Readers' Picks: Best Burgers
The Breslin, New York City
Star chef April Bloomfield makes a rich, gamey, Mediterranean-inspired lamb burger topped with feta and cumin mayonnaise, which she serves on a ciabatta roll. thebreslin.com.
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J.G. Melon, New York City
An Upper East Side institution, this dark, old-timey bar has been serving perfectly cooked griddle burgers—crusty outside, juicy inside—for more than 40 years. 212-744-0585.
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Plan B Burger Bar; West Hartford, CT
Thick, beefy, whole-chuck burgers come in 13 different combinations at these Connecticut beer-and-bourbon-focused spots. planbburger.com.
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Husk, Charleston
Chef Sean Brock grinds Benton’s bacon into his stellar double cheeseburger. huskrestaurant.com.
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Holeman & Finch, Atlanta
Each night, starting at 10 p.m., chef Linton Hopkins serves just 24 of his thin, house-ground, brisket-and-chuck double cheeseburgers with house-made pickles and ketchup. holeman-finch.com.
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The Company Burger, New Orleans
From Holeman & Finch alum Adam Biderman come two loosely packed, juicy patties topped with American cheese, house-made pickles and red onion. thecompanyburger.com.
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B Spot Burgers; Woodmere, OH
Star chef and competitive burger champ Michael Symon serves a juicy, beefy custom blend from cult-status butcher Pat LaFreida. bspotburgers.com.
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The Thurman Cafe, Columbus, OH
The huge, “fully dressed” three-quarter-pound burger is topped with lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion and mayonnaise; customers can also choose from 22 topping combinations. thethurmancafe.com.
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Au Cheval, Chicago
Chefs come after-hours for the two thin, griddled beef patties with cheddar, pickles and a mustard-mayonnaise blend on a lightly toasted bun. auchevalchicago.com.
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Kuma's Corner, Chicago
The charity-minded, heavy-metal-music-loving beer-and-burger bar in the Avondale neighborhood offers 18 different burgers served on pretzel rolls, including a signature version with bacon, cheddar cheese and a fried egg. kumascorner.com.
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Rockit Bar & Grill, Chicago
The Kobe beef and Black Angus burgers at this River North restaurant have so many followers that the owners opened a dedicated burger restaurant in Lakeview. rockitbarandgrill.com.
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Matt's Bar, Minneapolis
The iconic Jucy Lucy burger at this dimly lit dive bar in the Powderhorn neighborhood is stuffed with American cheese to create a gooey, molten center. mattsbar.com.
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Casper's & Runyon's Nook; St. Paul, MN
This small neighborhood bar serves lots of different burgers, but the stuffed versions are the stars—the centers are packed with cheese and vegetables. crnook.com.
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The Cherry Cricket, Denver
The Cherry Creek North bar offers loads of toppings, from peanut butter to provolone, for its thin but substantial half-pound beef patty. cherrycricket.com.
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Hopdoddy Burger Bar, Austin
There’s an impressive list of local craft beers to accompany the juicy Angus beef burgers. The ahi tuna, lamb and bison burgers are fantastic, too. hopdoddy.com.
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Slater's 50/50; Anaheim Hills, CA
These Southern California restaurants get their name from their unique burger blend of 50 percent beef and 50 percent bacon. slaters5050.com.
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Father's Office; Santa Monica, CA
Inspired by French onion soup, the dry-aged burger from gastropub pioneer Sang Yoon comes topped with a caramelized-onion-and-bacon compote, Gruyère, blue cheese and arugula. Do not ask for ketchup. fathersoffice.com.
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Gott's Roadside; St. Helena, CA
The retro burger stand from winemaker Joel Gott uses top-notch ingredients for burgers like the Wisconsin Sourdough, topped with mushrooms, bacon, cheddar cheese, mayonnaise and barbecue sauce and served on toasted sourdough. gotts.com.
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Dick's Drive-In, Seattle
Thin, griddled, fast food-style burgers start at just $1.25. ddir.com.
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Red Mill Burgers, Seattle
The quarter-pound burgers get a nice smoky flavor from the mayonnaise-based Mill sauce at this small, diner-like restaurant. redmillburgers.com.