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Many hot dog lovers got their last taste and celebration of Short Leash Hot Dogs’ Roosevelt location Saturday at the restaurant’s Wurst Festival Ever.
The third annual event celebrated National Hotdog Day by showcasing local food vendors of Phoenix.
The Roosevelt Row staple officially closes Tuesday to move to its new location in Melrose. The restaurant’s new hub will hold a grand opening July 28, and was previously the original Wineburger location near Seventh Avenue and Indian School.
Kat Moore, co-owner of Short Leash Hot Dogs said the new location is just “meant to be,” since she and her husband and fellow co-owner, Brad, live only a block away from the building.
The new location will continue to host events Shortleash is known for. A taste of the festival will be following the menu to the new location, as well as a large selection of craft beer and whiskey, including “Whiskey Wednesdays.”
Kat Moore said they collaborated with events coordinator Sara Anderson to create a festival where local food vendors competed to find the best hot dog in Phoenix.
The winner of the “Wurst Wiener in Phoenix” was Black Top Grill from Tucson with their Elote dog, a hot dog featuring corn and mayonnaise. It will be served all month long on the menu at Short Leash’s brand new location.
The festival also included “Suns Out Puns Out,” Phoenix’s first pun competition.
Jim Long, the co-owner of Mama Jim’s Gluten Free Kitchen and one of the vendors in attendance, said he and his wife both liked the vibe of the Wurst festival.
“Everybody was just in such a great mood and it was a very lighthearted event where everybody was walking around with a smile on their face,” Long said. “It was just a really good atmosphere.”
During the festival, a vegan protest occurred around the perimeter of the event. They held signs that advocated against hot dogs and animal cruelty, and chanted their anti-hot dog messages with a megaphone.
Moore declined to comment about the protest, but said it was the first time a vegan protest has occurred since the start of their business 8 years ago.
