CLEVELAND — Last month, the food website TasteAtlas released its list of the 10 highest-rated hot dogs in the world.
And on a list that included entries from Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Brazil -- and of course, Chicago -- Cleveland made the cut, with the Polish Boy ranking at No. 10.
"Polish boy is the signature sandwich of Cleveland, Ohio, consisting of a kielbasa sausage, coleslaw, fries, and barbecue sauce in a bun," the website reads. "It is believed that Polish boy was most likely invented by a restaurant owner named Virgil Whitmore in the 1940s, who combined a smoked beef sausage with other available ingredients that he had in the restaurant.
"Today, there are some variations on the original, such as the addition of pulled pork to the already huge sandwich that is Polish boy."
As for where to get the best Polish Boy, TasteAtlas recommends Seti's Polish Boys on Lorain Ave., as well as Mabel's BBQ, via a recommendation made by 3News contributor Doug Trattner for Cleveland Scene in 2016.
"Thanks to a fresh wave of sausage-loving chefs and restaurant owners, we are seeing a bona fide resurgence — and improvement — of the gut-busting, shirt-staining Polish Boy," Trattner wrote at the time. "At new places like Mabel's BBQ, Banter and Picnic, diners can sit back and relax with delightful, delicious versions of the bunned wonder."
This isn't the first time the Polish Boy has received acclaim, as the sandwich has previously been featured on food television shows such as "No Reservations" and "Man vs. Food." The entire top 10 of TasteAtlas' hot dog rankings are as follows:
- Choripán - Argentina
- Chicago-style hot dog - Chicago
- Perro caliente - Colombia
- Completo - Chile
- Maxwell Street Polish - Chicago
- Cachorro quente - Brazil
- Cheese Dog - United States
- Pølser - Denmark
- Korean Corndog - South Korea
- Polish Boy - Cleveland