El Güero Canelo: The Best Sonoran Hot Dogs in Phoenix
By Brian Garrido
The Sonoran hot dog is a cross-cultural influence between the borderlands of Mexico and the United States. A little more than twenty-five years ago, the dogs made their way from the United States to Hermosillo, a city in the Mexican state of Sonora. Essentially, a foodstuff was born, much like the fish taco, chips and salsa, and fajitas.
To Mexicans, the American hot dog was a novelty; but in the hands of Sonoran street vendors, the salchichas rojas (red sausage) became a culinary staple – especially to tequila-soaked patrons and college cerveza-swilling students hitting the town after 2:00 am. The wrapping of bacon around the sausage, roasting both together, stuffing it into a warmed bolillo (a torpedo shaped roll) and then serving it a with a variety of condiments such as salsa, beans, pickled jalapenos, mustard, guacamole – you name it, on top – it became a food fixture. It was a game changer for the holier than hot dog, normally served with mass consumption of Cracker Jacks at baseball games.
Photo Credit — El Guero Canelo
Eventually, the Sonoran hot dog made it’s way to Tucson – a city proud to call the tasty treat its own – at a place called El Guero Canelo. Transported by food entrepreneur – Sonoran-born Daniel Contreras, a baseball fanatic – the frank of his youth has become a way of life. He opened his first hot dog stand in 1993, soon turning it into a budding food empire.
Opened just last year, El Güero Canelo’s only establishment is in West Phoenix – there are three others in Tucson. The restaurateur bakes his own bread and makes his own tortillas in a side building open for viewing. The salsa bar is complete with roasted tomatillo and salsa fresca, pickled jalapenos, radishes, and cucumbers. A mini steam table warms up the charred green onions and chiles. It’s a true Mexican home-style restaurant, smack dab in the middle of the sixth largest city in the United States. And the carne asada tacos aren’t bad either. Everything in the place is crafted by hand, except for the Mexican sodas.
For those living in Arizona, a Sonoran hot dog is a way of life and the rest of the country will just need to wait to get their hands on our delicious tradition.
El Güero Canelo
5131 West McDowell Road
Phoenix, Arizona 85035
(602) 278-8560
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