4 New Hampshire Hot Dog Places That Totally Live Up to the Hype

Okay so I don't know what happened but I have fully lost my mind over hot dogs lately. I had 2 over Memorial Day Weekend and now, I want a hot dog for breakfast.  Judge all you want.  I can take it.

Like not in a "oh yeah I had one at a cookout" way. I mean I'm out here planning road trips around hot dogs. Googling chili dog spots at 11pm. Thinking about a hot dog I had three days ago like it was a pivotal life moment. It's a problem. I don't care.

And look, I've always liked hot dogs, Costco on a Saturday, sitting in the Monster seats at Fenway, Memorial Day, Fourth of July in your backyard, whatever. But something clicked and now I'm convinced hot dogs are genuinely one of America's greatest foods. Pizza, cheeseburger, hot dog. That's the list. That's the whole list.

So if you're in New Hampshire and you're even a little bit curious, here are five spots I'm telling everyone about right now:

Gilley's Diner in Portsmouth

Tiny diner, old-school vibes, downtown energy. Food & Wine literally named it the best hot dog spot in the state. You get a chili dog there and you understand immediately. Napkins are a joke.

Hot Diggity Dog in Tilton

Pure roadside summer stand energy. Every photo of their chili cheese dog makes you hungry even if you literally just ate. WMUR viewers voted it one of the best in NH and honestly, yeah.

Puppy Love Hot Dogs in Concord

First of all, best name ever. Second, locals mention this place EVERY time someone asks where to eat in Concord. That's how you know.

Libby's Long Dogs in North Conway

They serve out of a vintage camper and rotate creative seasonal dogs (that sounds fun). It's got this perfect mix of classic roadside stand meets actual foodie creativity. Very North Conway. Very good.

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And okay... the ways to eat a hot dog. Because there are so many ways.

• Classic with mustard, ketchup, relish and onions.
• Chili cheese dog.
• New York style with sauerkraut and spicy brown mustard.
• Chicago dog with the mustard, neon relish, tomato, sport peppers, pickle spear, celery salt, and DO NOT put ketchup on it, Chicago people will find you.
• Bacon wrapped dog.
• Mac and cheese dog.
• Tex-Mex dog with queso and jalapeños and avocado and pico and crushed tortilla chips on top.
• Breakfast hot dog with a fried egg and bacon and a maple drizzle.
• BBQ dog with pulled pork and slaw.
• Corndog with mustard.

and finally

• The perfect New Hampshire summer dog... just grilled, mustard, onions, relish, bag of chips, sitting outside, and you're already thinking about getting a second one before you've finished the first.

That's a hot dog. That's the whole thing. I will not be taking questions.