you used to be alright

top dog

cheap, tasty food close to campus is a staple of any college town, and berkeley is no different. but once you’ve graduated and go back, you realize that either your tastes have changed, or what you thought was great was actually pretty bad (i’m talking to you, steve’s korean barbeque!)

however, in berkeley, there is definately one place where the food is still good more than a decade after i graduated, and that’s top dog.

a tiny store on the southside of campus (there’s one on northside and the west side of campus now too) top dog was one of the go-to places for the dormitories and greek houses and apartment dwellers on southside – which consituted about 60% of the berkeley undergraduate population.

a one person staff, walls plastered with libertarian literature, and a menu of about 10 of the best sausages you could put between a hot dog bun ever. top dog continues to put out amazing sausages that still make me hungry – usually i order two bockwursts (1/3 veal, 2/3 pork, milk) but this time i went with a kielbasa and a garlic and a bockwurst. they have the best mustard (but be careful of the russian mustard – it’s FILLED with horseradish) – i like to make one dog up with stone ground mustard and sauerkraut and the other with russian mustard and onions.

however, when you come here, its a little bit like the “soup nazi” – not so strict, but its intimidating, once you walk in the grillman shouts at you “what do you want?” – and you should really have your order ready. most cal students/regulars will just return fire “two bocks” or “a hot and a kiel” or “a garlic and a brat” – order your dog first. then later when he comes back for money, you can ask for the drink or chips. don’t order the chili.

chris looks forward to her veggie dog:

libertarian propoganda:

two bockwursts ready for eating:

there’s 3 locations for top dog in berkeley, but i like the following one:

2534 durant avenue (near telegraph ave.)
berkeley, ca 94704-1715
(510) 843-5967

each dog is $3 (it was $1 when i was in school). the menu is here . i like the bocks, the keils, the tops and garlics and the calabreses, myself.