Irving's In Wilmette Joins 'Hot Dog Hall of Fame'

WILMETTE, IL — Irving's for Red Hot Lovers, a Wilmette staple and longstanding hot dog joint, has earned its place in the "Vienna Beef Hot Dog Hall of Fame."

To earn a spot on the list, hot dog and delicatessen operators must meet a variety of criteria, including how long they have been representing Vienna Beef products. Other criteria include the vendor's contribution to their community, philanthropic leadership and overall commitment to the quality of their product and customer satisfaction.

Founded in 1975 by Irving Greensphan, the Wilmette establishment has remained family run by son Andrew to this day. The ceremony for the restaurant's big achievement took place Friday morning at 11 a.m., coinciding with Irvings' 50th anniversary celebration, which includes giveaways and raffles through the weekend.

Irving's will be the 157th inductee to the Vienna Beef Hot Dog Hall of Fame, which was created in 2006 to recognize neighborhood hot dog sellers "who have become true community landmarks."

Several other Chicagoland hot dog joints have recently made the list as well, including Scooby's Hot Dogs in Downers Grove, Red Hot Ranch in Chicago, the Bunny Hutch in Lincolnwood, Dengeo's Restaurant in Skokie, Al's Drive In in Maywood and Luke's of Lake Bluff in Lake Bluff.