
Mon-Fri 10am-8pm, Sat 12pm-6pm
https://www.facebook.com/pinnacledriveinn

Lynn's Drive Inn
3705 Coal Heritage Rd, Bluewell
(304) 589-6279,"Mon-Sat 9am - 9:50pm, Sunday 11am-9:50pm
https://www.facebook.com/Lynns-Drive-Inn-238419363026848

Hinton Dairy Queen
State Hwy 3,Hinton
(304) 466-1700

Sun-Sat 7am-10pm
https://www.facebook.com/DQ12566/

King Tut Drive-In
301 N Eisenhower Dr, Beckley
(304) 252-6353

Thu-Tue 10:30am-11pm
http://kingtutdrivein.com/

Skyline Drive In
6329 Legends Hwy, Oak Hill
(304) 469-1025,Mon-Sat 10:00-9:00
No Website

Tom's Carry Out
554 Jones Ave,Oak Hill
(304) 469-6260

Mon-Sat 11am-9pm, Sun 12pm-8pm
https://tomschili.com/

Swiftwater General Store - New River
464 Ames Heights Road, Lansing
(304) 900-1000

Mon-Sun 8am-8pm
https://www.facebook.com/pepperonirollwv

Fat Eddie's
2243 Summersville Lake Rd, Mt. Nebo
(304) 872-0788
Sun-Sat 11am - 9pm
https://www.facebook.com/FatEddiesAtTheDam

The Custard Stand
51 S Main St, Webster Springs
(304) 847-7774
Sun-Sat 11am-10pm
https://custardstand.com/restaurant/webster-springs-west-virginia/

The Spot Dairy Bar
922 Gauley Turnpike, Flatwoods
(304) 765-7466
Mon-Sat 11am-8pm, Sun 12pm-8pm
https://www.facebook.com/FlatwoodsWvTheSpot/

Flying Dogs
6009 Main St, Jane Lew
(304) 884-7249
Mon-Fri 7am-6pm, Sat 7am-4pm
https://www.facebook.com/FlyingDogsJaneLew/

Ritzy Lunch
456 W Pike St, Clarksburg
(304) 622-3600
Mon-Sat 7am-3pm
http://www.ritzylunch.com/

Dave's Famous T&L Hot Dogs
1202 E. Pike St, Clarksburg
(304) 622-3994,

un-Sat 10am-9pm
https://www.tandlhotdogs.com/clarksburg-wv-old-bridgeport-hill/

Hometown Hot Dogs

37 Middletown Rd, Fairmont

(304) 367-0143

https://www.facebook.com/Hometown-Hotdogs-367511880217/

Woodys Restaurant 
801 Morgantown Ave, Fairmont
(304) 366-4009
Mon-Sat 10am-6;30pm, Sun 11am-5:30pm
https://www.facebook.com/Woodys-Restaurant-111658262206301/

Town Hill Tavern
998 Willey St, Morgantown
(304)284-8104

Mon-Sat 11am-2am
https://www.townhilltavern.com/

Weezer's Hot Dog Shop
5992 Mason Dixon Hwy, Blacksville
(304) 432-8187,

Tues-Saturday 10:30-4:00
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057396012188

Tito's Sloppy Doggs
1068 Market Street, Wheeling
(304) 650-6252
Mon-Fri 8-3
https://www.facebook.com/titossloppydoggs

Bigfoot Hot Dogs
520 3rd St, New Martinsville
(304) 455-4441
Sun-Sat 9-5
https://www.facebook.com/people/WV-Original-Bigfoot-Hotdogs/100057627391891/

Mr Diggity
2904 Grand Central Ave, Vienna
(304) 295-3320
Tues-Saturday 10:30-3:00
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063670445168

The Root Beer Shack
1420 Staunton Ave, Parkersburg
(304) 420-1180
Tues-Saturday 11:00-4:00
https://www.facebook.com/TheRootBeerShack

Pete's Hotdogs
230 S Church St, Ripley
(304) 372-4068
Mon-Sat 10:30 - 4:00
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057773825254

Tom Tom's
2407 Jackson Ave, Pt. Pleasant
304-857-6526
Mon-Sat 10:00-8:00
https://www.facebook.com/tomsnurserythompson

Griffith and Feil Drug
1401 Chestnut St, Kenova
(304)453-5227
Mon-Sat 10am - 3pm, Sunday 12:30pm - 3:30pm
https://gfsodafountain.com/

Midway West Drive In
445 6th Ave. W, Huntington
(304) 697-3644,Mon-Sat 10am - 8pm
https://midwaydriveinwv.com/

Frostop Drive In
1449 Hal Greer Blvd, Huntington
(304) 523-6851
Mon-Sat 9am - 8pm, Sunday 10-3
https://www.facebook.com/Frostop-Drive-In-165888996796186/

Farley's Famous Hot Dogs
201 Midland Trail, Hurricane,
(304) 562-7038,
Mon-Sun 11am - 9pm
https://www.facebook.com/Farleyshotdogshurricane/

Winfield Dairy Freeze
3229 Winfield Rd, Winfield
(304) 586-4410
Mon-Sun 10:30am - 9pm
https://www.facebook.com/WinfieldDairyFreeze/

Bammy's 
54 MacCorkle Ave, St. Albans
(304) 722-6220
Mon-Fri 11am-7pm, Sat 11am-5pm
https://www.facebook.com/bammyschilidogssa/

Nitro Dairy Queen
3601 36th St,Nitro
(304) 755-4690
Sun-Sat 11am - 10Ppm
https://www.dairyqueen.com/en-us/locations/wv/nitro/3601-36th-st/415/

Ridgeview BBQ
5010 Fairlawn Ave,Institute
(304) 400-4650
Mon-Fri 11am - 7pm

https://www.ridgeviewbbq.com/

Huskey's Dairy Bar
2422 7th Ave, Charleston

(304) 342-6875
Mon-Fri 7am - 7pm, Sat 11am - 5pm
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Huskeys%20Dairy%20Bar/108120049229033/

Hot Diggity Dogs
2313 7th Ave,Charleston
(304) 346-3647
Mon-Fri 11am - 5pm
https://www.facebook.com/HotDiggityDogsCharleston

The 2022 West Virginia Hot Dog Trail - The Narrative

Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Hot Dogs!

We're starting this year's West Virginia Hot Dog Trail in the Capital City, and there's no place in the heart of Charleston to get a better hot dog than Super Weenie.

First Stop: Super Weenie!

We love hot dog joints that are serious about hot dogs, and Super Weenie is very serious about hot dogs. In fact, it is their motto, printed on the door of the HDJ. You can't find a better, more authentically West Virginia hot dog anywhere. Chili is great, slaw is perfection and everything else is just great. You can get other styles of hot dogs at Super Weenie too, but who cares? 

There are other places in Charleston to get a good hot dog, and we'll come back to them at the end of our tour, but for now it's time to hit the road and up the river to Marmet. Chum's Hot Dogs is the only place to get authentic yellow slaw hot dogs. Yellow slaw is sweeter that the white kind. That sweetness means that it needs a spicier chili to really bring out the flavor. Chum's accomplishes this well. Better than anyone. Period.

Heading Down Through Coal Country

West Madison Grocery was the last HDJ to be added to our trail last year, and it remains one of the best surprises on our tour. The hot dogs at West Madison Grocery are surprisingly good. Don't be afraid of this tired-looking building or the slightly disheveled interior. The hot dogs are fantastic, and it is a good example of ho
w great things can come from unexpected places, especially country grocery stores that have been slinging chili and slaw for decades and just know how to do it right. This is one of those places, for sure. It's a great warm-up for what awaits another half-hour down Corridor G in Logan. 

Parkway Drive In is technically in Justice, not Logan, but it's the first of the great HDJs you will come to heading into town, and most Loganites seem to rank it third. But this is Logan, where even the third best hot dog is still better than 95% of the rest of the state's offerings. Seriously, we don't see how you can give a demerit to Parkway. as its hot dogs are well-crafted and delicious, with some of the sweetest slaw we've found. 

The Perfect Utilitarian Dog of Morrison's

Next up, what many consider the King of West Virginia Hot Dogs, Morrison's Drive Inn in Stollings.

While we've noticed some variation in the quality over the years, we always come back to Morrison's when asked where the best hot dog in the state can be found. It is simply perfect. Chili, slaw, steamed bun wrapped in cellophane, the whole thing is perfection. 

Let's continue on to Pineville and Pinnacle Drive Inn. Other than Morrison's, we have received more emails about Pinnacle than any other HDJ in southern WV. While we found the hot dogs to be good but not great, and they only offer New England Style buns, which is nontraditional, Pinnacle's legion of fans convinced us to include it as a stop on the trail. 

After leaving Pineville, we head over to Bluewell to find the most southern HDJ on The Trail, Lynn's Drive In. This Five-Weenie classic with "Lynn's Famous Chili" and slaw that is made with finely shredded cabbage instead of the normal grated kind. See? Wasn't that worth the drive?

National Park Hot Dogs

Next we're heading back north to the New River Gorge and our very own National Park. Well, maybe not in the Park per se, but close. The Hinton Dairy Queen is one of two Dairy Queens on our list. There is no disputing the immense popularity of this HDJ, and its fans are vocal and loyal. This is also the first time -- but not the last -- we'll encounter upside-down toppings with the slaw buried under the chili. We'll save the arguments for another day, but according to the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council, cool toppings always go on top. The Hinton DQ also has one of the best dining room views of any HDJ in the state, so check it out. 

Leaving the Gorge and heading up on the plateau we find Beckley, which for a city its size has remarkably few good hot dogs and no great ones. But the one place worth going just for the atmosphere is King Tut Drive In, whose coolness overcomes the mediocre hot dog. It's not a bad hot dog, its just not a great hot dog, and we struggled with the decision to include it on this list again this year.

Hank's Last Stop, or Skyline Drive In

But just a hoot and a holler from Beckley is
Skyline Drive In, or as locals know it, "Hank's Last Stop." This little roadside HDJ in Hilltop has delicious hot dogs and some great Hank Williams memo
rabilia to honor its most famous decedent.  

Just a little further up the road, in Oak Hill, is one of the best hot dogs on the list. Tom's Carry Out in Oak Hill has been selling great hot dogs since the dawn of time, apparently. At least that is the impression we get from the hundreds of people who live or have lived in Oak Hill and have been eating Tom's hot dogs their entire lives. 

Heading north on Rt. 19, just across the New River Gorge Bridge lies the community of Lansing, and a short distance down Ames Heights Road is the Swiftwater General Store. An offshoot of Charleston's Swiftwater Cafe -- which has some of the best hot dogs in the capital city -- this location keeps up the tradition and provides visitors to the New River Gorge National Park with the chance to sample an authentic and delicious West Virginia hot dog. 

Northward!

Back on Rt. 19 and continuing north, the next great HDJ you'll find is Fat Eddies. The Mt. Nebo HDJ is spittin' distance from the Summersville Dam, and considered by many to be the best in the state. To be sure, Fat Eddies serves up a 5 Weenie classic that is as good as any we have found. The chili has a nice little spice and the slaw is nearly perfect in texture. Every part of this hot dog is perfect. 

Settle in for the next part of the trip, because it's a long and winding country road to The Custard Stand in Webster Springs. Maybe the most famous hot dog chili in West Virginia because of its owners' drive and gumption to have it sold by national retailers (they even appeared on the Shark Tank TV show pitching their chili to investors!), when it's found in its native habitat it's better than the packaged-for-store stuff, and the rest of their toppings are also great. 

One more stop on this leg of our journey to the center of the state, and that is The Spot. Now we're not sure where The Spot got its name, whether it is because it is almost the dead-center spot on the WV  state map, or whether it is very close to the spot where the Braxton County Monster was first sighted in 1952. Maybe it's because it is the spot to get excellent hot dogs. Who knows? All of those fit, but serving up consistently great hot dogs for years, it is definitely deserving of a spot on our list. 

Above The Slaw Line

As we move north through Lewis County and into Harrison, our trek will take us across The Slaw Line into a land where some people stubbornly refuse to accept the truth that the rest of us hold as self-evident: A true West Virginia Hot Dog always includes coleslaw. The main promulgators of this resistance are from Marion County, but their brainwashing efforts have reached down into Harrison County as well. Never fear though, there are HDJs that offer slaw -- and some of it quite good -- in this otherwise land of slawlessness. 

But before we actually cross the Slaw Line, we have a stop to make in Jane Lew. Flying Dogs is the first HDJ on our entire journey in which we will need to specially request coleslaw as an add-on. Located just a few miles south of the Slaw Line, it's not completely surprising that an "everything" dog does not include slaw. This is pretty normal for what we think of as kind of the Slaw Line DMZ - that gray area that extends for a few miles in each direction where slaw availability is unpredictable, but it is available and it is very good. We gave this hot dog a 4 1/2 Weenie rank even with having to ask for slaw; it's that good.

Ritzy Lunch

Back out on I79 and heading north, we'll cross the Slaw Line on our way to our next stop, Ritzy Lunch in downtown Clarksburg. You'll have to ask for slaw on their everything dog, but you won't get a side-eye for doing so. This venerable establishment knows what its customers like, and proudly serve up delicious slaw when out-of-towners show up for lunch. They pile it on, too, and the heft of their hot dogs is as good as anywhere we've reviewed. Just a great HDJ living dangerously on the slawless frontier. 

On the way back to I79, make a stop at T&L Hot Dogs in Bridgeport.  The great thing about T&L is that right there on their menu, even in the mostly slaw-denying Harrison County, is a "West Virginia Dog" with sauce (oh yeah, forgot to mention we're back in "sauce" territory), slaw, mustard and onions, just like God intended. 

Next up is Hometown Hot Dogs on the outskirts of Fairmont, in White Hall near the Middletown Mall. There are numerous Hometowns in North Central, but we've found this one to be the most consistent location. A word to the wise about Marion County sauce: Even the mild is spicy, so be careful ordering up. "Medium" is pretty darned hot by southern West Virginia standards. Of course, coleslaw helps moderate the heat, so make sure you ask for it. 

Moving on into Fairmont proper, our next stop is Woody's. One of Fairmont's favorite HDJs, Woody's -

Fairmont's Woody's -
Where Slaw Runs Free

-while optional and must be asked for -- offers coleslaw as a topping. While this must confound those Marion County anti-slaw purists, it is a welcome offering to the vast majority of West Virginians. Woody's sells great hot dogs in a cozy and nostalgic atmosphere. What more could we ask for? we were tempted to stop the Trail right here just to make a point with those anti-slaw activists, but we decided to take the high road. Which leads to Morgantown.

 For some reason, great HDJs just don't seem to last in Morgantown, but one exception is Town Hill Tavern, a watering hole at the top of Willey Street that proclaims "Best chili dogs in town" (see? We're back to chili!). On their menu is the "Mountaineer Dog" which has chili and slaw standard, but you'll have to specify mustard and onions to make it right. 

Under The Mason Dixon Line, Just Barely

From Morgantown we're going to venture into new territory this year. Heading northwest to the little town of Blacksville, we're going to make a stop at Weezer's Hot Dogs. Quite literally, this is the most north you can go in North Central West Virginia, and its hot dogs have a distinct northern flavor, but thankfully you can still get slaw on your chili dog. 

From Weezer's, the fastest way to our next official stop is north through Washington Pennsylvania, but let's instead take the low road through the town of Hundred so we can stay in the confines of our state. While in Hundred, we might suggest stopping at Dairy Dream, who serves hot dogs but we can't include them on the list because we've not tried them. Maybe someone can give us a report from the road.

So the next official stop is in Wheeling. Now we thought we'd never include a Wheeling HDJ on our list, because the city is culturally more Pennsylvania and Ohio than WV, but Tito's Sloppy Doggs changed our mind by putting a hot dog named "West Virginia" on their menu that has all the right fixin's. 

From Wheeling we'll head down the Ohio Valley to New Martinsville and Bigfoot Hot Dogs. Even with an upcharge for slaw -- a definite no-no for us -- we had to include this place for its uniqueness. Try it, you won't be disappointed.

We spent some time in the Parkersburg area recently trying to find HDJs worthy of inclusion this year. We like the hot dogs at Mr. Diggity in Vienna, and where else can you get a side of lobster bisque with your hot dog?

Of all the HDJs in Parkersburg proper, it was The Root Beer Shack that impressed us the most. The hot dogs were great, and washing them down with frosty frozen root beer is a definite plus. 

Pete's in Ripley 

From Parkersburg down to Ripley we go to visit Pete's Hot Dogs, a venerable old HDJ that has hands-down the best hot dogs in Jackson County. 

Next stop is in Mason County. Point Pleasant has a few HDJs to choose from, but the one the locals rave about is Tom Tom's. If you can catch them open, you'll want to grab a couple for the road, because the next stop is a ways down Rt. 2, all the way to Kenova.

On the way to Kenova, you will pass a place that looks like a junkyard that caters to negative stereotypes of Appalachian culture. They sell hot dogs there, but we recommend looking off to the right and keep driving. Much better hot dogs await. 

There is really only one place you can get a true West Virginia Hot Dog in Kenova, and that is Griffith & Feil Soda Fountain. Technically there might be other places in town that sell hot dogs, but Griffith & Feil is by far the best, and one of the coolest hot dog joint (HDJ) spaces in the state. Its old-school soda fountain vibe adds something to its 4 1/2 Weenie hot dogs, and it's hard to add something to a bonafide 4.5 Weenie hot dog. It is simply not to be missed.

Heading any direction other than east from Kenova will land you in a river, either the Ohio or the Big Sandy, so there's nowhere to go except east, which fortunately is the direction of our next stop: Huntington's Midway West Drive In.  Midway is Huntington's best hot dog, bar none. Being served by super friendly car hops while you remain seated comfortably in your vehicle is icing on the cake (or should we say slaw on the hot dog?). Of course, this is Huntington, and so "sauce" is what you get on your hot dog (even though it would be called chili in most of the state) and that sauce is phenomenal in taste and texture, even if it could use a bit more spice. 

Next up, and not too far away, are the Utilitarian Dogs of Frostop. There's nothing

better with a West Virginia hot dog than a big mug of root beer. We still wish that Frostop's root beer had actual frost on top, like the place in Parkersburg and as their name implies, but we'll take it even if it is frost-free. 

As we take Hal Greer Boulevard to Interstate 64, we'll leave Huntington in our rearview mirror and head for the suburbs of Putnam County. There are better hot dogs ahead and few miles of digestion to go before our next stop. 

Our next stop on the Trail is Farley's Famous Hot Dogs in Hurricane. The hot dogs at Farley's are delicious with sauce that is nearly the perfect texture and decent slaw to boot (oh, and this is the last time it'll be called "sauce" for a while - nothing but "chili" ahead). It's another drive-in with root beer, too so that's a bonus.

Next, we'll head on down Route 34 all the way to and through Winfield to stop at The Dairy Freeze. The Freeze (as locals call it) feature great tasting weenies and classic tasting Southern W.Va. hot dog chili (see, I told you it would be called "chili") with a little spice and a whole lotta taste. The slaw is a little coarse but tastes great. 

From Winfield we'll stay on the south side of the Kanawha River and travel down the road that used to be Rt. 35 to St. Albans and Bammy's Chili Dogs. Bammy's knows how to make a great WV hot dog. The spicy chili is perfectly balanced by excellent slaw; creamy and sweet and applied in perfect proportion.

Next we'll jump over the Nitro/St. Albans Bridge to the Nitro Dairy Queen, our second DQ on the trail. 

Leaving Nitro, we have one more stop before we breach the city limits of Charleston, and that is

Ridgeview BBQ in Institute. Located right across Rt. 25 from the WV State University Campus - this BBQ joint also offers great hot dogs with smoky chili. Time your visit well, though, since they aren't open weekends. 

Continuing on Rt. 25 into Charleston, the next HDJ you will encounter is the venerable Huskey's Dairy Bar. Huskey's has been selling delicious hot dogs on this corner for decades, and they are still just as good today. If you have room, make sure you get one of their famous chocolate shakes too. 

Hot Diggity Dog - Our final stop

You barely need to get back in the car to drive one block to the last stop on this year's West Virginia Hot Dog Trail, Hot Diggity Dogs. Take our advice, though, and don't get the yellow slaw. Their regular slaw is superior, and the yellow stuff pales in comparison with that you already tried at Chums. Hot Diggity Dogs hosts regular cruise-in events, so try to time your visit to coincide with one for a nostalgic atmosphere.

So that's it, Hot Dog fans. 38 Four or Five Weenie Hot Dog Joints in just a little over 800 miles. Sure you'll be tired, but shame on you if you are still hungry!

Click Here to see the entire West Virginia Hot Dog Trail Map on Google Maps

Click Here to see the Official 2022 West Virginia Hot Dog Trail Page with links to the map, driving directions and the complete list of Hot Dog Joints.