The All-American Hot Dog Just Got Better in Seattle.

Seattle’s known for many things, like the iconic Space Needle or its spectacular views of mountains and sea, but did you know the city has its own hot dog? Walk along the lively waterfront to where the big cruise ships depart for Alaska, and you’ll discover summer fun is even better with tasty treats.

Several decades ago, street vendors started putting an unusual, but delectable, ingredient—cream cheese!—on the hot dogs they were selling as people left bars late at night in Pioneer Square. It turned out to be wildly popular and, when paired with grilled onions, it became known as the Seattle Dog.

They say the idea for the now-famous hot dog came from the Square’s bagel vendors, who sold ‘bagel dogs’ with cream cheese in the late ’90s. Today, you can still find Seattle Dogs near Pioneer Square on game days, when stands are set up outside the ball fields and in the lively waterfront district.

Related reads: 7 Places That Make Seattle Rock

Seattle Hot Dog Recipe

A Seattle Dog is a lightly toasted hot dog bun piled with an all-beef hot dog, cream cheese, caramelized onions, jalapeños and potato chips for crunch!

Ingredients

1 small yellow onion halved and sliced

1 tblsp unsalted butter

2 splashes dry white wine

6 beef sausages

6 hot dog buns

Toppings

Philadelphia cream cheese

jalapeño peppers

potato chips

yellow mustard

Instructions

Heat a large skillet over medium/medium low heat. Once hot, add in butter.

Once the butter has melted, add in sliced onion and cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until golden brown and caramelized.

In the last minute or two, deglaze the pan with a couple splashes of dry white wine. Cook until the wine has absorbed.

Set aside.

The hot dogs

Preheat your grill to high heat.

Cook hot dogs until warmed through.

Toast buns until golden brown.

The jalapeños

Place jalapeños on the grill and cook for about 8 minutes, turning every few minutes.

Assembly

Take one toasted bun and smear on cheese cream.

Place hot dog in the bun and top with caramelized onions, jalapeños, chips, and other additional toppings, as desired.

Enjoy your Seattle Hog Dog by the mouthful!

Feature image: Port of Seattle

See more: Food