West Side hot dog company crossing the Rio Grande
Jul. 26—The dogs will soon be crossing the river.
Well, Urban Hotdog Co. that is.
The West Side-based hot dog shop is set to make the journey east with the planned opening of a new Nob Hill location early next year, according to owner Matthew Bernabe.
Founded in 2012, Urban Hotdog Co. focuses on serving up a childhood favorite food, hot dogs, with an adult spin with menu items like the Chicago Dog and the Relleno Dog with panko-covered hot dog bites topped with chile con queso and green chile.
Bernabe said that he made the decision to open the first location on the West Side since the neighborhood is rife with young, large families, many of whom moved from the East Coast to Albuquerque.
"The idea was, you know, let's focus on that demographic of people who have an experience with hot dogs in the past," he said.
While the restaurant has made the West Side its home for the past 10 years, Bernabe said Nob Hill has always been an area he wanted to open up another location in, plus many of the company's food truck customers come from that area.
"I've had a ton of regulars over the 10 years too that have asked for East Side locations," he said. "... I've always kind of been in love with the iconic neighborhoods and the history of that area. It kind of fits the concept, we're doing upscale hot dogs and Nob Hill just kind of has that feel to it."
Like the West Side location, the new 3,600-square-foot spot will feature a lineup of their innovative hot dog offerings, but Bernabe said the larger size of the soon-to-be opened space allows for a menu expansion and new additions to the concept.
Bernabe said the Nob Hill spot, which is located in the former Hops Brewery at 3507 Central NE, has an upstairs and a downstairs and he hopes to delve into a cocktail program thanks to a change in the state's liquor laws.
Urban Hotdog Co. won't be the only dog on the block.
Once opened, it will join Clowndog Hot Dog Parlor, which is located one block east, as the second hot dog-based business in the neighborhood.
For more information, visit www.urbanhotdogcompany.com
