National Hot Dog Day; Here’s the Best Southwest Michigan Places To Have One

Hot Dogs are as basic a food as there is. A sausage on a bun. And who doesn’t love that? Today is National Hot Dog Day, and here’s some of the best places in the Kalamazoo and Battle Creek area to get a great hot dog.

Let’s start with Battle Creek, where Serious Dogs and Uncle Dogs will satisfy your hot dog jones. Both get raves on Google. And don’t sleep on D’Nicio’s (sleeping dogs, get it?) They’ve been around both Battle Creek and Kalamazoo for a while and you’ll do fine. A Michigan staple is the Coney Dog and if you’re in Battle Creek, then Gregg’s Coney Island on Capital Ave NE is the place to start the conversation.

While we're in Calhoun County, we need to mention the Copper Athletic Club in Marshall. This used to be the Copper Bar, and a great place to get a couple of coneys. Now it’s the Copper Athletic Club, and it’s dedicated the legendary Lindell AC in Detroit. If you live and breathe Detroit sports, you’ll need to check this place out.

Moving west towards Kalamazoo, as basic and good as it gets, it’s the Root Beer Stand. A hot dog (with everything) and an ice cold root beer will cure just about anything that ails you.

Another longtime favorite just south of downtown is Nagle’s Top Dog on Burdick, and the added bonus is you can wash your dog down with a malt.

Papa's Italian Sausage is another longtime purveyor of hot dogs, claiming 11 variations at their location on King Highway.

Eventually you have to get to the topic of Chicago dogs, and Ray-Ray's on Miller Road is the king of authentic Chicago dogs, but Youz Guys Dogz on the downtown Mall is legit, too. And Lake Burger on West Main has the Vienna Beef sign on the door, so that’s something, too.

Then there's the oldest restaurant in Kalamazoo. Established in 1915, a chorus of angels begins to sing when you mention Coney Island downtown. They do other kinds of dogs, but seriously, dude, you’re at Coney Island.

Outside of Kalamazoo, there are two spots deserving of mention. Red’s in Paw Paw is similar to the Root Beer Stand except that Red’s has a full menu not just hot dogs and ham.

And, it’s an hour's drive, but if you love hot dogs, get yourself to Wealthy Street in Eastown in Grand Rapids for Yesterdog. Yesterdogs are not quite Coneys, but they sure are good. If you’re really hungry, get three Ultras, just to be sure. (And as the story goes, it's the inspiration for the hangout in American Pie.)