ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) – Stateline residents have already told us that Capri Restaurant in Loves Park is the king of Rockford-area pizza.
But, what about another area favorite, the Chicago-style hot dog?
Like pizza, several places in the Rockford area serve Chicago dogs. But, whose is the best? We’ll get to that. First, let’s jump into what goes into making a Chicago-style hot dog that’s worthy of its name.
”An all-beef dog,” said Andrew Vowles, owner of Ernie’s Midtown Pub in Rockford about what’s at the foundation of a Chicago dog. “We use a quarter-pound, all-beef hot dog. You can’t go wrong with that.”
A true Chicago dog is also marked by a poppy seed bun and very specific toppings.
“You want raw onion, pickles, sport peppers,” Vowles said. “[You] gotta have the bright-green relish, tomatoes and top it with mustard.”
There’s also an ingredient that does have a taste of its own. But, when it’s sprinkled on the others, it creates that special Chicago-dog taste that comes to life with every bite.