Mouthful - Corndogs

CYPRESS STREET PINT & PLATE: This hidden Midtown drinking spot not only has one of Atlanta’s best patios, complete with a fire pit, but also serves up loads of “fancy” bar food standards. Among its arsenal of booze-friendly dishes, the restaurant serves sinfully tasty mini corn-dogs. The all-beef franks are hand-dipped in a homemade batter and fried to a hushpuppy-like crisp. One order gets you six that are skewered with frilly toothpicks and served with a whole-grain mustard sauce and smoky chipotle ketchup. Hit Cypress between 5-7 p.m. during the workweek and get them for half-off. 817 W. Peachtree St., Suite E-125 (corner of Sixth and Cypress Streets). 404-815-9243. www.cypressstreetpintandplate.com.

ZESTO: While this shiny silver eatery might not be the most highbrow of establishments, its simple gut-bomb of a menu keeps an eclectic mix of regulars coming back for more. No, they don’t make their corndogs from scratch. But they do fry each State Fair brand dog — the same ones you can find in most grocery store freezer aisles — to order and throw them into a retro paper bag. The golden brown batter is crunchy until the last bite and sings with sweet corn. No ketchup required. 544 Ponce de Leon Ave., 404-607-1118; and other metro Atlanta locations. www.zestoatlanta.com.

PALLOOKAVILLE: Gourmet corndogs are a bit of an oxymoron, but this Atlanta festival and fair mainstay is all about quirk, creativity and “real damn corn dogs.” Basics — like “The Corndogula” — abound, but the Pallookaville’s variations on the classic snack food set it apart. Case in point: “The Cornleone”— an Italian sausage enrobed in “Laffo’s super secret golden cornbread recipe — and others, like “The Corndogski,” a Polish kielbasa in the same batter. Check out www.pallookaville.com for the stand’s next appearance at a summer event near you.