Hamburgers and hot dogs are arguably the most iconic backyard barbecue duo. You can grill marinated chicken, smoke racks of ribs, and serve the world’s best potato salad, but guests will still want to know the answer to the following question: Where are the burgers and dogs?
Hot dogs especially remind me of low-key cookouts from my childhood — they offer simplicity, comfort, nostalgia, and joy. Besides being perennial crowd-pleasers, they’re also easy on the host: low-effort, hard to mess up, and usually reasonably priced.
Plenty of meat purveyors have reformulated this staple into a superstar, fit to hold its own against a parade of gourmet burger patties. They’re turning out franks with finesse, and using quality meats and old-school practices. And, best of all, they’re available for online ordering and delivery.
These are the top-tier frankfurters that will turn the question of “burger or hot dog?” back into a pickle — and have you answering, once again, “both.”
7 Best Hot Dog Brands You Can Buy Online
A top fave among the most discerning editors here at The Kitchn, this restaurant-beloved brand also made a name for itself as “America’s premiere gourmet hot dog.” Made from 100% American wagyu beef humanely raised on its own farm, the hot dogs are seasoned with proprietary spices and then smoked over hard wood. As leveled-up as the inside is, the exterior is where many fall in love with this brand.
The thicker casing of these skin-on dogs is actually designed to burst if you cook it the way Snake River Farms recommends, which is to grill it until slightly browned and then cranking up the heat until they split. The seam created with “splitters” crisps up deliciously (just remember to take them off the grill with the split side up so you retain the juices). Of course, you can also save the pop for when you bite into it. For that, just grill it slowly on even heat.
Buy: Wagyu Hot Dogs, $10 (on sale!) for 1 pound at Snake River Farms
I’ve been a longtime fan of this online butcher, and there are few better ways to earn my respect than to change my mind about a food item. Porter Road’s sausages are outstanding, so naturally I wasn’t surprised that the hot dogs are too. It’s not just that the meat is pasture-raised and dry-aged, like all of its beef (although that does help!).
Every hot dog is made of beef and roasted in a custom fat-to-flesh blend for extra flavor — and the lack of fillers doesn’t stop there. The ingredient list is super short, with a handful of disclosed single-ingredient spices, no chemical or sugar additives, and natural celery powder as the only preservative for this uncured dog. After being shaped, they’re smoked on cherry wood to enhance the flavor from the tender inside out.
Buy: All Beef Hot Dog, $12 for 10 ounces at Porter Road
All-beef isn’t for everyone. There are plenty who prefer the milder flavor, softer texture, and more prominent spice profiles of hot dogs with a touch of pork, which is where Crowd Cow excels. And not just any beef and pork, but American wagyu and heritage Mangalitsa (one of the finest hog breeds in the world, known for intense marbling and creamy fat that’s earned it the attractive comparison of being equivalent to Kobe beef for pork, and equally difficult to butcher properly).
The gourmet-breed vegetarian-fed pork comes from a family-owned farm in Iowa that has specialized in Mangalitsas for nearly 50 years. The result is frankfurters that are more tender than beef and traditional versions, and significantly richer. You can’t get them directly from the pork farm — only Crowd Cow, which is not a bad thing.
People love this brand for its accessibility. It provides value for customers (the name is a nod to its crowd-sourcing origin story), curates meat from across the country for variety, and does not require a subscription.
Buy: Mangalitsa Estates Wagyu Hot Dogs, $18.99 for 12 ounces at Crowd Cow
4. Kansas City Cattle Company
These all-beef hot dogs are consistently named among the very best by gourmet enthusiasts — some going so far as calling them “the steak-lover’s hot dog.” That nickname is well-earned, as KC’s franks are made from the same custom-bred wagyu cattle that has given the ranch its well-deserved reputation for fantastic beef. They’re sold cooked but uncured, free of any added nitrates or nitrites (aside from what naturally occurs in beet powder).
But what really sets them apart is the flavor. They’re buttery and beefy in a full-flavored way that feels and tastes rich, and enhanced with paprika, garlic, onions, and more spices meant to bring out those traits. These flavors pour out with a more tender texture than your typical supermarket hot dog, and the crispy skin gives way without too much effort.
Char it for best results. Because they’re thick, their insides can take the extra cooking without losing moisture. After all, courage under fire is only fitting for hot dogs from a veteran-owned ranch that honors a fallen Ranger.
Buy: World Famous Wagyu Gourmet Hot Dogs, $19.99 for 1.2 pounds at Kansas City Cattle Company. Military discounts available.
One of the earliest and biggest names to go direct to delivery, this Nebraska-based online meat purveyor has become among the most trusted for consistent high quality. Sure, steaks are the headliner, but they’ve also nailed pork, which makes the blend in the gourmet hot dogs pretty ideal for fat, juicy grillers. Touted for their ultra-plump, bratwurst-style proportions and, therefore, ability to hold moisture and flavor, these dogs eat like a meal.
They’re firm, partially because no fillers or byproducts are used, and all of that together creates more of a meat-forward taste and texture. Outside of size, what also helps them feel so satisfying is that they have a higher fat content than typical supermarket hot dogs for a richer bite. Familiar flavors and enhancers keep them approachable, and available skinless versions make them even more kid-friendly.
Buy: Classic Jumbo Franks, $9.99 for 12 ounces at Omaha Steaks
No hot dog list can be complete without a nod to two cities: Chicago and New York (more on this below). Chi-town is arguably the home of the original elevated hot dog, where Vienna Beef franks in poppyseed buns disappear under neon green relish, sport peppers, tomatoes, bright yellow mustard, onions, tomatoes, pickles, and a sprinkle of celery salt.
The legendary Portillo’s, the most popular purveyor of the Italian beef sandwich made more famous by The Bear, makes a full kit you can buy online with nearly all of the trimmings. Of course, it stars the iconic all-beef and beef trimmings fully-cooked Vienna Beef brand frankfurters in their extra-snappy natural casing.
Buy: Natural Casing Hot Dogs, $9.99 for 10 pack at Goldbelly
New York is the point of origin for some of our most important grocery store brands, including Sabrett, the classic “dirty water dog;” Nathan’s of Coney Island’s boardwalk; and kosher classic Hebrew National as well as legendary Jewish delis that popularized the handheld. Katz’s Delicatessen, one of the most iconic delis in America, sells its all-beef, natural-casing frankfurters on their own or in a griller package that includes housemade pickles, mustard, sauerkraut for hot dogs, plus knishes, salami, and knockwurst for fun.
As at the original location, they’re garlicky in flavor, give a pleasant snap on the bite, and extend from the sides of a standard bun. But the signature flat-top char? That’ll be up to you at home to replicate in a frying pan.
Buy: Frankfurters, $14.99 for 12 ounces at Katz’s Delicatessen
Did your favorite hot dogs make the list? Tell us about it in the comments below.
