By Kristin Boza
The community is getting a new hot dog and burger joint with a distinctly Chicago flair when America’s Dog and Burger opens this month at 9646 S. Western. This is the second location for the restaurant, the first located at Navy Pier. The restaurant company is owned by brothers Manolis Alpogianis and George Alpogianis, who both boast a wealth of restaurant and culinary experience.
Manolis and George have been in the restaurant business together since 1995, and they grew up surrounded by chefs and successful restauranteurs. Their father and grandfathers owned and operated restaurants all over the city and north suburbs, and their mother is a chef. George followed in his mom’s footsteps and ultimately became the executive chef at Lawry’s, City Tavern and Rosebud restaurants — even gaining the strict foodie approval from Frank Sinatra.
“We love the fact that the people of Beverly are so supportive and proud of their area,” said Manolis. “We share those values and we want to be a part of this community. We also believe in treating our staff right, and are proud to have the first three employees we hired back in 1996 still working for us at our restaurants.”
The Alpogianis’ take a creative approach to traditional dog and burger fare. “We use fresh, never frozen, Certified Black Angus burgers on brioche buns, Bill Kurtis’ Tallgrass Farms hot dogs, organic chicken, fresh salads and hand-cut fries,” said Manolis. “It’s the food we love and grew up on, but we take a more farm-to-table approach and use less processed foods.”
Customers can expect to find classic Chicago favorites, with lots of bacon and BBQ and bourbon flavors in the ingredients. While the Chicago-style hot dog is a staple, the menu features food for updated tastes, like the Louisville hot dog with a smoked cheddar sauce, beer-battered jalapenos, Cojita cheese on Texas toast and a Ghost Burger with hardwood smoked bacon, ghost pepper cheese, guacamole and onion strings. Their signature AD&B Burger comes with hardwood smoked bacon, white cheddar sauce, carmelized mushrooms, onion, pickle and the exclusive AD&B sauce.
The spiced up food is complemented by a hip restaurant design.
Aside from the great food and lively environment, America’s Dog and Burger is committed to establishing itself as an excellent neighbor. “We’re getting involved in local schools, churches, Little League teams and more; we know it’s important to give back to the community and be a part of it,” Manolis said. They plan on being involved in the Beverly Breast Cancer Walk and other local events.
America’s Dog and Burger will open soon and each Saturday in May will feature special guests and fun events.
