Summer is synonymous with food. It’s a time when San Joaquin ventures out and into the plethora of parks and recreational hotspots to set out picnic blankets and grills. Families gather in backyard bungalows and build up fire pits for the wide variety of dinner options they’ve all been waiting to sink their teeth in to. And, truth be told, so have we.
So this spectacular July we decided to showcase a little bit of our valley’s very best summertime cuisine. That’s right, folks. From hamburgers and ballpark franks, to cocktails and delectable desserts, we’ve got the 4-1-1 on your next dining destination.
All The Fixens!
Daring Dogs
Whether you’re ready to hit the ballpark or planning a function at Lodi Lake, hotdogs are the ultimate American choice for quickly cooked and flavorful favorites! Coming in all shapes, sizes, and stacked up with all the best in condiments, you’re only a bite away from bliss every time!
Lockeford Meats & Sausage
Do you know what makes these sausages so special? Besides the super secret seasonings, the way they’re grilled, all the signature condiments that load them up, and that irresistible sausage crunch as you take a bite, we think it might be their elusiveness. Tracking down one of these delicious dogs is something every foodie lives for during their visit at the fair, carnival, or street market that Lockeford Sausage visits! Lockeford, (209) 727-5584
A & W Chili Dog
If you want all-American eats you’re heading to A & W for their Chili Dog—doused in chili, onions, shredded cheese, and a variety of other delectable condiments you can’t afford to miss! Grab a tall one (and by that, we mean a root beer) and take a seat to soak in old times and terrific food. Lodi, (209) 368-8548, AwRootBeer.com
Flips Pastrami Bacon Dog
We’re doing backflips for Flip’s Pastrami Bacon Dog. This ¼ lb bad boy is decked with thick, juicy slices of pastrami, bacon, and garnished with tomato, mayo, and mustard. If you’re really adventurous, might we suggest adding some jalapenos to kick it up a notch? Stockton, (209) 943-5477
Stevie’s Steamers Louisiana Red
If you’re heading out to watch a Ports game we suggest making a pit stop on your way over. Grab your phone and connect with Stevie’s Steamers, whose mobile cart makes frequent stops across downtown Stockton. Drop by and grab a Louisiana Red, packed with jalapenos, onions, and the fixings you love best on a toasted bun! Stockton, (209) 598-5737
Hob Nob Bob’s Casper Dogs
Everyone who’s anyone in the hotdog world knows a Casper dog when they see one. Or at least, when they take a bite! Whether you’re going all out with the shredded cheese or making a relish reservoir amidst the bun, you better believe you’re in it for that seasoned specialty born in the Bay. Manteca, (209) 825-2657
Hankering For A Hamburger
Honestly? We can’t speak for everyone, but a hamburger always hits the spot after a day of celebration. Whether the relatives are arriving for the annual family reunion or you’re just gearing up for 4th of July fireworks, we’ve found the hotspots for some hot stuff you can’t wait to sink your teeth into!
Flip’s Cheddar Bacon
Flip’s Cheddar Bacon Burger brings a whole new meaning to the term “hot mess”. This cheese-skirted bundle of tasty bliss is loaded with all you could ever ask for in tender, perfectly seasoned beef. You need only ask for the fixings you want and it shall be done! Stockton, (209) 943-5477
Market Tavern’s Painted Hills Burger
Mary had a little lamb and, unfortunately for her, it wound up in Market Tavern’s Lamb Burger. Go and pay your respects by taking a bite into herb-blended goat cheese, pickled vegetables, arugula, tomato, and sesame-yogurt sauce. Stockton, (209) 932-8001, MarketTavernStk.com
Bob’s at the Marina’s Bacon Cheeseburger
You can’t go wrong with a classic. And Bob’s Marina Bacon Cheeseburger is just about as classic as it gets—with a 1/3 pound hunk of beef, Monterrey or American Jack cheese, all the fixings and bacon on top—it’s what you crave after a day on the Delta. Stockton, (209) 957-3279, BobsattheMarina.com
Squeeze Burger
Wrap your hands around a Squeeze Burger if you can. That lovely cheese skirt is rippling with mayo, mustard, dill pickle, tomato, onions, and lettuce. Served on a freshly baked sesame seed bun from a local bakery, it’s made better when you amp up the flavor and transform it with avocado, mushrooms or jalapenos. Stockton, (209) 473-2222, SqueezeBurger.com
Nothing Beats Dessert!
And I mean nothing. The ones we’ve found are the favorites you’ve grown up with! From that hot, fresh apple pie your mom used to make, right down to the blissful bites of s’mores you and your friends would gather around the campfire for, and maybe a few more of our personal favorites, it’s just a trip down memory lane from here.
The Pie Company Apple Pie
There’s nothing short of perfection here, folks. The Pie Company knows how to make a masterpiece out of their Apple Pies. Baked at just the right temperature, dusted in sugar and always fresh at their many pickup locations, your guests at the next park picnic will be in for the greatest all-American treat. Ripon, ThePieCo.com
Blaze Pizza S’more Pies
Forget the pizza, folks. Before you throw your next party around the bonfire you built in your backyard, heaven help the neighbors, you’ve got to order a big batch of Blaze Pizza’s S’more Pies. These little dynamos are built on two tasty biscuits and filled with marshmallows and chocolate.
Tracy, (209) 832-5901, BlazePizza.com/locations/tracy
Unique Creations by Lori’s S’more Buffet
Invite your family, friends, and the whole neighborhood into your backyard this July. Because there’s nothing more comforting than a hot s’more settled in the palm of your hand. Unique Creations by Lori brings that summer pastime right to your home by setting up a S’more Buffet line, complete with little burners to singe your mallow just right. (209) 327-4016, UniqueCreationsbyLori.webs.com
Gleason’s Banana Split
Touring art galleries in downtown Stockton under the hot afternoon sun? Slip into Gleason’s and spend a few minutes cooling off. Their Banana Split is loaded with ice cream, a sliced banana, and doused in your favorite sauces! Pile on the whipped cream, nuts, and cherries and you’ve got an epic brain freeze waiting to happen. Stockton, (209) 941-8166
Nothing Bundt Cakes’ Red Velvet Cake
The Southern states know this cake like the back of their hand, but for a local treat that’s ready to pick up and eat, no one can beat the bundts at Nothing Bundt Cakes. Slice into their red velvet and sample that spectacular southern flavor. Stockton, (209) 957-2253, NothingBundtCakes.com
Reach for that Float
A & W Root Beer, whose slogan is “All American Food”, had its start right here in Lodi. Having purchased the recipe for root beer in the early 1900’s, Roy Allen and his eventual partner, Frank Wright, had no idea that the first tiny shoppe in their little corner of San Joaquin would spur an unwavering fan base for the sweet, carbonated drink we all know and love today.
Feeling a little nostalgic? So are we! And that’s why, this summer, we’ve placed A & W Root Beer on our list of stops for all American cuisine. Enjoy this blast from our historic past alone, or double the flavor by making it a float! 216 E. Lodi Ave., Lodi, (209) 368-8548
