Food & Drink

3 Cleveland Hot Dog Carts to Try

Meet some of the workers behind Tsambounieris Bros, John's Hot Dog and Glizzy's hot dog carts in Cleveland.

by Annie Nickoloff | Jul. 17, 2024 | 9:00 AM

Annie Nickoloff

Annie Nickoloff

George Abate, John’s Hot Dogs

Location: Outside of Tower City

For 25 years, John’s Hot Dogs has been running with blue-and-yellow umbrellas in Cleveland. George Abate has worked at a stand outside of Tower City for the past two years.

“I’m here all the time. They see you out here in the morning, and you’re in their mind for lunch. It’s sort of like you’re trusted with their lunch plans, even though you may not be aware of it."

Tsambounieris Bros Cart Cleveland

George Tsambounieris, Tsambounieris Bros food cart

Location: Prospect and East Ninth Street

Tsambounieris took over the business from his dad after he retired about 20 years ago. His cart serves hot dogs, hamburgers, Polish boys, gyros and more.

“I make a living. I mean, you’re not gonna become a millionaire. It ain’t gonna happen. Just make a living to get by, pay your bills a little bit at a time, the ones you can afford to pay. That’s it. It’s a living.”

Glizzys Cleveland

Rudy Kovach and Laurisa Raimondo, Glizzys

Location: 4628 W. 130th St., Cleveland

A relative newcomer to Cleveland's hot dog stand scene, Glizzys has already gained popularity for its flavorful toppings, which include Flamin' Hot Cheetos, salsa and corn.

“I used to have dogs from the hot dog man over on Lorain,” says co-owner Rudy Kovach. “You could only get mustard and ketchup. So I wanted to have more options.”

Read more: Glizzys Brings Fresh Flavors to Cleveland Hot Dogs

For more updates about Cleveland, sign up for our Cleveland Magazine Daily newsletter, delivered to your inbox six times a week.

Cleveland Magazine is also available in print, publishing 12 times a year with immersive features, helpful guides and beautiful photography and design.

Annie Nickoloff

Annie Nickoloff is the senior editor of Cleveland Magazine. She has written for a variety of publications, including The Plain Dealer, Alternative Press Magazine, Belt Magazine, USA Today and Paste Magazine. She hosts a weekly indie radio show called Sunny Day on WRUW FM 91.1 Cleveland and enjoys frequenting Cleveland's music venues, hiking trails and pinball arcades.

Get the Latest in Your Inbox

Whether you're looking for daily news bites, the latest bites or bite-sized adventures, our email newsletter experiences have something for everyone.