PicturedIt's all about the ingredients
CreditJackie Alpers

8 Unique Takes on the Sonoran Hot Dog in Marana, Arizona

Taste a true borderland classic with our guide to Marana’s best Sonoran Hot Dogs

Born in the streets of Hermosillo, Sonora, in the 1980s, the Sonoran Hot Dog has become much more than a regional snack—it's a culinary icon in Southern Arizona

What is a Sonoran Hot Dog?
Sonoran Hot Dogs in Marana, Arizona
La Carreta del Rorro
Angela’s Mexican Food
Catalina Brewing Company
Tacos Apson
Red’s Tacos and More
La Olla
Ignite at The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain
The Blacktop Grill
Where can I find a recipe?

What is a Sonoran Hot Dog?

A Sonoran hot dog is a grilled bacon wrapped hot dog served in a soft bollio style bun with pinto beans, onions, tomatoes, jalapeño sauce, yellow mustard and mayonnaise.

Like any regional hot dog, the Sonoran Dog has its unique and specific components, starting with the bun which is cooked on a grill or griddle on both sides in a little bit of butter until browned. It is then split down the side and filled with about a tablespoon each of grilled onions and whole pinto beans.

A hot dog of any variety that is usually wrapped in bacon is then nestled in and topped with chopped tomatoes and raw onions. Lines of jalapeño sauce, yellow mustard and mayonnaise are then squirted over the whole thing. A grilled yellow chile is served on the side, and if you’re lucky, that chile is stuffed with cheese and also wrapped in bacon.

Let’s be frank (pun intended), I contest that this regional delicacy isn’t really about the hot dog itself or even the bacon. A truly great Sonoran hot dog is really all about the accoutrements (spoken with a French accent) – and the soft, slightly sweet bun that becomes almost pastry like when browned and that is hearty enough to hold all those toppings.

Sonoran Hot Dog Buns
Packaging Sonoran hot dog buns at Alejandro’s Tortilla Factory in South Tucson.

Sonoran Hot Dogs in Marana, Arizona

Sonoran Hot Dogs originated in the city of Hermosillo located in the state of Sonora, Mexico and gravitated north to Tucson, Arizona in the early 1990’s where they have become a symbol of the region’s Sonoran-style cuisine. It is an emblem of Southern Arizona’s cultural connection to both the United States and to the state of Sonora in Mexico from which it originated.

The Sonoran Dog has naturally migrated to Marana where it is embraced by local restaurants across all walks of life. You will find them at roadside stands, food carts and trucks, mom and pop Mexican restaurants and high-end resorts.

Many Marana restaurants have been inspired to create their own unique variations of the dish. Including bacon is up to the chef; some places either eliminate the bacon all together, or use bacon bits, which may or may not be vegetarian. These are all generally acceptable variations.

Some also might eliminate either the jalapeño sauce or the mustard, and/or make a sauce that combines the jalapeños and mayonnaise.

However, there are deviations that are more controversial, like adding ketchup, using a different kind of bun, adding cheese, corn and/or other vegetables, or using refried beans instead of whole “charro style” beans.

Here is a guide to exploring the Sonoran hot dogs in Marana and their variations and interpretations. The author photographed and then ate every single one, except for a few noted below that were unavailable during the tasting period.

Are they all “technically” Sonoran Hot Dogs? That’s for you to explore, discuss and decide!

La Carreta del Rorro, 5505 W Cortaro Farms Rd. (Southern Marana)

This popular hot dog stand was closed for renovations while we were compiling this article but luckily, they had this handy sign on display illustrating the ingredients in their award-winning Sonoran Dogs, including house-made pinto beans.

La Carreta del Rorro
La Carreta del Rorro's Handy Sonoran Hot Dog Explainer

The owner explained that there is a very specific way the hot dogs are made in the Sonoran state of Hermosillo, Mexico that migrated to Tucson in the early 1990’s, and that the only things La Carreta del Rorro does differently is steam their buns instead of grilling them, and they spread the mayonnaise over the onion and tomatoes with a spatula instead of the more common squiggle applied with a squirt bottle.

Angela’s Mexican Food, 9190 N Coachline Blvd. (Southern Marana)

Angela’s prefers the name Mexican Dog to remind folks that the hot dogs originated in Hermosillo. They have all of the components of a standard Sonoran Hot Dog with an extra bit of cotija cheese sprinkled on top.

Angela's Mexican Food
Angela's Mexican Food


A “sidecar” tray of salsas, limes, pickled onions and jalapeños is a nice addition that allows for further customization.

Angela's Mexican Food Sidecar
Sidecar salsas with tortilla chips at Angela’s Mexican Food

Catalina Brewing Company, 6918 North Camino Martin (Southern Marana)

Marana’s original nano-brewery sprinkles bacon bits on top of the hot dog instead of wrapping it in a strip of bacon. The bun is warmed but not grilled. It’s served with house-made guacamole and tortilla chips – an extra bonus!

Catalina Brewing Co
Catalina Brewing Company adds chips and guac!

Tacos Apson, 6741 N. Thornydale Rd. (Southern Marana)

Tacos Apson’s Marana location takes the meat factor up a notch with the addition of extra chopped bacon on top of the already bacon wrapped hot dog and then throws in the surprising addition of ketchup. There is no jalapeño sauce, but a spicy green salsa can be added from the salsa bar.

Tacos Apson
Tacos Apson's take on the Sonoran Hot Dog

Red’s Tacos and More, 6401 Marana Center Blvd. (Northern Marana)

Located in Tucson Premium Outlets at Marana Center’s food court, Red’s offers a well-browned bun that adds a nice crunch to a Sonoran Dog with all of the classic elements intact, minus the jalapeño sauce.

Reds Tacos and More
Red's Tacos and More

La Olla, 8553 N. Silverbell Rd. (Southern Marana)

In La Olla’s version, an all-beef hot dog is wrapped in jalapeño bacon. Refried beans are used in place of whole pinto beans, and corn salsa, cotija cheese, cilantro and a garlic aioli are used - straddling the line between a Sonoran Dog and an Elote Dog. It’s served with a side of sweet potato fries.

La Olla won the Taste of Marana award in 2024 and has been a fixture in Marana for more than 15 years!

La Olla
La Olla's Sonoran Hot Dog Includes Corn

Ignite at The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain, 15000 N Secret Springs Dr. (Northeast Marana)

The ritziest of the bunch is at The Ritz-Carlton, Dove Mountain's Ignite. The chef has crafted a twist by using andouille sausage, candied bacon, pico de gallo salsa, salsa verde, cheddar cheese, Mexican crema, mustard and micro greens. The bun to hot dog ratio is reversed here with the hot dog taking center stage. This one is big enough to share at the table! (Call ahead for reservations)

Ignite Sonoran Hot Dog
A take on the Sonoran Hot Dog at Ignite

The Blacktop Grill, 8300 N. Thornydale Rd. (Near Southern Marana)

Gabe Ceniceros, owner of The Blacktop Grill said he had a great deal of fun inventing his own interpretations of the Sonoran Dog and his creativity is evident. There is no mustard involved and the bacon is tucked in on the side instead of wrapped around the angus beef hot dog. The jalapeño and mayo are rolled into an all-in-one creamy jalapeño sauce. A sprinkling of tangy cotija adds the final accent.

The Blacktop Grill
The Blacktop Grill's Sonoran Hot Dog

Even more exciting is the offering of a crunchy and very delicious cheese shell as an optional replacement for the bun. The hot dogs are split lengthwise for more coverage.

The Blacktop Grill Keto
The Blacktop Grills' Keto Dog

More to munch on

Taqueria Plaza's A Food truck which also serves Sonoran Hot Dogs, tacos, burritos, chimichangas, and other Mexican classics. between the Main Street Grocery Store (13865 N. Sandario Rd.) and R&R Pizza Express at the intersection of Sandario Rd. and Marana Main St. in Downtown Marana.

Where can I find a recipe?

After eating more of the (mostly)-bacon-wrapped beauties than she could possibly count, Jackie Alpers fancies herself as a bit of a Sonoran hot dog expert. She has interviewed the region’s top Sonoran hot dog chefs, and with their input has developed Sonoran hot dog recipes for both Serious Eats and for her cookbook, Taste of Tucson: Sonoran Style Recipes Inspired by the Rich Culture of Southern Arizona.

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Jackie Alpers

Author

Jackie Alpers

Writer/Photographer/Recipe Developer

Jackie Alpers is a Tucson, Arizona based professional advertising and editorial food photographer and cookbook author who was named the world's most famous food photographer by Shotkit and Art in Context, and the #7 best food photographer in the world by Great Big Photography World. She cooks, styles and photographs food and recipes in her natural-light studio, and documents food, chefs and restaurants on location. Jackie Alpers has won the prestigious American Photography award nine times. She was inducted into the 2025 Taste Awards Hall of Fame for food and beverage photography.
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