Quotes of the Day

New yorkers may demur, but nothing beats a genuine Chicago hot dog. For the uninitiated, that's a pure beef frankfurter, made with natural casing and covered with a lurid kaleidoscope of toppings: yellow mustard, emerald green relish, white onion, juicy red tomato, forest green pickles, and tiny, olive-colored chilies, known locally as "sport peppers." Served with celery salt in a poppy-seed bun, this great Chicago tradition (pictured above) typically sells for less than $5.

For many Chicagoans, the quintessential place to munch on a hot dog is the historic Wrigley Field baseball stadium while watching a Chicago Cubs game (cubs.com). Top tip for newcomers: pace your dining by the innings, particularly if you have children and need to plan for attention deficits during lengthy pitching changes. Order a starter of popcorn in the fourth, followed by a hot dog main course in the fifth. For a sixth-inning dessert, go for the blue-and-pink cotton candy. By the seventh stretch, the cotton candy will have turned your mouth purple. Go for a second hot dog in the eighth, and nurse your bellyache in the ninth.

If you don't have the time or inclination to sit through a game of baseball but would nonetheless like a side order of Americana along with your hot dog, there are lots of other venues to choose from. Foremost is Portillo's, tel: (1-312) 587 8910. The main location is at 100 W. Ontario, but there are more than 30 branches in the Chicago area—and many are appointed in riotous, 1960s American kitsch, including old cars hanging from the ceilings. For once, the vibrant décor is not a ploy to distract from the quality of the food. Juicy, big (but not too big) and with just a touch of spice, Portillo's hot dogs are perhaps the best in town.

An equally cherished institution—despite, or because of, its notoriously rude staff—is the brilliantly named Wiener's Circle at 2622 N. Clark, tel: (1-773) 477 7444. Don't expect fine dining (it's basically a glorified hot-dog stand), but the Lincoln Park location is hard to beat. By day, it's the perfect picnic locale; late at night, it's the pit stop of choice for university students on a bar crawl.

Of course, hot dogs aren't merely an accompaniment to beer, ball games and rowdiness—they can be served up with surprising gourmet twists. The best place to try these is Hot Doug's at 2314 W. Roscoe, tel: (1-773) 348 0326. The daily specials include such haute dogs as foie gras and Sauterne duck sausage with truffle sauce and goat's cheese. There's a veggie wiener on the menu too.

Lastly, if you want to refuel after seeing some local sights, try America's Dog at Navy Pier, tel: (1-312) 595 5541. With its myriad attractions, shops and amusements, Navy Pier is a hugely popular Lakeshore tourist draw—and after a long day there, many visitors make a beeline for America's Dog. Magnanimously, this hot-dog stand also offers New York-style dogs with speckled brown mustard and sauerkraut toppings. But you haven't come to Chicago to order one of those now, have you?

• Lara Wozniak
• Hot dogs are a Chicago specialty. Here's where to find the city's best