Best Of Tucson®

Best Sonoran Hot Dogs

El Guero Canelo

A dude named Aaron turned us on to Sonoran hot dogs years ago. Cheap beer, a beater Chevy Monte Carlo and midnight runs for the border may have been involved. Aaron is married, respectable and keeping kosher these days, but now we have El Guero Canelo; today, there's no need to dodge the narcos in Nogales or cops along Interstate 19 to get your late-night fix. Blanca Contreras came up with the idea in 1993, and husband Daniel made it a reality. They took the quintessential all-American food—the hot dog—repackaged it with bacon, beans, salsa, onions and crema, and then cradled it all in a meltingly soft bun, in the process making us all believers in the power of bicultural fronterizo gustatory diversity.

Runners up:

2. BK Carne Asada and Hot Dogs

5118 S. 12th Ave.

295-0105

2680 N. First Ave.

207-2245; www.bktacos.com

3. Aqui Con El Nene

Truck at Wetmore and Flowing Wells roads