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Review: Hottest dogs in Avondale
Hot Diggity Dogs logo. Photo by Ian KeelMugdha Mokashi - Contributor
mmokashi@uab.edu
The unmistakably “hip” part of Birmingham is Avondale, which serves food on the decidedly funkier and fresh side. So I wasn’t surprised to find a gourmet hot dog joint nestled at the hip of Fancy’s on Fifth. This eatery is hidden behind an unassuming door next to a cheerful cartoon-y sign that reads “Hot Diggity Dogs.” When you open the door, you are greeted by a mysterious staircase and no signs of life. This changes quickly, because the loft of the building (directly over another Avondale favorite, Fancy’s on Fifth) is home to a laid-back, lively joint.
Eating at Hot Diggity Dogs feels like a scene out of a TV show—it’s a quintessential “hang out” spot, with exclusively barstool seating and exposed brick walls. An enormous smiling cartoon hot dog in an Uncle Sam-esque top hat graces the artsy wall. It’s very pop art and very, very new-age Birmingham. The crew behind the counter cook and serve up the dogs fast-food style, and are always joking around with each other and the customers. It’s a friendly, how-do-you-do sort of place that doesn’t take itself too seriously.
