Ellie’s Hot Dogs and Ice Cream: Savory and Sweet on the Northside

by Charles McGuigan 08.2023

It’s hot, but there’s shade, and fully a dozen and half people, several families, kids and adults alike, congregate around the tables under a canopy that extends off the order window of one of Northside’s newest eateries. They’re hunkered down over treats, savory and sweet.  Easy to understand why Ellie’s Hot Dogs and Ice Cream has become so popular so quickly. They offer what people want—perfect dogs and ice cream, to boot. 

On May 10, Brandon Lewis opened the hot dog/ice cream shop in the former home of Sweet 95, and almost immediately people began flocking in. For more than 20 years, Brandon had worked in the mortgage industry, originating residential mortgages, and assisting home buyers in obtaining financing. But the mortgage industry had changed.  

“It was much more stressful than it had been in the past,” says Brandon. “So I decided it was time for a change. I wanted to get out of there, and get a little less stress, and put some smiles on people’s faces. I kind of fantasized about opening an ice cream shop.” And it only seemed natural to pair ice cream with hot dogs.

Choosing a name for this new endeavor was the easy part. “It’s named for Ellie, our family dog, a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, a year and a half old.,” Brandon says. “And she’s full of love.”

Then came the hard part. After selecting the very best ice cream product (Hershey’s), and twenty flavors of it, Brandon and his wife began the taste-testing of the finest hot dogs on the market. “We reviewed about thirty different brands,” says Brandon. “We did a bunch of taste tests and whatnot to find the perfect hot dog based on flavor, 100 percent beef, skin toughness.”

But Brandon didn’t stop there. He wanted his hot dogs to outshine any others in the Richmond area. “We do things a bit different than our local competitors,” he says. “For one thing we butter toast the buns which really sets them apart from the competition. And they’re all cooked on a flat grill, we’re not using rollers or anything like that.” 

And what would a hot dog be without the toppings? “We have a bunch of fresh toppings whether it’s chili, diced onions, sauerkraut, Philly steak and cheese, jalapenos, bacon, all type of good things that we can dress the dogs with,” Brandon says. 

My very favorite has always been the Carolina dog with beanless chili, diced onions and coleslaw. 

“Our number top seller is the chili dog,” says Brandon. “That has shredded cheddar, nice meat chili,  and then diced onions on top and also a little bit of mustard underneath. My personal favorite is the RVA dog, that’s a good classic dog—ketchup, mustard, relish and diced onions.  I love that myself. 

We also offer plant-based dogs, which have been really popular.”    

They also feature the nacho dog with cheddar cheese and chili, topped with crushed up tortilla chips, and a number of other specialties. Or you can build your own. “Our second best seller is actually one called the steak n dog,” Brandon says. “And that’s a hot dog where we then cook essentially a Philly cheesesteak. We use thinly sliced rib eye, sauteed onions, a little bit of melted cheese, and then we place it right on the dog which makes an amazing combo.”

Along with hot dogs, Ellie’s offers an array of sides, everything from chips to baked beans. And, of course, there is the ice cream, from cones and cups to sundaes and milkshakes. Recently, they added no-dairy and low-dairy options in the form of sherbet and a sorbet. In the not-too-distant future, Ellie’s will launch a catering service, Brandon tells me.

“We have an amazing staff, a lot of VCU students, and some kids from the neighborhood,” Brandon Lewis says, and then after a pause, adds, “The response from the community has been the best part. The folks that can walk in, push the strollers over, walk their dogs, just an amazing response.  Couldn’t ask for a better community to be in than the Northside. 

Ellie’s Hot Dogs and Ice Cream

Mon-Thurs, 11:30-8; Fri&Sat, 11:30-9; Sun, Noon-6

3312 North Arthur Ashe Boulevard

Richmond, VA 23230

(804)502-2024

elliesrva.com