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“What are the best burgers in NYC?” – probably the most googled, debated and hardest foodie question (best pizza also being a major toughie). New York City has some of the nation’s most storied and iconic burgers, of which you’ll find hundreds of lists out there with some obvious standouts: the oldie but goodie JG Melon for the purists, Minetta Tavern for the discerning palate without a budget, The Spotted Pig for the blue cheese lovers, and more recently the incredible Chicago-imported 4 Charles. These are just some of the classic bests when you’re craving an essential diner burger. This isn’t yet another predictable burger list, but a collection of the best unconventional NYC burgers, to put some extra fun on your bun!
5. Suprema Burger ($19) – Suprema Provisions is a charming Italian eatery on West Village’s Bleecker street, part restaurant / part gourmet market, but its Suprema Burger is what’s been getting all the love. Voted as New York’s #1 burger by the Gotham Burger Social Club, the highly instagrammable bun is as unconventional as it gets and will make you drool just by looking at it. The patty is made out of a brisket and short rib beef blend, topped with Iberico Bellota jam, black garlic spread, and a creamy aged cheddar cheese sauce (that oddly enough reminds me of the decadent French winter dish Aligot). Comes with a side of Brussel sprouts so you can focus your cheat calories on the oozing-with-cheese burger. No substitutions nor omissions allowed.
Suprema Burger: short rib, brisket, iberico jamon bacon jam, black garlic sauce $19
4. Piedmontese Burger at The Loyal ($26) – you know what they call the best burger on Bleecker Street? A Loyale with Cheese! A cheeseburger that has quickly become a New York staple at Chef John Fraser’s latest West Village venture: The Loyal. The Loyal ditches the ketchup and serves his Piedmontese burger with a giant 22-step plum tomato (careful with the squirting!), comté cheese and major bonus points on the duck fat tots as a side! Best ordered medium rare of course.
Loyale with Cheese – Piedmontese Burger, comte, 22-step tomato, duck fat tots ($26)
3. Raoul’s Burger au Poivre ($27) – Raoul’s is a classic French bistro that has been an old-school Soho staple for decades, with a not-so-Frenchie menu highlight: the burger (sacrilège!). Raoul’s Burger au Poivre is a New York institution. It used to be one of the hardest burgers to score, with only 12 served at the bar every night, which meant you had to arrive by 5:15pm latest to try your luck in getting one. The owner didn’t want Raoul’s to turn into a burger spot, but he finally caved into the never-fading popularity, and you can now easily indulge in Raoul’s Burger au Poivre for brunch! So what makes this burger so unique? The French touch bien sûr! The sweet, brisket-heavy LaFrieda blend is topped with triple-cream St. André cheese, watercress, cornichons(!), and served on the most delicate of challah buns, with a side of pommes-frites naturellement. Le burger is to be ceremoniously cut in half for easy dipping in the rich and creamy au poivre sauce on the side.
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Raoul’s Burger au Poivre with St.-André & pommes frites ($27)
2. Emmy Burger at Emily ($26)– Pizza loves Emily but what everyone realllyyy loves is Emily’s epic burger! Much has been said about this bad boy. This single menu item changed the whole burger game in New York, and will make your top burger list as soon as you have the first luscious bite. What’s so unconventionally special about the Emmy? Every freakin’ damn thing about it: the juicy Pat LaFrieda dry-aged beef patties (the West Village version comes with a double stack!), the buttery soft Tom Cat pretzel bun, the oozing American cheese (the Clinton Hill Emmy has cheddar instead), the caramelized onions and their special Korean-chili crack-flavored sauce. Whatever Chef Hyland was on when he created it, I’ll have some of what he’s having (this burger should come with an addiction disclaimer)! This is the dream hangover burgergasm. Let’s not forget to mention Emmy’s brother Le Big Matt burger from Emmy Squared in Williamsburg ($25).
Emmy Burger: LaFrieda dry-aged beef, EMMY sauce, caramelized onion, American cheese, & pickles on a Tom Cat Pretzel bun – with curly fries ($26)
Le Big Matt burger at Emmy Squared: double-stack Fleisher’s pasture-raised beef, American cheese, pickles, mizuna, Sammy Sauce, Tom Cat pretzel bun, waffle fries ($25)
1. Fedora Burger at Bar Sardine ($16) – It’s no secret I love Gabe Stulman’s West Village establishments. Out of all of them. Bar Sardine is my favorite after-work / casual-date spot. But its burger, oh the burger…! The Fedora Burger, named after Stulman’s other neighboring restaurant, is the reason why people become regulars at Bar Sardine. Not only is it the most interesting unconventional burger, it might well be my all time favorite burger, period! And to top it off, it’s reasonably priced (especially compared to its gourmet-burger peers) at $16. The juicy patty is topped with smoked cheddar, an addictive, smokey “BBQ mayo special sauce,” thinly-sliced red onions, pickled cucumbers, topped with crispy fried potatoes, all squeezed in a flattened potato roll. The crunchy textures pair perfectly with the tender patty, shining alongside the incredible sweet and smokey flavors. Cut the burger in half for best consumption, enjoy and thank me later.
Fedora Burger -smoked cheddar, crispy potatoes, cucumbers, BBQ mayo ($16) – ADDICTIVE
ALMOST MADE THE CUT:
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The sweet & savory Aussie Bronte Burger at Ruby’s Cafe served with a signature sweet chili sauce on toasted ciabatta bread (cooked medium) – only $13!
The vegan Impossible Burger available at several locations – this one from Momofuku Nishi ($18) – crazy how it really tastes like meat!
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The Lure Bash Burger at Lure Fishbar topped with two thick onion rings ($22) – a NYC classic, but more conventional though!
