Allentown: Home of Allentown Allen, Allentown Dieruff, and Allentown Central Catholic High Schools, but also touted as the "Hot Dog Capital of the World" if you stop by one of the Yacco's locations in the community.

Condiment rating: Their sauce is all inclusive and highly rated. 
                                     They also offer  pirogues.
                                     HDAF

Altoona: This city is the home of two very popular Texas Hot Dog Restaurants.  They also have Gift Certificates available.  The Texas Hot Dog area includes Altoona H. S.,  Bishop Guilfoyle, Bellwood Antis, and Hollidaysburg.

Condiment rating: Opened in 1918 by Peter George, the hot dog "with everything "--  means chili, brown mustard and onions.
HDAF

Bethlehem: Pott's Doggie Shop at 14 W. Fairview (Just off Main Street) serves  Bethlehem Catholic, Bethlehem Liberty, and Freedom High Schools.  The  standing Lehigh Valley culinary question has been, "who serves up the better dog,  Pott's or Yacco's?"

Condiment rating: Customer and long time Lehigh Valley athlete, Jack Davis reminds that "they use canned Cheese Whiz on their cheese chili dogs."
                                  HDAF

Berk's Hot Dogs Established in 1933 in Reading PA, the Berks Packing Company, Inc. is a third-generation, family-owned and operated meat processor offering over 300 selections including Berks branded franks, hams, ring bologna, sausage, bacon and deli meats.
Condiment rating:  Berks serves as the official Hot Dog for the Penn State Nittany Lions,   Hersheypark, and for the Pennsylvania/Maryland All Star Basketball Games! 
                              So you know they are great!!
HDMP

Cambridge Springs, The Big Skinny Hot Dog Shop.  They feature Smith's Hot Dogs and 3 sauces.  Two 46" HD TV's over our counter area and a 103" Large screen HD projector TV in our dining area set us apart.

Condiment rating: The Original Bean Dog Sauce is their special signature.
HDAF
 

Ellie's College Dogs      prepared for a team meeting- hot dogs topped with cheese, pickle,  onions, relish and mustard- Slice the dog down the middle, put the cheese inside, add other topping--Then wrap then in foil and place in the oven at 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes depending on the oven.  Then serve on a tray for a team meeting or when entertaining the team for a special occasion.  (Derived from an Ellie Gaffey experience  in Ocean City (NJ) after a visit to a dog shop "under the boardwalk" in 1960)

Condiment rating: The proper placement of the condiments is important for success.

Erie:  Home of Erie East, McDowell, Strong Vincent, Erie Central, Erie Cathedral Prep, Erie Tech, Villa Maria Academy, and  Mercyhurst Prep.  Bob Klugweicz, a former resident of the Lake Erie city says, "stop at Giant Eagle after the game and buy a pound of  Smith's Hot Dogs  and grill them at home." 

 (Note: Smith's Provisions, is a a fourth generation family-owned Hot Dog, Sausage and Ham company based in Erie PA)

Condiment rating: They feature a natural casing.
HDMP

Giant Center: They host the Lancaster-Lebanon League Championships, the District 3 Championships, and hosted the State Basketball Tournament through 2006.  They feature the largest hot dog on the circuit, but they also charge $4.50 per dog. 

Condiment rating: They feature a condiment bar and provide squeeze bottles of Heinz relish.
HDAG

Harrisburg: Harrisburg Tech won the first Pennsylvania State Championship game in 1928 and fans have been stopping at The Spot for one of their famous "Spot Dogs" ever since.  When he was the Governor of Pennsylvania, Ed Rendell was often seen stopping in for a snack when he took an administrative break. Sadly, higher rents on Third Street forced the Spot out of business in the fall of 2007.  It's now just a memory in the hot dog history of Pennsylvania.

Condiment rating: Their sauce is all inclusive and highly rated.
HDAF, HDIP

Harrisburg: The Sandwich Man, Allentown Boulevard has a wide variety of sandwiches, hot and cold, but they feature "The Coney Island Dog."  It includes a large, sausage size hot dog, cut from end to end and stuffed with a kosher dill pickle, melted cheese and garnished with slices of tomato, spicy mustard and mayo.

Condiment rating: Gina Jimmink from Liberty Travel often stops and she says, "it's hard not to have two!"
HDAF

Hanover: The Hot Weiner Lunch has two sites, one downtown and one along route 94.  Bill "Snake" Snyder who is the Commissioner of an Adult Basketball League on Tuesday nites  has been there often and he cites "the natural casing" that snaps to the bite as being the difference that sends this "dog delicacy" to another level.  The joke around town is that "customers return later after a purchase to offer to pay more, since they could not possibly have been charged enough!"

Condiment rating: The culinary magic at the Hot Weiner Lunch includes lining up numerous dogs (in bun) up the arm of the  "tube steak" chef  as he administers "the works."
HDAF

Hazleton: Jimmys Quick Lunch at 123 East Broad Street downtown, former Hazleton St. Gabriel's basketball player Robbie Marusak remarks "that the Hazleton Art League had to move out of town to provide more parking for this hot dog haven."  The Hazleton Chamber of Commerce says, " Jimmy's Quick Lunch has been a Hazleton tradition  serving up loaded hot dogs in a diner atmosphere since 1937 and  have a reputation far beyond Greater Hazleton."  A long time sponsor of youth basketball, their 2005-2006 team won the H.A.Y.B.L. Championship. A photo and trophy can be found in the front window demonstrating their involvement with basketball. 
(Photo credit: S. F. Payer webpage, http://userweb.ccomm.com/sfpayer/Pictures/Jimmys/Index.htm)

Condiment rating: They feature a dark chili sauce and  long time customer, Kyle Calvello adds insight into the topping of onions added to each dog which is served up, "they soak the chopped onions in water over night to lighten their strength and add to the overall taste combination."    
HDAF
 

A lesson in Hot Dog History.........

The low point in Hot Dog History in Pennsylvania   happened  on October 13, 2006, when U. S. Senator Rick Santorum showed up at Jimmy's Quick Lunch in Hazelton.  He is the ultimate "political hot dog."  He provides the false smile, makes the empty promises, and his campaign road was lined with misrepresentations, negative ads, and an arrogance that transcends belief.  The people of Pennsylvania spoke on election day, and Rick Santorum was defeated.
 (Photo credit: Hazelton Standard-Speaker)  HDIP Hot Dogs in Politics

In 1884 George S. Snyder established his feed and grain business, and  a year later in 1885, the Hatfield Township Packing Company was established. It is now the site of Hatfield Quality Meats where they make, among other things, perfect Christmas hams and grill-ready Hatfield Hot Dogs.  They are located in Eastern Pennsylvania at  2700 Clemens Road · P.O. Box 902 · Hatfield PA · 19440.

Condiment rating: Hot dogs are a great source of high-quality protein. Protein provides a feeling of fullness at meals, which can help make you feel satisfied without overindulging at the dinner table.
HDMP

John's Doggie Shop, Chester, PA
7th Street, East of Edgmont Ave.
Opened in 1948, then six years later fans were making a late night stop coming back from the Penn Palestra when the Chester Clippers lost to Farrell 63-54 in their first state championship appearance.

Condiment rating: Dave Burman, the "super fan" from Chester rates these dogs as the "best ever." 
HDAF

Johnstown:  The Famous Coney Island at 127 Clinton Street has hosted athletes and fans from the Johnstown High School "Trojans" and the Johnstown Bishop McCort "Crimson Crushers" as well as fans who used to attend the very popular War Memorial Arena Holiday Tournaments of the past. The  competition over the years that took  teams across the Cresson Mountain between Johnstown and Altoona continues today as Rocky Pacifico from Altoona contends that "the Altoona Texas Hot Dog is superior to the Johnstown Coney Island Dog!"  Mark Denovich rates the Coney Island  "a  killer chili-dog" and would disagree with Rocky.
(Photo credit: HollyEats.com)
Condiment rating: Traditional Coney Island style, topped with chopped fresh onions, mustard and Coney Island Sauce. 
                                               HDAG
 

Kobe Bryant: He led his High School team, Lower Merion to the Pennsylvania 4-A State Championship; he has been a perennial NBA All-Star and  in 2006, he scored 81 points in an NBA game.  In April of 2006, the discussion started as to who should be voted the League MVP for the season, Kobe said, "He would vote for himself!"  Recently there was some conversation on the boardwalk in Ocean City, New Jersey that mentioned ,"Kobe is the reason that a lot of people no longer have any interest in the Professional Game." The group at the beach thinks Kobe should take up bowling because he is a team of one, and never has to pass the bowling ball.
Condiment rating: He has the reputation of "never having met a shot he didn't like!
                        HDIG

Lampeter-Strasburg High School:  Coach Chris Sherwood,  the head coach at Manheim Central  rates the hot dogs prepared at the Lampeter-Strasburg High School concession stand to be "the best in the Lancaster-Lebanon League!"

Condiment rating: Relish is not available.
HDAG

Lewistown.  The Laskaris Restaurant has been at 6  W. Market St  in the heart of downtown Lewistown since 1921. Their after game customers come from Lewistown High School and Indian Valley High School events.   Hotdogs are grilled right by the front window facing the monument square in Lewistown.  John Pannizzo, a Laskaris fan says that the most popular complimentary item is Rice Pudding.   Everyone orders "2 dogs and rice."
Condiment rating: All hotdogs come with mustard, onions and their special sauce.
HDAG

Norristown:  The city is named for Isaac Norris, a member of the colonial Pennsylvania legislature who ordered the casting of the state house bell that became known as the Liberty Bell. Norris was given a grant of land  by Pennsylvania's founder, William Penn.  Besides the "Zep," (only in Norristown and it does not have lettuce) the old Montgomery Texas Hot Weiners at 0100 on West Main St. with its "special chili sauce was a favorite stopping spot.
:Condiment rating: Harry Feliciano had been a customer since the early '70's and credits Montgomery's as being "around since the early 1900's."
HDAG

Pittsburgh:  The Original Hot Dog Shop  an eatery, known among locals as simply "The O."  is located at 3901 Forbes Avenue.  Many  agree “The O” makes hot dogs and fries the best. Hot dogs come in a variety of styles -- plain, cheese, cheese and bacon, and kosher-style beef. That leaves the fries. Adrian McCoy say that “dollar for dollar, the servings here are huge -- order a small, and you'll have enough for two people. Order a large, and you can feed several families of four.”  This spot is open into the wee hours, so your late-night cravings need not go unfulfilled. (Photo: Brenna Heaps)  Story line credit: AOL

Pottsville: The home of the former Pottsville "Marroons," the  legendary professional football world champions, also the home of Pottsville High School, Nativity BVM High School, Martz Hall, and the Coney Island on N. Center Street.  The physical space available to customers at Coney Island is long and narrow, and the history is long like the hot dogs.  Bob Gagliardi, a hot dog devotee has been a customer there for 38 years, and he says, "the hot dogs and the sauce are unbelievable and seem to still be the same as when the NCAA tournament itself probably began."

Condiment rating: An "unbelievable chili sauce!"
HDAF

Reading: This map shows the location of the Crystal Palace Hot Weiner Shop at 56 South 6 Street which has the longest standing tradition when it comes to serving up quality dogs according to Coach Mike Miller, the head coach at Alvernia College.  He is a regular customer.

Condiment rating: This looks like a "two hot dog town!"
HDAF

Reading: The Dog House located at 1216 Lancaster Avenue where Alvernia College Coach Dan Hartzman  stops by after Alvernia College basketball games for a "cheese dog with a little mustard." 
Condiment rating: On Oct 8, 2006, the organizers of the Pennsylvania/Maryland Basketball Shootout ordered   for the coaches working the event.
HDAF

Sadsburyville: In 1799, John Sloan was deeded the property on which he built the Sadsburyville Hotel.  In 1973, Harry and Athena Lymberis bought the Hotel and re-introduced it as "Harry's Famous Hotdogs." The Hotel laid almost exactly half way between Philadelphia and Lancaster and as a result became a key stop for basketball referees traveling to and from regular season and playoff games over the years.

Condiment rating: How can you argue with a hot dog location once frequented by George Washington and the most underappreciated component of the game, the referee!
HDAF

Steelton.  The home of  one of the storied sports communities in the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  but on a selected Saturday at the end of the regular high school basketball season it becomes the basketball court that hosts the Annual Pennsylvania vs Maryland basketball series. And every good all-star game serves hot dogs to the fans.  At the PA / MD games, they always feature the Berk's Grill Franks.  In this photo, Aaron Anders the assistant coach from Alvernia University, one of the many college coaches who recruit at this all star series, stops between quarters to get his hot dog.  Mrs. Klinger who makes the sloppy joe mix that can be used as a topping  serves up the delicacy.  The Pittsburgh Steelers have their Rothlissburger, and the PA/ MD game features " the sloppy dog!"   The PA/ MD All-Star basketball series history and scores can be found  HERE.

Condiment rating:  "Mustard, ketchup, relish, but also Mrs. Klinger's special recipe sloppy joe topping!"
HDAG

Washington (PA): The home of cross-town rivals, the Washington High School "Prexies" and the Trinity High School "Hillers," both participants in the WPIAL.  The hotdog stop is Shortie's Hot Dogs.  Shortie's might be the name, but you can count on a quality dog every time.  Just look in the front window to see the dogs on the grill.

Condiment rating: Their sauce is all inclusive and highly rated.  They ask the question, "what do you want on your dog?' Most customers answer, "everything!"
HDAF

West Chester:  Jimmy John's Pipin Hot Sandwiches 1507 Wilmington Pike West Chester, PA 19381    (610) 459-3083 Jimmy John's uses  an old fashioned frankfurter, short and squat with a crisp natural casing.  The bun used for all hot dogs is baked with a slit top and sort of a cross between a standard hot dog bun and a kaiser roll.Condiment rating: Jimmy John’s is known for its natural casing hot dogs. The casings are crunchier than those on standard hot dogs, and they help hold in the hot dogs’ flavor. HDMP, HDAF

“I’ve been going to Jimmy John’s for almost thirty years. It is my favorite spot for a quick bite on the way home from work.”   John Delany "They use a thick skinned hotdog which has a much better flavor than most commercial places use."  Tom Cannard UPDATE: Fire burns Jimmy John's on 70th anniversary celebration (Daily Times, 5/1/10) It was opened in 1940 by Jimmy John (photo left) along route 202.  In 2005, it was sold to Roger Steward.

Wilkes Barre:  Mendy Rudolph, a Wilkes-Barre native, refereed in the NBA for 23 years, when in town he always stopped by Abe's Hot Dogs on South Main Street. They've been serving up hot dogs as a family business since the late 1920's. Dr. Tom Trosko, a Plains High School athlete from 1957 to 1961 remembers Abe's "was the place to go." Today they cook up more than 200 hot dogs a day and is "tobacco free."

Condiment rating: Sharon Solinski,  a long time customer cites the right combination chili sauce, mustard and onions as one of the secrets to the longevity of  Abe's.
HDAF

History of the Hot Dog-Sausage is one of the oldest forms of processed food, having been mentioned in Homer's Odyssey in the 9th century B.C.  Dachshund sausages were sold from hot water tanks at the Polo Grounds in New York City.  Sports Cartoonist Tad Dorgan sketched a cartoon of barking dachshund sausages nestled in warm buns. Unsure of how to spell dachshund, he simply wrote "Hot Dog". The cartoon was a sensation and the term "hot dog" was born.  (History of Hot Dogs http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/HotDog/HDIndex.htm).

The four categories:
1-Hot Dogs at the game.                  --HDAG
2-Hot Dogs after the game.              --HDAF
3-Hot Dogs in the game!                  --HDIG
4-Hot Dogs made in Pennsylvania.   --HDMP