The 9 Best New Restaurant Burgers Of 2016
Burger Bench, Escondido, Calif.
This new neighborhood spot in downtown Escondido uses fresh Angus beef and nearly every ingredient on its menu comes from local vendors. Their Classic burger, topped with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, grilled onions, and special sauce on a brioche bun, is a masterpiece; but the Bench Burger, topped with thick bacon, blue cheese, Monterey Jack, grilled mushrooms and onions, arugula, and hickory barbecue sauce, is really something special.
Covina, New York City
Tim and Nancy Cushman (of Boston's O Ya fame) opened the Mediterranean-influenced Covina in New York back in March, and their burger was recognized as an immediate standout. Inspired by roadside California stands, the double patty burger is made with Wagyu beef, topped with American cheese and dashi-infused pickles for extra umami, and served on a custom-made bun.
Everson Royce Bar, Los Angeles
Everson Royce Bar's chef and co-owner Matt Molina uses an 80/20 prime chuck patty from Huntington Prime Meats in its super-popular new burger, and the patty gets a deep sear on a griddle before going into a toasted brioche bun. It's topped with Tillamook Cheddar, Dijonnaise, and dill pickles.
Hearth, New York City: Variety Burger
The "Variety Burger" introduced to the menu at Marco Canora's longstanding Hearth this year is unlike any other burger you'll ever try. The bunless burger is made from a combination of chuck and brisket along with heart and liver for an extra kick of mineralty, and it's topped with caramelized onions and melty fontina.
Killen’s Burgers, Pearland, Texas
Everything chef Ronnie Killen touches turns to gold, from steak to barbecue, and this year he turned his attention to burgers and opened his retro-styled Killen's Burgers with much fanfare and two-hour lines. The waits have been rewarded: Burgers are made with massive, 10-ounce patties of all-natural hormone- and antibiotic-free beef, griddled to a dark brown crisp, and served with lettuce, tomato, dill pickle, and secret sauce on a toasted buttered bun.
LocoL, Los Angeles and Oakland
Street food king Roy Choi (of Kogi fame) and James Beard Award-winning chef Daniel Patterson (Coi) teamed up this year to open LocoL, a new fast-casual concept that has the lofty goal of revolutionizing fast food as we know it. Their "LocoL Cheeseburg" is certainly starting them out on the right foot: The patty is made with 70 percent beef and 30 percent tofu and grains to keep the costs down, and it's topped with melted Jack cheese, scallion relish, and house "awesome sauce." It's amazingly only $4 ($5 in Oakland), and it's awesome.
MAD Social, Chicago
MAD Social opened in February and is already one of Chicago's hottest new restaurants. Its eclectic menu is really something special (especially if you're a fan of chicken and waffles), but the burger is a must-order: a thick house-ground patty, melty Chihuahua cheese, crispy pork belly, Cajun onion strings, housemade mayo and pickles, and baby arugula stacked high on a brioche bun.
Salvation Burger, New York City
Chef April Bloomfield's Salvation Burger is only now re-opening after a devastating fire shut it down several months ago shortly after opening, but its two burgers have already gone down in history. The lowbrow Classic burger contains two crispy-griddled patties with housemade American-style cheese, pickles, and secret sauce; the highbrow Salvation burger is a thick patty grilled over an open fire topped with caramelized onion and taleggio. Beef is ground in house, buns are housemade, and the end result is burger perfection.
Zane Burger, Bellingham, Wash.
This retro diner-style burger spot serves two burger varieties: a fast-food style one that sells for just $2.19, and three premium burgers that top out at $8.99. The classic premium Zane Burger is the one to try: a third-pound hand-formed patty of Acme Valley grass-fed beef, Cheddar, lettuce, tomato, pickles, sliced onions, and secret sauce.