Hof Dogs is a hot treat for the nightlife crowd

Left to right, Hof Dogs owners David Treher, Maria Smith and Noah Smith stand near the entrance of their Hof Dogs restaurant on Wall Street, Friday, March 24, 2023, in Chico, California. (Jenny Blevins/Enterprise-Record)

Chico – In the mood for a hot dog? Well why not try the special “Hoof Dog”?

Hoff Dogs, a new hot dog restaurant, opened in February on Wall Street in downtown Chico. Noah Smith owns it with his sister Maria Smith and co-owners David Treher and Coral Imhoff.

The name is a play on words from the last part of Imhof’s name. Noah Smith said he plans to expand the hours to 2 a.m. to accommodate the night crowd. Currently, the restaurant is open from early evening until midnight, six days a week. Customers order from the window at the front of the restaurant.

Two of the best-selling dogs are the Buster, a chili dog that comes with cheese and onions, and a Hawaiian over-the-rainbow dog served with pineapple salsa, jalapeños, and teriyaki sauce.

The restaurant opened on February 23. Noah Smith is doing some renovations to the restaurant. He worked at Costco for five years in a restaurant where he learned how to make hot dogs and other goodies. He also learned how to run a small business. Smith does all the cooking himself.

Zot’s Hot Dogs and Deli were in the Hoff Dog area. The owners retired after owning the business since 1976.

Noah Smith ran a hot dog cart in Wildwood Park for three or four months. He had a high business during the summer.

“We were very busy when it was really hot,” Smith said.

Noting that there are many burger places in Chico but few hot dog restaurants, Smith came up with the idea to open a hot dog place. Friends on Facebook found the Wall Street spot and told Smith about it, and he came down to check it out. And then, the business was born.

Zot has attracted many locals, and Smith hopes to continue with the store. The younger bar crowd comes after a night at the bars in search of a late night meal.

Smith was born and raised in Chico and attended Pleasant Valley High School. He learned about business by taking business classes at Humboldt State and Butte College. He majored in business and economics. He has done a lot of research himself and has a passion for business.

Maria Smith and Traer helped with background and design. The owners plan to install local art on the walls.

Treasure said he and other owners are working to come up with a vegetarian or vegan hot dog. This will be an all-purpose beef hot dog substitute.