🌭 The best hot dogs in Austin

💰 City Manager Suggests Huge Budget

This week, Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax proposed a $6.3 billion city budget — just slightly higher than last year’s — to Mayor Kirk Watson and City Council members. [City of Austin]

🍹 The Best Margaritas in Austin

Close your eyes and point and you’ll find a good margarita in Austin. But which restaurants and bars are making the best margaritas? [City Cast Austin 🎧]

🧹 Flood Debris Pickup Underway in Northwest Travis County

Officials are asking residents in the northwestern parts of Travis County to place flood debris on their curbs for pickup. Crews will be in the area for the next few days collecting debris. [KVUE]

• A Travis County Volunteer Reception Center is now open at Plain Elementary School in Leander to help coordinate volunteer opportunities following Fourth of July flooding. [KXAN]

🎱 Nickel City Bringing Arcade to Lockhart

Nickel City owner Travis Tober is opening an arcade in Lockhart next month. The arcade, called Spare Change Family Arcade and Eatery, will have vintage and new games. [Austin Business Journal]

The first rule and only rule for having a hot dog summer: Eat a hot dog.

I’ve spent the first half of summer doing a lot of the leg work for you – schlepping my friends around to another hot dog spot. At one point we wondered if we were, in fact, having a hot dog summer from eating so many dogs. Reader, we were. We are.

Having such a summer is so easy because Austin has so many places to grab a really good hot dog.

So here it is. My magnum opus. These are my favorite places for a hot dog:

🌭 Zee’s Weiner System

Wait, Zee’s Weiner System is going to be there?! Zee’s, a pop-up hot dog stand, has been a reason to visit certain bars and a wonderful surprise when they’re where I am! A specialty hot dog is usually on the menu – think toppings like cream cheese and caviar – and a classic dog is always available if that’s your vibe. Keep an eye on their Instagram page for where they’re popping up next and thank me later!

🌭 Pool Burger

Trudging up the small hill from Deep Eddy Pool to Pool Burger after a dip is an elite Austin itinerary. But hear me out: Order a hot dog instead of the restaurant’s namesake. The Pool Dog, an all-beef frank, comes on a buttered brioche bun with customizable amounts of chopped onion, relish, and mustard. Pair it with the crinkle cut fries and a piña colada and you’ll remember why an Austin summer rules all.

🌭 Grandpa’s Glizzys

I’ll follow Grandpa’s Glizzy’s anywhere. The hot dog purveyor does not have a brick-and-mortar spot and instead pops up around town. I caught them at their weekly July residency at Strangelove Coffee & Wine. Dogs are made with buns from Easy Tiger and herbs from a friend's garden. The Ol’ Geezer comes with a whole pickle spear and makes for a great crunch. The Grandpa’s Special is why you’ll want to return to Glizzy’s again and again – it comes with whipped cream cheese, dill, tomato, cucumbers, onion, sriracha, and mustard. It was both light and savory, and I love a creative hot dog.