Let's be honest, Chicago. We all overreacted last year when Doug Sohn announced that he would be closing his beloved restaurant, Hot Doug's. We all acted like we might never have the chance to taste the stand's delicious selection of encased meats ever again, so we waited in line for hours on end before Hot Doug's closed its door last October. We're not the only ones who didn't want to let go of our beloved sausages covered in fancy toppings—if the last few months are any indication, Sohn isn't ready to give up on Hot Doug's either.
Sohn has kept busy since he stepped out from behind the Hot Doug's counter for the last time. He hosted a Hot Doug's pop-up at the Paulina Meat Market (where you can still purchase some of the sausages he used at Hot Doug's). He started a two-day summer festival where fans could eat classic Hot Doug's sausages and his signature duck fat fries. He brought a trio of Hot Doug's sausages to Wrigley Field, giving Cubs fans a classier option than the usual ballpark hot dog. And now, the Atomic Pizza—a red pie topped with pepper jack cheese, caramelized onions and Hot Doug's super spicy Atomic Bomb sausage—that Sohn created for Piece Brewery & Pizzeria back in March will join the restaurant's permanent menu on July 16. It's delicious, but let's refrain from lining up for this.