There’s something magical about a bacon-wrapped hot dog.
It’s more than a delicious option for lunch. It represents our community.
The first bite into the toasted, buttery bolillo bun is enough to fill your mind with fond memories of enjoying a mountain of Sonoran dogs at El Guero Canelo with your friends, laughing as a spread of salsa, Mexican Coke bottles and hot dogs covers the table.
It could remind you of your favorite hot dog cart you happened to stumble upon one day that’s now your best-kept secret. You know, the one you're ready to go to war for if anyone dares to disrespect the owner, a.k.a. the kindest man on earth.
Whether you’re looking for a quick lunch or wildly running through downtown Tucson at 1 a.m. in search of something to eat, you can always count on a Sonoran dog.
Jamie Donnelly, food writer for the Arizona Daily Star, more than knows her way around Sonoran cuisine: She was born and raised in Nogales.
A Sonoran dog is the quintessential Tucson meal, which is exactly why Visit Tucson made its Sonoran Dog Trail.
Earlier this month, the tourism promotion agency unveiled this new interactive challenge, encouraging locals and visitors alike to go on the ultimate Sonoran dog scavenger hunt.
The trail features 15 places all over town. From small carts, to legendary restaurants, each spot is serving up Sonoran dogs that’ll flood your mind with all those delicious memories.
“The Sonoran Dog Trail is about more than food — it’s about community, heritage and supporting local businesses,” said Cindy Aguilar, Visit Tucson’s vice president of communications. “This trail gives people a fun, flavorful way to experience Tucson’s unique culinary identity while exploring different neighborhoods across the city.”
Every place you go, you’ll have to check in, in order to cross them off your list. Once you earn 80 points, you’ll be able to pick up a sheet of Sonoran dog stickers from Visit Tucson. If you go to all of the places, you’ll win a t-shirt that lists all the tasty ingredients: a bacon-wrapped hot dog, onion, tomato, mustard, jalapeño, bolillo bun, pinto beans and mayonnaise.
I NEED that T-shirt.
So, I'm taking on the trail, savoring each and every mouthwatering Sonoran dog and reporting back to you all. It’s real boots-on-the-ground journalism here!
Mariel Figueroa, an owner of Monster Sonoran Dogs, delivers afternoon lunch orders inside the restaurant located in American Eat Co., 1439 S. Fourth Ave.
Come along with me during this three-part series where I tackle the Sonoran Dog Trail. Here’s the best part: you can join in on the fun.
El Guero Canelo
5201 S. 12th Ave.
I obviously had to start my journey at the ultimate Sonoran dog spot: El Guero Canelo. Daniel Contreras has been slinging Sonoran dogs since 1993, even winning a James Beard Award for them in 2018.
I walked into its newly renovated spot and ordered one Sonoran dog without mayonnaise. (Sorry, everyone, I just can’t do regular mayo, something about it freaks me out, lol.)
Tucson’s El Guero Canelo has gained national recognition for its Sonoran dogs.
It tasted exactly like a good, classic Sonoran dog should. The hot dog itself was cooked well, and I loved all the toppings, especially the cooked onions and the mustard, which I thought added a nice tanginess to all the savory flavors.
The bolillo bun was nice and soft, too. I could’ve easily eaten two of them. It was a tasty way to start off the trail.
(Each Sonoran dog comes with a guero chile, so I decided to do a pepper-spiciness rating with every place:)
El Guero Canelo owner Daniel Contreras, left, showed perfectly cooked Sonoran-style hot dogs to "Man v. Food" host Adam Richman in this 2018 photo.
🔥 Guero spice rating: 3/5. You never know if you’ll get a spicy or mild guero chile, so it’s like a fun (or painful) surprise. The guero chile here was pretty spicy. I had to use my hot dog as a palate cleanser. It definitely had some burning and tingly heat to it. I did finish it, despite the spiciness, because it was too good.
El Perro Loco Hot Dogs
1285 W. Ajo Way
Next up was this bright yellow hot dog cart you definitely won’t want to miss. The worker greeted me with a big smile and cheerfully handed me my Sonoran dog.
A Sonoran dog from El Perro Loco Hot Dogs.
This one had bigger pieces of caramelized onions on top, instead of the tiny, chopped up white onions other places may have. I really liked it and thought it added an extra layer of rich flavor.
I also loved that it had a spicy jalapeño sauce, which added the perfect amount of spice to the hot dog, giving a brightness to the whole meal that brought it to life.
🔥 Guero spice rating: 1/5. This was a very mild guero so I was able to eat it up without any problems or tears.
Percheron Mexican Grill
444 W. Ajo Way
This spot is known for its bacon-wrapped burritos, so of course they would also have stellar bacon-wrapped hot dogs.
First things first, their bolillo bun was unbelievable. Its sides were perfectly toasted and it has such a perfect buttery, slightly sweet taste that was heavenly. I want a lifetime supply of those buns.
The Sonora hot dog at Percheron Mexican Grill has a bacon wrapped frank, grilled onions, pinto beans, fresh tomatoes, fresh onions and is topped with avocado. Food writer Jamie Donnelly says she wants a lifetime supply of Percheron's bolillo buns.
Unlike your typical Sonoran dog, here they top theirs with slices of fresh avocado. I actually liked the avocado, and thought it added a nice, soft creamy texture to the hot dog.
This was one of my early favorites. I would say, if it had a little bit more mustard and some of that jalapeño sauce from El Perro Loco, it would elevate it even more.
🔥 Guero spice rating: 2/5. This had a slight kick to it, which is my ideal pepper amount: not too mild and not too spicy. If I don’t have to chug a glass of water, it’s a win for me.
Monster Sonoran Hot Dogs
1439 S. Fourth Ave.
This spot inside American Eat Co. has something no one else does: a bright pink bun.
A Sonoran dog — in this restaurant's signature red bun — and order of customized nachos are ready for lunchtime customers at Monster Sonoran Dogs, 1439 S. Fourth Ave.
Each hot dog gets to be tucked inside a pink bolillo bun, adding a little extra pizazz to your meal. Don’t let the color scare you away, this was another top-notch bun. The bun here is fluffy and perfectly complements all the spicy and savory flavors the hot dog has going on.
Personally, I like a lot of mustard on my Sonoran dogs. I think it adds an extra umph to everything, so I was happy to see it did not skimp on it.
The hot dog and bacon were awesome and I also loved the pinto beans and tomatoes on top. It was an above-average Sonoran dog that I would definitely get again.
(Tip: if you want even more Sonoran dog, it has a footlong one here.)
🔥 Guero spice rating: 3/5. Just like the El Guero Canelo chile, this one had a good amount of kick to it. I had to take a few gulps of water to get some relief after eating it.
Next up
Jamie will take you along on the rest of the Sonoran Dog Trail in the next two Caliente sections, Thursdays in the Star.
The top stories from the Arizona Daily Star’s Caliente section for this week.
