Lawrence.com

Today is National Hot Dog Day, and lovers of encased meats are rejoicing across the country. Here are four places in Lawrence with special kinds of frankfurters on their menus to help you celebrate this special day.

Burger Stand

At a restaurant best known for its gourmet burgers and fries, it's easy to overlook the hot dog portion of the menu at Burger Stand at the Casbah, 803 Massachusetts St., or as they call them: "Hawt Doggz." A classic and Chicago dog are always on the menu that also features a new hot dog special each month. This month's is the New York Minute, with caramelized onions, homemade sauerkraut and mustard. For those of you who prefer your encased meat on a stick, Burger Stand also serves a (pretty sizable) corn dog.

BurgerFi

For folks who like their hot dogs grass-fed, BurgerFi, 918 Massachusetts St., is another place with "burger" in the name that also sneaks hot dogs onto their menu. The eco-minded chain serves three kinds of dogs — kobe beef, chicken apple, and Vienna beef — that can be ordered in three different styles: New York (basic), Texas (chili) and Chicago (pretty much everything but ketchup).

Leeway Franks

New to the hot dog party in Lawrence is Leeway Franks, which opened last week at 935 Iowa St. #7. The restaurant styles itself as a butcher-shop-meets-concession-stand and specializes in gourmet franks and sausages, with takes on a classic coney, chili dog and bratwurst on this week's menu. But we'd go with the Polish sausage ($7) that features smoked pork sausage, sauteed onions, barbecue sauce and pickles on a hoagie bun, paired with tater tots.

Fat Freddy's

Fat Freddy's, 1445 W. 23rd St., is not a restaurant known for its subtlety, with pretty much every item on the menu being over the top in some way or another. No exception is Freddy's Crazy Cat Dog ($5.99), which the menu describes as a "Quarter Pound Deep Fried Hot Dog, Fried Egg, American Bacon, Spicy Jalapenos and Cream Cheese. That's one crazy cat...dog." Hey, the place isn't called "Thin Freddy's."