In anticipation of Portillo’s coming to Kennesaw, we wanted to share a brief history of the Chicago-style hot dog. The Chicago-style hot dog has roots that trace back to the World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893, where two Jewish immigrants from Austria-Hungary introduced Chicago to what would eventually evolve into an iconic street food. At that time, it was a simple affair – just a Vienna Beef frankfurter, mustard, and a pickle. But simplicity didn’t last long in a city shaped by waves of immigration.
By the 1920s, Chicago’s Maxwell Street had become a melting pot of immigrant vendors from Jewish, Italian, Greek, and Polish backgrounds. Their food stalls were a convenient place to get cheap eats as well as an essential part of the neighborhood social life. The hot dog stand, in particular, became a familiar sight in the area, where residents swapped stories and news over steaming buns and spicy sport peppers.
As more immigrant communities put their own mark on the hot dog, it transformed from a basic snack into a complex creation packed with flavor and identity. The phrase “dragged through the garden” came to describe this loaded version, with its layers of vegetables and pickled toppings.
Each ingredient in the Chicago dog tells a story. The all-beef frank and mustard came from German and Jewish traditions. The poppy seed bun has Polish roots. The neon-green relish and fresh tomatoes reflect Italian and Greek influences. Sport peppers brought some fire from the American South. According to historian Bruce Kraig, author of Hot Dog: A Global History and Man Bites Dog: Hot Dog Culture in America, this evolution mirrors the city’s own demographic changes, with every addition reflecting a chapter in Chicago’s immigrant history.
Fast-forward to 1963, and the next chapter of Chicago hot dog history began when Dick Portillo launched “The Dog House” out of a 6′ x 12′ trailer in Villa Park, Illinois, using just $1,100 of his own money. That modest setup has since exploded into a recognizable brand, now known simply as Portillo’s. With over 70 locations across Illinois, as well as in Arizona, California, Florida, Iowa, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Texas, Wisconsin, and Kennesaw, Georgia coming soon, Portillo’s has helped make the Chicago-style hot dog accessible to hot dog lovers far beyond the Windy City.
