While Philadelphia is well known as a cheesesteak-and-hoagie town, it might be coming around on hot dogs, writes Jenn Ladd for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

One of the recent additions to the city’s hot dog scene was Royal Tavern’s blockbuster Dog Days of Summer. Toronto-born chef Nic Macri decided to try and boost business during the slow summer season by making hot dogs from scratch and offering several preparations every week throughout July.

The chef believed that selling “200 a week would be a really successful program.”

The Bella Vista bar ended up going through around 1,000 hot dogs a week.

Several other bars throughout Philadelphia added hot dogs to their menus after the Philadelphia Phillies announced the demise of Dollar Dog Nights earlier this year.

Little Hot Dog Wagon opened in the Fashion District mall in May, and another hot dog specialist will soon open in Haddonfield.

Two more hot dog developments are opening in Northern Liberties as well, including a sausage shop from the owner of El Camino Real.

Meanwhile, food truck owner Robin Carine and business partner Christian Albright added hot dogs to the menu due to popular demand.

“After the first month or so, we were asked by everyone who walked past, week in week out, like, ‘Oh, do you guys have hot dogs or hot sausages?’” said Carine.

Read more about the local hot dog scene in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

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