Where To Find The 5 Best Hot Dogs In Tampa Bay

Hot dogs and burgers might be the most American summertime grilling combo out there. But, if you’re looking to beat the heat and skip the cooking, we’ve got you covered. Here are the 5 spots to find the best hot dogs in Tampa Bay.

There’s no shortage of options for good food when it comes to the Tampa Bay area. We’ve got hidden gem taco spots, juicy burger joints, mouthwatering Philly cheesesteaks, and Michelin-rated restaurants.

Today, we’re getting back to the basics and rolling with some personal favorites, highly rated, and local suggestions to put together the 5 best spots for hot dogs in Tampa Bay.

Chicago Paulie’s is one of the most highly rated spots for hot dogs in Tampa Bay at 1301 N Howard Ave in the Perfect Gas Station Parking lot. This option is a food truck, but even more of a reason to go. They even won Best of the Bay back in 2018.

They’ve got Chicago Style, New Yorker, Chili, North Carolina Dog, Slaw Dog, classic and more always served on a steamed bun. Something Paulies offers that others don’t is a variety of dogs from different areas of the country. The North Carolina Dog is topped with mustard, Vienna Chili, chopped onion, and homemade coleslaw.

If you’re dining with someone who doesn’t like hot dogs, they have sandwich options as well. From the Italian beef, Corned Beef, Reuben, burgers, and Paulies Cheese steak, there are plenty of options.

Tony’s Chicago Beef Company is located at 6569 Superior Ave in Sarasota making it one of the furthest options on this list, but the dogs are fantastic. The inside of the hot dog joint is covered in Chicago sports memorabilia to add to the Chicago-style restaurant.

But, what makes Tony’s Chicago Beef some of the best hot dogs in Tampa Bay? Their dogs are always juicy, poppyseed buns are soft, and their toppings are fresh. All dogs come with fries averaging $6.50 per meal, but if you want to do the 2-dog special, it’s any 2 dogs with fries for $10.59.

They’ve got chili dogs, Chicago Fire Dogs, traditional Chicago Dog, Char grilled Polish Sausage, Brats, and more. But, they don’t stop there. They also have salads, Italian Beef sandwiches, Burgers and other sandwiches.

Mel’s Hot Dogs is another great option for hot dogs in Tampa Bay and is located at 4136 E. Busch Boulevard. The story of Mel’s began back in the early 1970s on his quest for a true Chicago-style dog in Tampa. In true, traditional hot dog fashion, their dogs sit in a soft poppyseed bun. 

With over 16 styles of hot dogs, Mel’s has it all. Mel’s Special Dog has an all-beef natural casing on a poppyseed bun topped with mustard, onions, sauerkraut, relish, and pickle. They’ve got a Reuen Dog, Chili dog, cheese dog, slaw dog (cole slaw), bacon cheddar dog, corn dogs, and more. 

Not only do they have hot dogs, but they have Italian sausage, Bratwursts, and Chicago Beef sandwiches. Their fries come topped with cheese or chili cheese and of course, traditional plain fries. Their menu is packed to the brim with options.

Portillos is an absolute no-brainer. What started out as a Chicago-based restaurant, became a Tampa Bay staple. There are 3 locations in Tampa Bay with one in St. Petersburg/Tyrone, Tampa, and then Brandon (Florida’s first Portfillos location).

Keeping it close to their roots, Portillos has many different styles of hot dogs all coming on a fresh and soft poppyseed bun. They also have sandwiches, salads,  famous chocolate cake and shakes, and more.

If you like crinkle fries, you’re in luck. Their fries are always fresh and crispy with just the right amount of salt and cheese if you’re a cheese fry fan. You can never go wrong with Portillos making it one of the best spots for hot dogs in Tampa Bay.

G’s Fab Dogs is the hot dog stand that is cooking up some of the best hot dogs in Tampa Bay. Did we save the best for last? Let’s find out. G’s Fab Dogs sits in the parking lot of the Home Depot with picnic tables, umbrellas, and shade at 2300 22nd Ave N in St. Petersburg.

They have Regular hot dogs, chili dogs, cheese dogs, chili cheese dogs, and more with special Chicago-style dogs as well. Like an old-school hot dog stand, you can buy soda from the can and bags of chips from Lay's and Cheetos to Sun Chips and barbeque chips.

The latest review from June 2024 for G’s Fab Dogs says, “The outdoor seating area by Home Depot provides a casual setting to enjoy these addictive hot dogs. The owner is friendly and accommodating, making it a kid-friendly spot. Wheelchair accessibility is not an issue with this food cart. The chili cheese dog combo is highly recommended for its great taste and value, with customers raving about the service and overall experience.”

 If you’ve tried any of these options on our list, let us know what you think on social media.

One of the best parts about living in Tampa Bay is the restaurant options. With people coming into Tampa from across the globe, we’re lucky to have all different types of food so easily accessible. Today, we’re bringing you the 7 most mouth-watering and best Philly Cheesesteaks in Tampa Bay.

We were looking through the Tampa Reddit thread when one local was looking for some help. The OP said, “Craving some Philly for Tomorrow” and asked for the Best Philly Cheesesteak in Tampa Bay.

The comments were flooded with different options for the best Philly Cheesesteaks in Tampa Bay. The people were reunited with some of their favorite spots and as always, some were at a crossroads when their spot wasn’t voted.

Before diving into the best Philly Cheesesteaks in Tampa Bay, let’s break down the sandwich itself.

The Classic Philly Cheesesteak might seem to be open to interpretation, but like a Cuban, there are rules. An authentic Philly Cheesesteak comes loaded up with juicy, ribeye steak that is thinly sliced.

Next, you’ll top that ribeye with melted, gooey provolone cheese, white American cheese or Cheez Wiz. Yup, Cheese Wiz. Then, you’ll want to throw on some fried onions and pack that all onto a toasted hoagie roll.

The legendary Philly Cheesesteak dates back to the 1930s. Brothers Pat and Harry Olivieri from South Philly joined forces with their accidental creation of the Cheesesteak.

Legend has it that Pat and Harry operated a hot dog stand at the corner of Wharton Streets and Passyunk Avenue in South Philly (currently where Pat’s King of Steaks operates). Pat suggested Harry go buy some beef from the store. 

They sliced it up, grilled it with onions, and piled it high on a roll. A Taxi driver smelled the beef and stopped in to see what was cooking and asked for one of the sandwiches. The cabbie paid for the sando and the Philly Cheesesteak was born.

Now, let's get into what we've all been waiting for, Philly Cheesesteaks in Tampa Bay.

Delco's was easily the most recommended spot for some of the best Philly Cheesesteaks in Tampa Bay. They've got plain steak, cheese steak, chicken cheese, buffalo chicken, pizza steak and more. They don't have an official facebook page, but check out this sandwich that's absolutely LOADED. You'll want to have cash ready because this is a cash-only establishment.

Next up, is the Violet Stone. The Violet Stone has been making some serious noise in the Pizza World the last few months. After Dave Portnoy stopped in a few months back, the place has been buzzing ... they even moved locations to accommodate more people. Their pizza looks top-notch, but let's see why it was named of of the best Philly Cheesesteaks in Tampa Bay. They've got classic cheesesteaks, shroomy cheesesteaks, chicken parm, eggplant parm, chickie vodkie, and more. Their cheesesteaks start at $8.75 which is the sweet spot.  They are located at 2134 9th Avenue North and will relocate to 2609 Dr. MLK Jr. Street North in St. Pete.

The Colonial Corner is one of those Hole in the Wall spots you know is going to be good. The shop is run by Joann Casciato, an 82-year-old Philly native. The Philly Cheesesteak is packed with meat and was even nationally recognized earlier this year. They do not have a website, but their menu is on the Doordash site. The Colonial Corner is located at 7201 49th Street North in Pinellas Park. Their Instagram post below speaks for itself.

Steve D's clocks in as one of the most authentic options on the list. The user that recommended Steve D's said, "From Philly ... There is a food truck that is the absolute best, Steve D’s. They post their schedule for the week on their Facebook page. It’s a father and his kids that are from the Philly area. So good!" Today, they are located at Eddie C. Moore Sports Complex at 2994 Drew St. You'll want to check their Facebook page for daily updates.

Another highly recommended spot for some of the Best Philly Cheesesteaks in Tampa Bay is Burger Culture. You already know their burgers are some of the best in the bay, but have you ever tried their Philly Cheesesteaks or the rest of their menu? Piled high with cheese, beef, onions and stacked onto a crispy roll, you can't go wrong with Burger Culture. They are located at 7809 N Dale Mabry HWY in Tampa.

We had another Philly native bring their suggestion to the table. Now, we can't confirm this, but they said, "West Shore pizza, I moved down here from Philly last August. West Shore is as close as you're gonna get." If you've tried WSP's Philly Cheesesteak, fill us in on ranking. (Photo below is embedded from TripAdvisor) They have locations spread across the Tampa Bay area. 

Hattricks is no stranger to the spotlight. They've been named the best sports bar in South Tampa and the #1 Wings in Tampa Bay. But today, we're checking in on their Philly Cheesesteak. One customer said, "I try to have the Philly Cheesesteak wherever I stay and Hattricks has beat all of the ones I had previously eaten hands down." You can check out the rest of their menu here.

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