Chili dog with fries from The Mayor (Photo by Jordan Hanna)
1. Chili Dog with Fries
$10 at The Mayor
Escape to the air-conditioned dining room to snag a local, pasture-raised wagyu beef hot dog loaded with minced chili, chunky raw onion and shredded cheddar. Butcher, owner and former fine-dining chef Kyle Morse makes the snappy-skinned franks in-house at this Carytown hot spot.
2. Ice Creamer Funnel Cake
$13.25 at The Treat Shop
All three Treat Shop outposts are known for a full menu of fair fare such as doughnuts, ice cream and barbecue. For a leveled-up luxury, they take their “Plain Jane” funnel cake — that’s crispy fried dough dusted with powdered sugar — and drench it with fresh strawberries, vanilla ice cream and whipped cream.
3. Rocket Pop Italian Ice
$6 at Good Vices
Spotting the Good Vices truck at Libby Hill or Taylor Farm parks is a summer rite of passage that oozes an aura of easygoing Americana. The Rocket Pop features three flavors of smoothly textured Italian water ice — blue raspberry, cherry and lemon — and weaves them into a nondairy firework of ice-cold, small-batch, fresh-fruit flavor.
4. Togarashi Popcorn
$5 at The Jasper
Japanese seven-spice seasoning, an Asian pantry staple infusing red chile pepper, white sesame seeds, ginger, nori (seaweed) and citrus into a dusting of subtle heat and savor, is often sprinkled on rice. At The Jasper, it’s the finishing touch to their popcorn, adding extra umami to a quintessential bar snack. It’s also the perfect accompaniment to a cocktail.
5. Carne Asada Fries
$14 at E-Loteria
This hearty portable meal begins with sliced steak and nacho cheese piled high atop hand-cut french fries. An avalanche of pico de gallo, avocado, lettuce, pickled jalapenos and sour cream pull the snack together before putting you under. Find other Mexican-inspired street eats here, including birria balls and elote.
