Downtown Charleston HDJ Death Match - Championship Round

After it had been resurrected to fight another day, you had to be rooting for The Fresh Seafood Company to complete the comeback by knocking off the top seed, Swiftwater Cafe. But will this Cinderella Story have a happily ever after ending, or will the glass slipper dream be shattered?

Swiftwater's Genteel Dogs

TFSC has a hard task, unseating the HDJ that won the Weenie Award for Charleston's best hot dog three out of the four years it was handed out by WVHotDogs.com. Swiftwater takes hot dogs seriously and executes well with tasty slaw, great chili and Boar's Head beef weenies. They also have the consistently friendliest service of any downtown lunch spot. A few years ago, owner Teddy Queen changed his slaw recipe to make it sweeter and creamier, and he also wiped (and I mean literally wiped - you can still see the remnants on his sign) ketchup off his list of "everything" toppings to fit the true definition of a WVHD. You gotta like that kind of initiative.

The Fresh Seafood Company makes me assemble my hot dogs myself. If for no other reason, this one shortcoming would make them lose this round. A valiant effort, but just a little short.

But to be honest, even if TFSC had a hot dog lovingly assembled by kiss-blowing supermodels and served on a silver platter, Swiftwater's excellent product would blow it away. Swiftwater's hot dog is extremely tasty and is presented like a true Genteel Dog should be. There is simply nothing bad you can say about the Swiftwater Cafe hot dog experience.

So the winner, who will now be able to claim the title "Downtown Charleston's Best Hot Dog," is Swiftwater Cafe. They will rest on their laurels for a while until the West Side HDJ Death Match is complete and then will be pitted against the Best of the West. Till then, congratulations Swiftwater Cafe!

Fayette County HDJ Review - Swiftwater General Store, Lansing

Long known as purveyors of one of Charleston's best hot dogs, Swiftwater Cafe's owner Teddy Queen has staked out a new location of his spin-off, Swiftwater General Store, within spitting distance of America's newest National Park. Opening up in an empty restaurant space that was built for and formerly occupied by a Thai food eatery, the new location of Swiftwater General Store is blessed with a great kitchen so it's only natural that the store would offer some prepared items to go along with the convenience and staple goods stocking its shelves. And since the owners are fairly expert at making great hot dogs, it stands to reason that one of these items would be a West Virginia Hot Dog. 

In fact, at the top of the menu is listed "Award Winning West Virginia Hot Dog." Ya'll know what that award is? It was back when the owners of this blog gave out certificates each year to the best in several different categories of hot doggery. Swiftwater Cafe won several of these awards, most notably "Best Downtown Charleston Hot Dog" for several years running.

So when we found out about this new outpost, we just had to make the trip to see if the Fayette County version is as good as the Charleston version. 

Before we get into the question at hand, though, allow me to reflect on some friendly debates that we had with Swiftwater over the years. For a long time they continued to have the red stuff listed as a topping on their "everything" hot dog, but gradually we talked them out of it. We also influenced them to change their slaw recipe from one that was rather bland and tasteless to a sweet and creamy version. 

I was happy to find that the slaw at the new location was creamy and sweet, and that ketchup wasn't listed among the standard toppings. I was also pleased to see large-caliber weenie they served, just like in Charleston, but it seemed to be a little tougher and chewier in texture. Maybe the Boar's Head truck doesn't run to Fayette County. 

The chili, though, gave me pause. Maybe it was an off day, but the chili wasn't the meaty and hearty stuff I'm used to from Swiftwater. It tasted much more like runny taco meat than hot dog chili. Not that it was bad -- it wasn't-- but it was not quite the same. 

The onions were also a bit too coarsely chopped for my tastes, but they were mild so I didn't mind too much. A tad more mustard would have made the whole dog better.

The other thing that threw me was that when I asked for a WV Hot Dog I was asked if I wanted a regular bun or an English bun. People, there is no such thing as an English bun. It is a New England lobster roll bun and it has no place on a WV Hot Dog! 

Thankfully, the bun I received was a regular ol' hot dog bun that was steamed to be soft and warm. The overall hot dog was delicious, but I'll stop short of saying it was as good as the ones in the Big City. Still, though, it might be the best hot dog in Fayette County, but I'm sure fans of Tom's and its upside-down slaw presentation will disagree. 

We'll give Swiftwater General Store a solid 4 Weenie rating on this day. The place is brand new and will most likely improve with experience, so in time we'll expect that a 5 Weenie score is on the way. 

 

Second Chance Review - Swiftwater Cafe

Despite winning the Weenie Award for having Charleston's best weenie in 2006, Swiftwater Cafe in downtown Charleston only merited a 4 Weenie rating on its overall hot dog. Since Swiftwater is convenient to my office I stop in frequently and I noticed the overall quality has been getting better and better. Owner Teddy Queen also emailed me last fall and told me that he had a new slaw recipe and invited me back for a taste.

Recently I met another blogger at Swiftwater for lunch, and since it was Second Chance Month I thought I'd go ahead and give it an official re-review:

The Boar's Head weenie is still great. The chili is meaty and has a nice flavor, but lacks in the spice department; not unlike most Charleston HDJ chili. Too bad, because the new slaw recipe would really be dynamite on top of some really spicy and complex chili. It is nicely sweet and has a great texture and color.

Steamed buns would be nice, but I've at least never had a cold or stale tasting bun from Swiftwater.


While I have no data to back it up, I get the feeling that Swiftwater dogs are a bit healthier than most. The weenie tastes more lean than most, the chili doesn't seem to be excessively greasy and the slaw doesn't seem to be loaded with fatty mayo. The whole thing just seems a little fresher that any other hot dog available in downtown Charleston.

I feel I need to bump Swiftwater a half-point to 4 1/2 Weenies.

Swiftwater Cafe Review Update

You know, all of us want to think we make a difference in the world. Even a lowly hot dog blogger wants to think he's changing the world, one weenie at a time, by highlighting the best hot dog joints and hoping that market forces or natural selection will create a better grade hot dog for us all. Alas, all my ramblings seem to amuse a few folks but no lasting change seemed to be happening because of this blog. Until now.

I got an email from Teddy at Swiftwater Cafe the other day and in it he told me that he had found a new slaw recipe and thought I should come by and try it. Now you might recall that while they have the best weenie in town, their slaw was lacking. Imagine, a business that really wants to have a quality product and listens to customers. In this day and age? Unheard of! But thankfully Swiftwater has always been a cut above the average hot dog joint. Now they are two cuts above.

The new slaw is southern style: Sweet and finely chopped. The color is greener than most (I think because the greenest leaves of the cabbage were included instead of discarded - which also makes it wonderfully tender to chew). The taste is nearly perfect for hot dogs. The texture isn't as creamy as I normally like, but changing that might change the taste. Leave well enough alone. It is very, very good the way it is.

Put this stuff on a hot dog with Swiftwater's chili and their amazing Boar's Head weenie and you have yourself a mighty fine WVHD. One of the best in town.

Swiftwater is located in the 405 Capitol Street building on the Washington Street side. It's on the block between Kinko's and Park Place Cinemas. They are open for lunch (Hot Dog Special - 2 dogs, chips and a fountain drink for $4.00) and breakfast Monday-Friday.

And when you go, make sure to thank them for being conscientious about the quality of their hot dogs!

2006 Weenie Awards - The Weeniest Weenies

The Swiftwater Cafe wins 2006 Weenie Award for Charleston's Best Weenie!

According to Teddy Queen, owner of The Swiftwater Cafe, using premium Boar's Head Franks for his restaurant's hot dogs was the best decision he ever made. I will add my AMEN on behalf of Charleston's hot dog eating public. This is by far the best weenie in town, and therefore garners the 2006 Weenie Award for the Best Weenie in Charleston.

When Swiftwater first opened they had a "standard" weenie and offered the Boar's Head frank as an upgrade but a while back Teddy decided to use the better weenie exclusively. As a small, family-owned business he says he always strives for the best in quality and service. Anyone who has visited Swiftwater can vouch for the friendliness of the staff, and while I have only had their hot dogs I have heard they have great barbecue and other sandwiches. The huge throng waiting outside the doors to get in at lunch time adds to the evidence that this is a great downtown lunch spot. "Every day people still tell us they didn't know we were here," says Teddy. Well, Teddy, now that you are an official Weenie Award Winner maybe the downtown WVHD legions will get the word out to everyone.

Congratulations and good luck!

Downtown Charleston HDJ Death Match - Special Eat-Off

Sam's Hot Dog LOOKS great, but...

First, before ugly rumors get started, there is NO HDJ Death Match curse. It is complete happenstance that three of the HDJs in our contest closed down before a winner could be decided. Or at least that's what we said last week. Then, lightning struck again when, the very next day after they won the semifinal round against Sam's Hot Dog Stand on Hale Street, Sister Act Cafe on Capitol Street went belly up.  The latest casualty, however, caused us to rethink the possible existence of a curse, and it also posed a great problem for us here at WVHotDogs.com; namely, how can we move forward with crowning an unimpeachable champion with this kind of controversy mucking up our process?  Do we roll back the contest and allow Sam's to compete with Swiftwater Cafe for all the marbles? That really didn't seem fair, because Sam's didn't beat ANYBODY in the tournament. The only competitor they faced was the aforementioned Sister Act and were defeated handily.

Seafood place or not, TFSC has a great dog!

After a week of hand wringing and brow furrowing, we decided that the most equitable solution was to have an elimination match between Sam's and the first HDJ that lost to Sister Act, The Fresh Seafood Company. So presented for your approval (or not) a Special Eat-Off to decide who faces the top seed.

This match up provides an opportunity to decide between two very different HDJs; On the one hand, Sam's Hot Dog Stand is -  as its name says - a hot dog stand. The Fresh Seafood Company - as its name implies - is a seafood place. It would seem natural for the hot dog stand to win at what would seem to be its own game. If we were judging fish and chips, it would follow that TFSC would have a leg up. But - as they say - in theory there is no difference between theory and practice, but not in practice. The practical truth of this matter is that TFSC has some really good hot dogs. It is not known whether Sam's has good fish, or any fish for that matter.

So who wins?

The strength of Sam's is in its chili; in fact, when it comes to the Hale Street location, that might be its only strength. Sam's Hale Street location always seems to have stale buns and waterlogged weenies. Its slaw is consistently average. Sam's Chili is slightly better that Fresh Seafood Company's offering, but that's the only category it wins.

TFSC has better slaw, better bun, better weenie and good chili. The only downside is that I have to assemble the dang thing myself; and that's not an insignificant problem!

So the contest comes down to negatives and which HDJ has the fewest. That would be The Fresh Seafood Company. They are resurrected to face the top seed in our tournament, Swiftwater Cafe.

Results posted next week.

Charleston HDJ Review - The Blue Moon Cafe

I walk past this little downtown cafe regularly. It sits on Lee Street, just a half block away from Capitol Street and a few doors down from The Sitar of India (yes, please). When I first started this blog I went in one day looking for hot dogs on the menu but found none. I was surprised by the lack of hot dogs because it looks like a prime suspect with funky neon decor and a laid back vibe, but I never checked back. Today was such a nice day that I decided that I needed to eat lunch outside and I remembered that I had seen that The Blue Moon had a nice patio adjacent to the shady confines of Davis Park (by "shady" I mean that it has lots of trees, not lots of shady characters - most of them are a block over at Brawley Park), and decided that it would get my lunch budget dollars for today.

When I walked in I was greeted by a happy sight: A "specials" sign that advertised "2 Hot Dogs and Macaroni Salad - $4.99"! So I got the meatloaf sandwich.

Just kidding. But it did look good.

No, I got the hot dogs and, boy oh boy, I am very glad that I did. And Swiftwater Cafe better be glad I didn't go to Blue Moon before handing out this year's awards. This is a great hot dog. I'm sure that some would like it better than Swiftwater's excellent offering, but it might not be for everyone, and here's why: It is sweet. I mean really sweet. The chili is sweet, meaty and delicious. It has a wonderful, slightly BBQ inspired flavor and is as meaty as any chili you're likely to find. The slaw is equally sweet; as sweet as any in Charleston. You might think that all of the sweetness by be overdoing it, but I'm telling you that this is a great hot dog. The weenie is great as well and the mustard was applied generously. I was amazed that this hot dog was found at a place that doesn't specialize in the genre.

On my way out I inquired as to how often they served hot dogs and was told that they have them every day. They aren't on the menu board over the counter, but they always have them. I will be going back soon to see if they are always this good.

In addition to the great hot dog, the outdoor dining space was very nice and peaceful. I would rank it as perhaps the best alfresco dining spot in town.

And I rank The Blue Moon Cafe a solid 5 Weenie HDJ!

Downtown Charleston HDJ Death Match Round 7 - Sister Act Cafe vs. Sam's Hot Dog Stand

WVHotDogs.com admittedly has a love/hate relationship with Sam's Hot Dog Stand. Here are some of the reasons we love and hate them:

Love:

• They have a consistently decent product (rarely bad)
• Some locations are better than others
• They are one of the only HDJs that offer spicy chili as an upgrade
• They have many locations around the southern half of the state

Hate: 

• They have a consistently decent product (rarely great)
• They call chili "sauce" in most of their locations
• Lately all of their new locations seem to half HDJ and half gambling joints

In spite of our history with Sam's, we still seeded them #2 in this tournament, primarily because of their spicy chili offering; heretofore the only such offering in downtown Charleston. Or should I say "theretofore"? Because defending champion Sister Act Cafe now offers TWO spicy chilis; And they call it chili!

So as you might be able to tell, Sam's rode in to this contest on the strength of their chili, but Sister Act's is better. It is spicier and better tasting; it's not even close. 

Sam's slaw looks better and had the right consistency for perfect hot dog slaw, but it is not any tastier than Sister Act's. 

Sam's weenie has always been a weak spot (soaking all day in a pool of its own filth), and this time is no different; Sister Act's grilled weenie beats it. 

Buns being equal, this round goes to Sister Act Cafe, setting up the final round against...

... Swiftwater Cafe!

2009 Weenie Awards - Charleston Area Winners

For the second year running, Swiftwater Cafe takes the prize for Best Downtown Hot Dog Joint in Charleston. The decision wasn't as easy this year, since a couple of new discoveries were making some serious challenges to Swiftwater's Genteel Dog offering. Honorable mention goes to The Blue Moon Cafe.

The main reason that Swiftwater was able to hold on to the trophy this year was because of their decision to officially remove ketchup from their list of standard toppings; proving that listening to us and responding to our suggestions pays big dividends. Congratulations, Teddy and crew, on the beginnings of a dynasty.

Outside the confines of the concrete jungle, there is still one place to go for the best hot dog within a short drive of the Capitol dome and that is Skeenies Hot Dogs on Sissonville Drive. After all these years they are still making awesome tasting hot dogs and stuffing them into wax paper sleeves for the eager hoards that await them every day at lunch and dinner times. The truest of the true Utilitarian Dogs has no equal in all of Charleston or Kanawha County. This is also the second straight year for Skeenie's to take the top prize in their category.

Next Up: The State's Best Hot Dog Joint?

2008 Weenie Awards: Best Downtown Charleston Hot Dog

"Location, location, location" is the universally accepted paramount concern of business. Equally as important for a successful Hot Dog Joint is consistency, consistency, consistency. There is one downtown HDJ that has demonstrated a consistent commitment to excellence over the past couple of years that just begs to be rewarded, and I am happy to be the one to reward them.

Award for the best hot dog in downtown Charleston. Their hot dog is made with the highest quality ingredients, put together in a way that lets you know that this is a place that cares about its product and its customers. Using a premium weenie (Boar's Head) is a good start, but on top of that sits a really meaty and slightly spicy chili that The Swiftwater Cafe wins this year's Weeniealways tastes like it was made this morning, and a big helping of the some of the best slaw in West Virgina: It is sweet and tasty, and the perfect texture for a WVHD, and has a story to go with it: You see, a couple of years ago after reading Swiftwater's review on this blog, owner Teddy Queen made a decision to change his slaw. He sought out a new recipe, one that was sweeter and more compatible with his chili. After he had it right, he emailed me and asked me to come and try it. I did and as a result, Swiftwater earned the Weenie Award for best slaw last year.

The only knock I have is that "everything" includes ketchup. Oh well, nobody's perfect.

Teddy should be proud of what he has created there at Swiftwater. Not only is his food excellent but the people that work for him seem to really enjoy their jobs and treat customers like gold. It is a rare treat in this day of customer non-service to receive a sincere smile along with your food order, and I have never eaten at Swiftwater when I didn't feel welcomed and appreciated. Simply remarkable.

Congratulations, Teddy and staff, on your committment to hot dog excellence. Keep up the good work!

2007 Weenie Awards - Charleston's Best Slaw

It wasn't as easy this year as last to pick the best slaw served at Charleston HDJs. The main reason was because one particular HDJ took very seriously our criticism of their slaw and changed their recipe in a very good way. This new improved slaw unseated last year's champion, not because last year's champion had slipped at all, but because of the extra effort of this year's winner. We honor effort here at WVHotDogs.com, so this year's award for the best slaw in Charleston goes to:

The Swiftwater Cafe

It might not be the most classic WVHD slaw around: It is a little greener than most, a little less fatty than most but the flavor of Swiftwater's new recipe slaw is without equal in the Capitol City. This slaw could be equally at home as a side dish with some Calabash style shrimp as it is nestled on top of Swiftwater's 2006 award winning weenie (which they would no doubt win again except we decided to nix the Weenie Awards for weenies this year). Nicely sweet and finely chopped, it blends nicely with Swiftwater's excellent chili.

Congrats Teddy and crew on your second consecutive Weenie Award!

Charleston HDJ Review: Diana's Snack Bar

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury, I present you with the simple facts of the case:

1. Diana's Snack Bar sits right next door to the Swiftwater Cafe on Washington Street in downtown Charleston.
2. Swiftwater has some of the best dogs in town, especially if you are weenie fan.
3. Swiftwater has arguably the best and friendliest service of any HDJ in town.
4. At Diana's you get a mediocre microwaved hot dog that is obviously made with off the shelf pre-packaged coleslaw and probably canned chili as well.
5. It's hard to eat only one Swiftwater hot dog. It's hard to eat a whole Diana's hot dog.

So the question before you today is, "Why on earth does Diana even serve hot dogs?"

If you can help solve this mystery then perhaps you can help find Jimmy Hoffa.

Charleston Hot Dog Joints - Swiftwater Cafe

Swiftwater is located on the Washington Street side of the 405 Capitol Street building. As you might guess from the name the motif is whitewater rafting and kayaking and it seats maybe 20 people but most of its business seems to be take out anyway (or maybe consequently). The walls are adorned with beautiful Ron Snow photographs and two TV's - one tuned to CNN and the other with whitewater videos always playing. The service is as friendly as it gets and I've never had to wait long on my food, even when they are very busy (which is about every day at lunch time).

The hot dogs are pretty ordinary except that they use exclusively Boar's Head brand franks. This takes the quality level up a notch over virtually every other hot dog joint in town. For those uninitiated, Boar's Head makes a really good weenie (along with about everything else they make) that is a bit larger and very tasty. I don't know of any other place in town that serves Boar's Head franks, although there are at least two places where you can get their cold cuts on a sandwich - Johnnie's Meats at Capitol Market and M&M Deli in Kanawha City.

As for Swiftwater dogs, the bun is basic, the chili is tame and the slaw is good but lightly applied. Next time I am going to ask for extra slaw.

Swiftwater is also a good place to go for hot bologna and they have one of the best barbecue sandwiches downtown.

Update: Photo courtesy of Rick Lee

Charleston HDJ Review - Faithy's Corner Cafe

"Location, location, location" is the most common advice given to businesses. A great location can definitely help a restaurant overcome shortcomings, especially in a downtown business district. Faithy's has an ideal location, sitting on the corner of Summers Street and Brawley Walkway, halfway between downtown and the Town Center Mall. Serving basic lunch fare, it's been there for many years and has stood the test of time. With all of the hot dog competition it faces in the downtown area - most notably from Swiftwater Cafe and Super Weenie - one would think it's hot dogs must be at least passable.

We decided to find out.

 First, kudos to Faithy for wrapping up her hot dogs in wax paper. By the time I carried them back to my office they were soft and supple, just like a WV hot dog should be. Opening up the paper, it was clear that these were Utilitarian Dogs through and through: Built for taste, not for show. The heft of the dog was nice and all of the ingredients were wonderfully combined.

Sadly, "everything" on a hot dog at Faithy's includes ketchup. I didn't realize this and didn't ask them to delete it from my hot dog, so I tried my best to ignore the sugary tomato past taste and ate around it where I could. I found that Faithy's chili is fairly decent, with a strong chili powder flavor but not much spice. The slaw was too chunky, but the taste was OK, and it went well with the chili. The weenie was fine and the onions were reasonably chopped, but could have been a little smaller.

Overall,we can't say anything bad (except the ketchup) about Faithy's hot dogs. Clearly they are "also rans" to the two aforementioned HDJs, but nothing to apologize for. We'll give them 3.5 Weenies.

Charleston HDJ - Diana's Capitol Street Cafe

Last June I panned the hot dogs sold in a place called Diana's Snack Bar. In that review I noted the futility of selling hot dogs next door to the Swiftwater Cafe. Someone must have agreed because in mid-January Diana's pulled up stakes and moved about a half block East and a half block to the South on Capitol Street.

The new place is much larger, brighter and roomier with seating for 12 people or so.

I know that I often insist on a steamed bun, and that is my absolute preference to be sure, but I can also appreciate a grilled New England Style bun or an oven-toasted bun like they serve at Diana's. My bun was definitely right out of the oven and was just about perfectly toasted. The dreaded hot dog coffin it came served in kept the toasted bun in good shape. The chili was decent, nothing to write home about, but not bad. The slaw was sweet and creamy. The onions were finely minced and piled on in a large helping, but I couldn't help but think how much they looked and tasted like the reconstituted onions that McDonald's puts on their regular hamburgers.

Now in case you don't remember, the last hot dog I had at Diana's didn't even get a rating. But in their new location, Diana's gets a solid 3 1/2 Weenie ranking. Definitely a candidate for the most improved hot dog. With better onions and a little more interesting chili it could easily get another half Weenie.

We Did It! 100 Reviews in One Year!

Thanks to Chris working overtime and Kevin coming on board at the right time, we were able to successfully meet our goal to have 100 HDJ reviews in celebration of today's blogiversary.

Here's the list of this year's reviews. Most of these are also archived on WVHotDogs.com:

Appalachian Power Park
Bigley Avenue Foodland
Blues BBQ
Burger Carte
Chaser's Boulevard Café
Chris' Hot Dogs
D.J.'s 50's & 60's Diner
Dairy Delight - Chapmanville
Dairy Freeze
Dairy Queen - Parkersburg 7th Street
Dairy Queen - Charleston Town Center
Dairy Queen - Clendenin
Dairy Queen - Eleanor
Dairy Queen - Flatwoods
Dairy Queen - Nitro
Dairy Queen - Ripley
Dairy Queen - Sissonville Drive
Dairy Queen - St. Albans
Dairy Queen - Teays Valley
Dee's Delights
Deli Fresh
Delish
Diana's Snack Bar
Dunbar Bowling Center
Farley's Barboursville
Farley's Famous Hot Dogs Hurricane
Fas Chek Washington Street
Fat Bob's Roadhouse Café
Freeman's Family Restaurant
Fresh Seafood Company at Capitol Market
Frostop
Frostop review #2 by Chris James
Galaxy Lanes
Gold Dome Bar & Grill
Good Stuff Pantry
Hanks
Hillbilly Hot Dogs Culloden
Hillbilly Hot Dogs- Huntington
Hilltop Market
Hometown Hotdogs
Hot Dog Barn in Morgantown
Huskey's Dairy Bar
Jane Lew Restaurant
Johnny Dogs at Southside Chevron
Kanawha County Courthouse Snack Bar
M&M Dairy Bell
Mallory's Grocery
Market Drive Bar and Grill
Mayberry's
Maynors 7-11 Café
Meadowbrook Diner
Mollohan's Family Restaurant
Morrison's Drive In
Movie House Cafe
Mr. C's Hot Dogs - Kanawha City
Nathans Famous
Neighbormart
Parkway Drive In
Peggy's Dairy Treat
Pete's Hot Dogs
Porkers BBQ
Power Alley Grill
Red Line Diner
Ritzy Lunch in Clarksburg.
Romeo's Grill
Sam's Hot Dog Stand - Huntington
Sam's Hot Dog Stand - South Charleston
Sam's Malden
Shaar's Bar & Grill
Shafer's Super Stop
Skeenies Hot Dogs
South Charleston Dairy Bar
Spring Hill Deli
Stewarts Huntington Mall
Stewart's Original Hot Dogs
Swiftwater Cafe
T&L Hot Dogs in Bridgeport
Tamarack
Teays Valley Foodland
The Dog House
The Farm Table
The Grill
The Hottest Dog
The Smokehouse
The Southern Kitchen
The Valley Bell
The Wagon Wheel
The Wheelhouse
Timmy's Snack Shack
Towne & Country Lanes
Trivillian's Pharmacy
Tudor's Biscuit World - South Charleston
Tudor's Biscuit World - Teays Valley
Venture Family Fun Center
Wayne Family Restaurant
Whitey's Sandwich Shop
WV State Capitol - West Wing Snack Bar
WV State Capitol Complex - The Vendateria
Yann's
Yummee Freeze

Boy, do I feel full.

Hot Dog Classification Project Part II: Genteel Dogs

Genteel (jen-teel' )- adjective - 1. Striving to convey a manner or appearance of refinement and respectability. Genteel Dogs are the second, and perhaps the most prevalent class of hot dogs sold at West Virginia HDJs. The above definition of "genteel" (courtesy of Dictionary.com) really hits the nail on the head when it comes to these hot dogs and the motivation behind them. They are neater in appearance than Utilitarian Dogs and most times there is some thought given to the presentation even if they are served in a coffin (which is almost always how they are packaged to go since the coffin protects them from being misshapen by handling during delivery). As you might suspect, sometimes all of this effort to make the hot dog appear more respectable is really just an attempt at covering up one that has been made with less than respectable ingredients. I am sure that I speak for the other Weenie Wonks when I say that some of the most carefully assembled and presented hot dogs were also some of the most bland tasting dogs we've had the misfortune of reviewing. But sometimes the opposite is true: The HDJ has a good tasting product and want to give it the presentation that it deserves. Presentation aside, Genteel Dogs dogs are also likely to have perceived upgrades in the weenies, buns and onions to further give the "appearance of refinement and respectability." All Beef weenies are regularly offered in this class, as are over-sized large caliber weenies of unknown content that are simply identified as "premium." Some of these are truly an upgrade and some are just bigger. Say what you will but when it comes to hot dog weenies, it's not the size that counts: Bigger is not better. Buns, likewise, are open for negotiation for Genteel Dogs. Good ol' Heiners standard buns are often eschewed in favor of one that is a crustier, larger or dusted with some kind of grain. New England Style buns, grilled or toasted, reside exclusively in this class. If standard buns are used, great care is taken to ensure that it retains its shape so steaming is out of the question. Onions are unpredictable in this class. They might be sweet, hot, yellow, white, red or Vidalias, but the one constant is that they are chopped in larger chunks in this class than you will usually find on Utilitarian Dogs. Interestingly enough, slaw is one topping that varies little from the kind you might find on Utliltarian Dogs, except that it is usually applied with more care. And mustard is mustard unless the HDJ takes the pretense up a notch and uses Dijon; an offense that should be punishable by law (and that usually only happens in the third and final class of WVHDs that will be discussed in a future post).

Since I have already admitted my preference for Utilitarian Dogs, I will further confess that I rarely find Genteel Dogs to be as satisfying. The most obvious exception for me would be Swiftwater Cafe in Charleston, whose dogs are definitely Genteel. Swiftwater's weenie is larger and beefier than most. The chili is pretty tasty and the slaw is terrific. The bun isn't steamed and they take great care in placing the toppings without squashing down the bulk. Which leads me to another point on the Genteel Dog: One has to open one's mouth much wider for a GD than a UD. For some this is a problem. Please keep your off-color sexist comments to yourselves.

Genteel Dogs can be found at diners like Red Line Diner in St. Albans or DJ's in Fairmont, and most sit-down restaurants that sell hot dogs other than those on the kid's menu.

Next up: Artisan Dogs

The WV Hot Dog Trail - The New River Gorge and Central WV

The West Virginia Hot Dog Trail is a publication of the WV Hot Dog Blog and will provide food and culture tourists with a literal roadmap with which to explore the state's best hot dog joints (HDJs). The Trail will be revealed in its entirety on National Hot Dog Day, July 21, but we'll be releasing highlights and snippets of the route every couple of days beginning July 15. This is the fifth post in this series:

The New River Gorge & Beyond

Next we're heading back north to Hinton, and the second of the two Dairy Queens on our list, Hinton Dairy Queen. 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. 

But never fear, one of the best hot dogs on the list is not too much further up the road. 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. Despite also serving upside-down hot dogs with the chili on top of the slaw, they care about hot dogs and it shows: It shows in the way they carefully spread the mustard on the bun instead of squirting it on like most HDJs; it shows in the way they mix up small batches of slaw. It shows in the way people flock to Tom's and write emails to hot dog blogs. It's inspiring.

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 brand new 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. 

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. (Note: They have moved to downtown Webster Springs since we posted this review, but the hot dogs are the same in this new location.)

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. 

Next up, we'll venture to the sometimes slawless land of North Central West Virginia. Buckle up, it's a dangerous place for real WV Hot Dog lovers!

Next: Yes, slaw CAN be found in North Central WV

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.

Tooting Our Own Horn: Celebrating 20 Years of Cultural Influence

"If thou tooteth not thine own horn, the same shall go untootethed."

Second Abraham, chapter 2 verse 23:

Allow us to toot.

Over the past two decades, this blog has had a major cultural influence in our state. We didn't invent the West Virginia Hot Dog, ya'll did that, but we gave it a label -- a brand you might say -- and brought it into a new level of awareness, appreciation and identity. 

Go ahead, Google search for any internet mention of "West Virginia Hot Dog" before this blog started in 2005. Look at newspaper archives. Check the library catalogs. You won't find it. Now do the same search since 2005 and note the tens of thousands hits. 

We did that. We were the first to define a West Virginia Hot Dog as one with chili, slaw, mustard and onions. We did this on this blog and its forerunner The Charlestonian Blog in early 2005. 

We thought we'd celebrate National Hot Dog Month by sharing some highlights and successes we've enjoyed over the past 20 years:

2005 - The Charlestonian Blog shares a hot dog photo by photographer Rick Lee and asks readers to chime in on their favorite Charleston hot dog joint. The reactions leads to the creation of a separate blog dedicated to discussions about West Virginia Hot Dogs.  

2006 - In January the West Virginia Hot Dog Blog begins to do reviews of hot dog joints in the Charleston area.

2006 - Numerous media outlets take notice of the West Virginia Hot Dog Blog and interview its Head Weenie Wonk, Stanton Means, for a variety of local and regional stories.

2006- The Weenie Awards is established to recognize the best hot dog joints around the state. Fairmont people go completely crazy when we refuse to recognize Yann's slawless hot dogs with an award.

2006 - Our "Slaw Line" historical marker becomes one of the most shared images among West Virginia internet users. 

2006 - Chris James becomes our second Weenie Wonk.

2007- The Associated Press distributes nationally an article on West Virginia Hot Dogs and the WV Hot Dog Blog. The article is picked up by NBC news and creates record traffic to the blog.

2007 - WVHotDogs.com website launches.

2007- Swiftwater Cafe in Charleston becomes the first hot dog joint to change the name of its hot dog to "WV Hot Dog." This trend will continue for the next several years.

2008 - An article on the West Virginia Hot Dog Blog appears in the State Journal, a statewide business newspaper, highlighting the uniqueness of the way West Virginians dress their hot dogs.

2008 -  Another Weenie Wonk, "Big Daddy," is added to cover the north-central part of the state.

2008 - Philadelphia artist Hawk Krall creates a graphic for a food magazine that depicts a West Virginia hot dog. 

2009 - West Virginia Hot Dogs win the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council's March Madness Hot Dog and Sausage Tournament on Facebook.

2010 - West Virginia Hot Dogs Facebook page established, connecting thousands of new folks to our blog.

2010 - Our "Slaw Mapping Project" image goes viral and causes a great deal of debate.

2011 - West Virginians search for the term "hot dog" on Google more than residents of any other state

2012 - Because of a viral tongue-in-cheek post on the WV Hot Dog Blog, Governor Earl Ray Tomblin and opponent Bill Maloney are asked by a reporter their opinions on the proper toppings for a West Virginia Hot Dog. 

2013 - WV Hot Dog themed merchandise begins to show up in various places.

2014 - "WV Hot Dogs" begins to be printed as a menu item on more restaurants.

2016 - WV Hot Dog Blog is used as a primary source for the Southern Foodways Alliance article on West Virginia hot dogs.

2018 - Our clearly photoshopped "Slaw Line" historical marker image is used by multiple media outlets and presented as real. 

2020 - West Virginia named best state for hot dog lovers

2021 - The West Virginia Hot Dog Trail is created.

2022 - West Virginia Hot Dog Blog used as source material for a chapter in “Making Our Future” a new book by former West Virginia state folklorist Emily Hilliard. 

2024 - WV Tourism creates a web page dedicated to West Virginia hot dogs.

2025 - West Virginia Hot Dogs Facebook page reaches 12,500 followers.

We could list many more highlights and milestones, but you get the gist. We're proud of our influence, and even prouder that we did it for the love of the hot dog and not for money.

No, we've never made a cent off of the West Virginia Hot Dog Blog or its social media counterparts. And we've spent thousands on hot dogs to sample -- even when it went against our better judgement -- for reviews, and on gasoline traveling across the state. While we've been more active in some years than others, we have consistently been the leading advocates for the delectable gift from heaven known as the West Virginia Hot Dog. 

But it was you, dear readers, who have fueled the rise of our humble hot dog with your extreme devotion. We owe a lot of our success to those expatriate West Virginians who long for the hot dogs of their youth, and finding that nowhere in their new surroundings understands. We just provided a medium, but you provided the energy. 

So toot your own horn as well. Let's toot all of them.