Cheap Eats

Cape Cod's Best Chili Dogs

Where to go when you've got a hankering for a hotdog

Sure, Cape Cod is known for its clam chowder and lobster, but sometimes you just feel like being a little trashy. Fast food establishments are few and far between on Cape Cod, so I opt for the classic American-made delight when I can find it: the chili dog. Americans eat some 7 billion hot dogs during the course of the summer (yes that's billion with a "b"). They are obviously a national favorite, but for me, a hot dog doesn't reach its full potential as a summertime treat unless it's dripping with chili, cheese, mustard and onions.
Following are some of the places around the Cape where you can grab a chili dog, starting with my favs and working on down. Let's face it - sometimes you just gotta get your fix no matter what...

The Dog House: Located on Lower County Road in Dennis, this establishment was formally McGurl's, the former chili-dog Mecca for the lower Cape. The new owners continue in fine tradition with a spicy variety of dog and homemade black bean chili (though I prefer chili without the beans). The place has a great roadside stand quality and the owners are attentive to customer service and the preparation of their sundries. Open seasonally until around Columbus Day, the menu also features "split" dogs, homemade "on-the-spot" fries and a highlight is the made-to-order fresh lemonade or limeade.

Cafe Alfresco, next to the Lemon Tree Village on Rte. 6A in Brewster seems like an unlikely place to find a chili dog. But among the Maine crabmeat and roasted portabella mushroom sandwiches, you'll find a selection of hot dogs: including a chili dog, topped with a spicy homemade chili and served with tasty batter-dipped fries and a dill pickle. This place is very casual though, and there are no waitresses you have to worry about tipping. Worth checking out for its many fine sandwich offerings as well.

D.J.'s Wings & Subs is another unlikely spot for to find a chili dog, but I was glad a stopped in... Though you have to wait a couple of minutes for it, they serve a jumbo QUARTER-POUND all-beef chili dog made with their delicious, spicy (though beany) homemade chili. They smartly serve the chili dog in a cardboard sleeve so it is manageable for even the sloppiest of diners. D.J.'s is located on the corner of Willow St. and Route 28 in Hyannis, and is open year round and is also a great place to get a HUGE bucket of wings for an impromptu get-together.

There are actually a few "chain" establishments across the Cape where you can pop in for a chili dog nosh year round. In order of preference, we have A&W (known for their root beer), Dairy Queen ,and 7-Eleven. As you might expect, the chili is not homemade but rather a pasty, mass produced variety - but even a chili dog with bad chili is generally good. At A&W, you can have your dog with their flavorful rootbeer served in a frosted mug. Dairy Queen is a bit run-of-the-mill but accessible and you can enjoy those neat soft-serve cones with the chocolate shell afterwards.   The 7-Eleven's are convenient and cheap, but their hot dog availability is sometimes unreliable and hygenically suspect - though you can load as much chili as you want and get a jumbo sized dog as well (with soda - only 2.79!). Put just a dribble of the processed nacho cheese on your dog for an interesting "Mexican" twist.

The final places I'll mention are establishments I unfortunately wouldn't recommend - even if you're "jonesing" - as they might turn you off on the whole chili dog experience. The hot dog place in the "food court" of the Sagamore Factory Outlet Mall (I don't recall the name) and "The Dog Shack" on Main Street in Hyannis (near the carousel). These places serve chili dogs that are so darn messy and soupy that you can't hardly pick them up without getting second-degree burns or having the bun disintegrate in half in your hands. The Dog Shack even serves their dog with a knife and fork! If I wanted to eat with a knife and fork I'd go have an actual meal! It's a shame too, because both of these spots are in a really ideal location for the casual nosher.

Before I close, I'll mention that just about any restaurant or luncheonette/diner (we don't have many of those) that serves chili and hot dogs will likely make you a chili dog - and a few even have them on the menu. But you of course have to sit at a table, deal with a waitress/waiter, wait a bit longer, and some of these places have a *strange* interpretation of just what a chili dog is (like the "open faced" chili dog at the Jailhouse in Orleans - yeech, another fork and knifer!)

I hope you enjoyed this trashy culinary tour of the Cape. If you know of any great spots I’ve missed, particularly in the snooty Upper Cape or the extreme Lower Cape, be sure to let me know via comments below!

Nate Welch is a Brewster web developer and connoisseur of chili dogs.