Vegan hot dog at Sarasota eatery ranked in nation's top 10

Steve DiBo knew his goal was to broaden the appeal of hot dogs when he founded Doggystyle in downtown Sarasota a little more than two years ago, so the menu soon expanded beyond meat.

Nonetheless, it surprised him when People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals ranked his Chicago Hot among the top 10 vegan hot dogs of summer 2023 on July 14.

“I’m happy because it brings some recognition to what we wanted to create,” he said, stating that with the restaurant, which he owns alongside his partner of 40 years, Melissa Penry, he aims to regenerate interest in hot dogs for a new generation.

PETA spokesperson Amy Stewart said the Top 10 list is based on the votes of PETA staff and supporters across the country and is designed to inspire the public to try vegan products, which she said not only prevent animal suffering but also lower a person's cancer risk.

"We decided to do this Top 10 list to inspire people to give these vegan hotdogs a try, and also to help people realize that even places that might very heavily promote their their animal products are starting to offer vegan items as well to get more people in the door," she said.

Recreating the Chicago hot dog

DiBo’s passion for premium hot dogs took off in 1989 when was drafted by the Chicago Cubs and pitched for the team's minor league affiliates. As he traveled south, he often had trouble finding hot dogs of the same quality he remembered from back home in Connecticut.

After he moved to Florida and saw the range of regions from which its residents came, he opened the restaurant, which brings together different regional styles, in 2020. 

“When I was young, I used to say, you know where somebody’s from by what they eat on their hot dog,” he said.

In areas like New York, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Chicago, waves of German immigrants settled and passed down different hot dog traditions across generations, DiBo said.

He said in those cities, one finds plywood stands with screen doors and a line of people hoping to taste the all-American staple. DiBo hopes to share those culinary offerings with the public through what he describes as gourmet offerings, or “hot dogs elevated.”

Photo by Ian Swaby

Among the most popular items on the menu has been the Chicago Hot, which is also offered as a vegan option.

Many vegans, he said, have struggled with limited options, the high cost of meat substitutes, and foods that are low in flavor.

DiBo said the Chicago Hot's balance of flavors that makes it well-suited for vegans looking to replace foods they have chosen to give up. 

“With the hot pepper relish, you get a little spicy, a little sweet, a little salt, a little sour,” he said. “It’s probably the most balanced hot dog you could have.”

However, DiBo’s version has some modifications.

Chicago hot dogs normally feature whole tomato and pickle slices, a format he said originated due to ease of preparation at vendor stands.

“Most people that get a Chicago dog pull the pickle off and eat it later, and they end up deconstructing the dog,” said DiBo, stating that true toppings blend into the hot dog.

He decided to combine his relish recipe with diced tomato and pickles, along with the standard diced onion and sport pepper. 

There’s also one other difference, but taste is not impacted. 

The original version features a neon green relish created with dye. DiBo chose to go with the natural color of the relish, something that he said makes its appearance more inviting to some guests.

A hot dog tour of the US

The offerings at Doggystyle go beyond the Chicago Hot. 

As DiBo realized the demand that existed, he also created entire vegan and vegetarian menus that shares many items with the regular menu.

Expanding the menu was easy because 70% to 80% of toppings were already vegan, he said, but it has led to what was likely the largest-growing sector of the business last year.

Courtesy photo

“Having vegan quick-service food that's healthy for you, that's delicious and gives you flavor, and makes you feel like you're not sacrificing or missing out, was a big deal. And so it's been growing,” he said.

Vegans began dining, sometimes in groups of 8 to 10 people, sharing what they had eaten online.  

Also important to the success, he said, is the quality of the base product. His regular hot dogs use the brand Hummel Brothers brand, which was founded in 1933 in Newhaven, Connecticut.

“We used to eat them right out of the box, when we’d pick them up at the butchers as kids just chew on them like it was baloney,” he said.

For the vegan dogs, he selected the Field Roast brand, which he said consistently ranks highest on taste tests. 

“It had a very natural kind of flavor to it,” he said. “I said this is very good, it tastes like a hot dog.”

The result is that people with different tastes and diets can enjoy a meal together.

"We have been investing in that and it's something that will continue to grow with us," he said.