The most important thing to know about Leo’s Coney Island, opening “soon” on the corner of Southport and Cornelia, is that it’s got absolutely nothing to do with Coney Island. A Detroit import, a Coney Island in this context means a hot dog — your basic beef frank — served up in a steamed bun and doused in beanless chili, raw onions, and shredded cheddar cheese. It’s enough to drive people away from vegetarianism: over on The Stew, Detroit native Kelley Carter tells Kevin Pang that a Coney Island (especially one from Leo’s) is “the only thing that could break my no-meat diet.” While the Coney Islands are the real draw, the complete menu [pdf] extends to plenty of vegetarian-friendly items, including gardenburgers, salads, and Greek-American staples like saganaki. [The Stew; Leo’s Chicago]
