Craving a hot dog? This North Carolina spot named one of best places to get one in US
If you’re craving a hot dog, one North Carolina stand ranks among the best places for a bite.
The Chili Man earned a spot on a list of the top 25 places to eat a hot dog in the United States and Canada, according to rankings the restaurant review website Yelp released Wednesday.
And it’s not the first time the Charlotte-area eatery has received national recognition.
In 2018, Money magazine studied Yelp reviews before naming the hot dog cart No. 1 in the country, The Charlotte Observer reported at the time.
This time around, Yelp said it came up with the rankings after looking at the “total volume and ratings of reviews” for businesses listed in the hot dog category. The site limited its list to a max of two hot dog joints per state to allow for geographic diversity.
The Chili Man says it continues the tradition of Vic Werany, whose hot dog stand had become a fixture on South Tryon and Fourth streets in uptown Charlotte. After Werany announced his retirement in February 2020, Josh Parel reportedly bought the cart.
These days, the Chili Man has an online schedule letting customers know where they can find its hot dogs across the Charlotte area. The shop also runs a kitchen in Concord, roughly 25 miles northeast of uptown, according to its website.
“In a sea of (mediocre) street food, Chili Man stands out as a beacon for true street food loving citizens,” the business said on its Yelp page. “Homemade chili, home spiced mustard, ketchup and mayo, homemade original recipe BBQ sauces and even specially made Taco Sauce makes good dogs great and great dogs a mind numbing experience.”
Yelp said its users can’t get enough of The Life Changer, a frank “topped with grilled cheddar, chili, jalapeños and red onions.”
With the name of Chili Man, it’s no surprise that chili makes its way into other menu items. Those include the Frito Pie Dog and the Chili Mans Choice, which is loaded with mustard, cheese and chili.
If you would rather leave the chili off, the business’ online menu includes options topped with barbecue sauce, onions and other favorites.
North Carolina is no stranger to earning spots on Yelp’s top restaurant lists.
In February, the website included three Charlotte eateries on its list of the top 100 restaurants in the country.
A few months later, brunch spots in Asheville and Wilmington ranked among the nation’s best, McClatchy News reported in May.
This story was originally published June 4, 2021 at 11:29 AM with the headline "Craving a hot dog? This North Carolina spot named one of best places to get one in US."
