Dapper Dog, the "premium hot dog" shop we told you about over a year ago, quietly opened in the former Bead Store location at 417 Castro St. over the weekend. According to owner Bassel Khoury, plans are to hold the shop's grand opening today.
Dapper Dog's opening has been a long time coming (according to Khoury, the wait was due to a delay with the space's Conditional Use Permit). Now that the shop is up and running, Khoury and the rest of the staff are excited to bring a new late-night option to the Castro.
Bassel (right) and sister Raya
Each hot dog goes for around $5-$8 and comes with a variety of toppings and sauces. "Our hotdogs vary from classic dogs (mustard, relish and onion) to unique flavor combinations inspired by other foods we love–the Banh Mi dog is a personal favorite and a twist on the Vietnamese classic sandwich," Khoury told us.
"I spent a lot of time crafting the menu to accommodate a spectrum of flavor and taste profiles," he said. "I also made it a priority to ensure that the foundation of each dog, the meat and bun, could stand alone. We use Niman Ranch beef and we have a chicken and vegetarian option too. I think the combination of good quality meat and ingredients, a variety of hot dog options and a community supportive of small businesses will make our business stand out."
Khoury tells us that plans are to stay open until 1am during the week and until at least 2am on the weekends. Options are pretty slim in the Castro after midnight, so this is good news for anyone out late at night and looking to grab a quick bite. Dapper Dog will open at 11am daily.
While there is no seating inside, Dapper Dog did apply for and receive a permit for café tables and chairs, taking advantage of the recently expanded Castro sidewalks with two outdoor tables and four chairs.
It remains to be seen if Dapper Dog is going to have any competition in the hot dog world. Bar owner Les Natali has led us to believe that another hot dog shop
may be on the way to the former dry cleaners space at 4144 18th St., but there hasn’t been any movement at the location recently.
So it seems that, at least for now, Dapper Dog will be the only hot dog game in town.
