Cheap Eats 2012: Haute Dogs & Fries

Although hot dogs and haute couture don’t sound like a natural pairing, this cheerful counter-service cafe makes it work. Your eye might be drawn to the red walls crammed with fashion spreads and Audrey Hepburn prints, but once your order is up it’s hard to take your eyes off the food. What makes these franks special? The sausages—from high-quality beef dogs to lamb sausage from Virginia’s Fields of Athenry farm—are split, griddled, then served in buttered top-split buns. We like both the Chicago Dog, served with the traditional relish, celery salt, and hot peppers, and the simple ketchup-mustard-relish combo on the Fenway Dog. On the side, go for the sweet-potato fries and ask for a cup of chipotle mayo for dipping.

Also good: Chili dog with onions; Coney Island Dog with mustard, onions, and spicy “wiener sauce”; Eskimo Dog, a hot-fudge sundae served in a sugared, toasted hot-dog bun.