Relish the Moment: High-Class Hot Dogs are Invading Detroit Menus

The trendy food of the summer is a markup miracle for metro Detroit restaurants.

Imperial Ferndale

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Whether it’s mac and cheese or brussel sprouts, there’s always a new trend to be found on metro Detroit menus.

This summer, the hot dog is the trendy (and extremely profitable) food for area restaurants.

But these are far from the hot dogs you’d get at a street cart or the ballpark.

“They are getting the gourmet treatment at a lot of places,” says Melody Baetens, a prolific features reporter for the Detroit News who recently wrote about the rise of the hot dog. “They are not just the questionable meat you may have eaten growing up. People are using halal meat, vegan, 100% beef all natural. It’s upping the game a little bit.”

Even with the upgraded ingredients, hot dogs are a cheap food with an incredibly high markup — sometimes as high as 300%.

Side Piece Detroit / Slow’s BBQ

For $5, Slow’s BBQ will sell you a hot dog named after “Jurassic Park” actor Jeff Goldblum with pastrami, kraut, swiss cheese and hot mustard at their weekly Wednesday hot dog party.

In Hazel Park, Doug’s Delight has been revived by the same folks at Mabel Gray as a destination for hot dogs and chili fries.

Imperial in Ferndale has been a long time purveyor of fancy hot dogs with their sonoran hot dogs that retail for $4.95.

What’s the next trend you want to see on metro Detroit menus?

 

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