The offerings at Red Top include a wagyu beef dog, a bratwurst sausage, and a veggie dog. | Photo by @mytattedtake
If there’s one thing that’s true about Louisvillians in the summer, it’s that we’ve got that dog in us. That hot dog, to be specific.
Today is National Hot Dog Day, so here are some places to celebrate.
Red Top Dogs
This food truck can be spotted around town or in a permanent spot inside Atrium Brewing. Our suggestion? The “Germantown,” topped with shredded cheddar cheese, bourbon grilled onions, apple bacon sauerkraut, and bourbon molasses.
Lonnie’s Best Taste of Chicago
There’s no need to teach an old dog new tricks at this St. Matthews staple, which has been in business since 2001. Get them while you can, as this may be the final season for Lonnie’s.
Toasty’s Tavern
When you sit down at this Shelby Park spot (1258 S. Shelby St.), you’ll really want to stay. Known for its burgers, Toasty’s menu also offers four dogs: the Toasty Dog, topped with smoked poblano relish and a signature sauce, a classic chili dog, a banh mi dog, and a plain hot dog.
Asked
Asked
Who has the best hot dog in town?
We want to know your favorite purveyor of the summer staple.
“Much Ado About Nothing” | Wednesday, July 16-Friday, July 25 | 8 p.m. | Central Park | Free | Love is in the air in this classic Shakespearean rom-com.
Thursday, July 17
Community Trivia Night | 6-8 p.m. | Saints Pizza Pub & SkyBar, St. Matthews | Free entry | Raise money for Gilda’s Club of Kentuckiana while winning prizes and enjoying good food + drink.
Paristown Flea | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Paristown | Free entry | Shop from an eclectic mix of vendors for vintage wares, funky junk, and other curiosities. Louisville Street Food Festival | Saturday, July 19-Sunday, July 20 | 2-8 p.m. | Fourth Street Live | $10+ | Axe throwing, a free drink, and more food truck fare than you can eat — all this and more await you at this annual event.
Sunday, July 20
Riverside Farmers’ Market | 10 a.m.-1 p.m. | Farnsley-Moremon Landing | Free entry | Shop for fresh vegetables, locally raised chicken + pork, local honey, eggs, preserves, baked goods, and more at this weekly market.
How’d you like to take a dive into the history of The Greatest? Members of the Muhammad Ali Center can join monthly Accessing the Archives events to see artifacts that aren’t on display + learn from experts. This month’s will happen this Saturday, July 19 and will focus on Ali’s two bouts against Sonny Liston.
Kids
Registration is open for YMCA fall youth soccer camps. Teams practice weekly August-October, with most games on Saturdays. Youth soccer starts at age 3 and runs through age 14.
Number
$250,000. A grant awarded to Bellarmine University will help launch new community-engagement classes for undergrad + graduate students, plus support faculty and staffing costs.
The classes will partner with local nonprofits, which can reach out to Dr. Liz Todd Byron for consideration.
Pets
Six metro council members are partnering with Metro Animal Services and Ethan Almighty to offer free spay and neuter clinics now through December. The first will be on Sunday, July 27, 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Register online if your pooch needs the procedure.
Ranked
Garage Gym Revisited recently named Louisville as one of the worst cities in the US for summer outdoor workouts. Check out our list of Louisville-area gyms if you prefer your workouts air conditioned.
Sports
The Louisville Cardinals face a defensive line overhaul in 2025. Get game coverage, analysis, insights, interviews and more from local experts of the Cards with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
Try This
Your next big event could use some attention. Get a crowd in the room by letting us help you spread the word. Our self-service ad portal can put you event in front of our highly engaged local audience in a matter of two days. Get started now.
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
This one’s for the vegetarians. Several Louisville hot dog spots offer a vegetarian option, including Red Top. But another Derby City summer staple that is surprisingly vegan friendly is Dairy Del.
The seasonal drive-up has a rotating vegan ice cream flavor, plus a black bean burger and a vegan hot dog starting at $3 — just add toppings.
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