Though October 9 is technically Submarine-Hoagie-Hero-Grinder Day, we’d like to honor our other favorite sandwich—the hamburger. Forbes Travel Guide rounded up some of the country’s best burgers—from fine dining restaurants to hole-in-the-wall eateries. Here are five of our favorite burgers across the nation.
Bourbon Steak, Washington D.C. Inside the Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Four Seasons Hotel Washington, D.C., chef Adam Sobel has created a refined burger menu that draws even bigwig politicos. This upscale steakhouse serves burgers such as the oak-fired prime steak burger — topped with housemade pickles, Cabot cheddar and a secret sauce. This month, Sobel is rolling out a new burger each week — think The Forager, with dry aged beef, mushrooms and foie gras topped with a fried egg and pickled ramps.
Holeman and Finch Public House, Atlanta. You have to be lucky to taste the burger at this Southern hotspot. At 9 p.m. every night, the restaurant blows a bullhorn and a crowd vies for just 24 double-patty cheeseburgers, made from grass-fed beef (a blend of brisket and lean chuck) and complete with a housemade bun, homemade ketchup, mustard and pickles, all topped off with a slice of American cheese. Some nights the burgers sell out in under a minute, so they are also served at Sunday brunch, when the kitchen makes a whopping 72 burgers.
Burger Lounge, San Diego. This fast-casual chain uses sustainable ingredients such as American grass-fed, single-source beef for the Lounge burger and free-range Shelton Farms turkey for the turkey burger. The chain also uses organic ketchup and cheese, and all dressings and buns are made in-house, using a blend of organic wheat and white flour. Choose from local draft beers on tap or housemade cane-sweetened fountain soda to wash down your burger.
Port of Call, New Orleans. Winner of many “best burger” awards, this French Quarter hole-in-the-wall offers up straightforward, no-fuss burgers. You’ve got four options: hamburger, cheeseburger, mushroom burger and — you guessed it — a mushroom cheeseburger. Each fresh-ground, extra-large patty comes with the usual fixings: lettuce, tomato, onion and a pickle on the side. There are a few surprises here — fries are switched out for a baked potato and the cheese on the burgers isn’t melted. Adventurous diners order their burgers with a strong punch cocktail, the Monsoon.
Marquee Grill, Dallas. Top Chef alumni Tre Wilcox’s Dallas restaurant serves up a decadent, indulgent spin on a burger. Stuffed with foie gras and short rib, this rich patty gets topped with 24-karat gold leaf aioli and housemade pickles and is served alongside parmesan truffle fries. Don’t miss the brunch menu burger either, made with bourbon-ancho sauce, caramelized cipollini onions, Nueske’s bacon and smoked cheddar and served with Cajun-Parmesan fries.
Photo Courtesy of Four Seasons Hotel Washington D.C.
