Burgers
When I was growing, I remember my Dad would grill the best Hockey pucks. They were crispy on the outside and mostly dry on the inside, but he always had the perfect amount of salt and it was served on either Texas Toast or Wonder bread. My mom would add a thick slice of onion and a blob of mayo and a squirt of mustard. And of course, a slice of American cheese. I have come to like my burgers a little less cooked, but the crispy exterior and simple toppings is what I still look for in a burger. I have been to many places that put all sorts of toppings and rolls. But for me, it's the burger. The right amount of spices, maybe bacon, a single type of cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, to lighten it up. A dab of mayo and a good roll that absorbs the juice of the burger without becoming mush. The only variance to this recipe is the addition of green chilies. If you want to improve on a perfect burger, add grilled green chilies, from Hatch New Mexico. Heaven. That's not to say I don't like good toppings or different proteins. Like Mooonie's in Ceder Park lamb burger with fresh goat cheese and field greens But for the most part, I like to keep it simple.
Narrowing this list down to ten was not easy. There are ten places in Ohio that could have easily made the list.
So, With out further adieu.......
Narrowing this list down to ten was not easy. There are ten places in Ohio that could have easily made the list.
So, With out further adieu.......
10- LOUIS' LUNCH
261 Crown St
New Haven, CT 06511
louislunch.com
This is where it all started. The original. And Louis Lunch has been serving them this way since 1895 when Louis Lassen first put his unique blend of ground steak trimmings between two slices of toast for a customer in a hurry—with no condiments, and only cheese, tomato and onion available as toppings. But its heaven on punk white. And hey, the combination has kept customers flocking back to the same tiny restaurant on Crown Street for over a century, so why mess with perfection?
261 Crown St
New Haven, CT 06511
louislunch.com
This is where it all started. The original. And Louis Lunch has been serving them this way since 1895 when Louis Lassen first put his unique blend of ground steak trimmings between two slices of toast for a customer in a hurry—with no condiments, and only cheese, tomato and onion available as toppings. But its heaven on punk white. And hey, the combination has kept customers flocking back to the same tiny restaurant on Crown Street for over a century, so why mess with perfection?
9- WAGS
24 S Market St
Frederick, MD 21701
eatatwags.com
Walking down the steps into Wag’s Restaurant in Frederick, you feel like you’re about to enter someone’s basement club room -- which is actually pretty accurate. With a long wooden bar, mirrored walls, a fireplace, and sports on TV, Wag’s has all the comforts of home. Including delicious homemade burgers. What makes this one so unique is that toppings are stuck under the cheese, the quarter-pound patty is grilled so the cheese melts, and it's then placed on a toasted Kaiser roll. My favorite is the namesake WAG burger with it tangy tomato relish and shredded lettuce and served with perfectly crisp french fries.
24 S Market St
Frederick, MD 21701
eatatwags.com
Walking down the steps into Wag’s Restaurant in Frederick, you feel like you’re about to enter someone’s basement club room -- which is actually pretty accurate. With a long wooden bar, mirrored walls, a fireplace, and sports on TV, Wag’s has all the comforts of home. Including delicious homemade burgers. What makes this one so unique is that toppings are stuck under the cheese, the quarter-pound patty is grilled so the cheese melts, and it's then placed on a toasted Kaiser roll. My favorite is the namesake WAG burger with it tangy tomato relish and shredded lettuce and served with perfectly crisp french fries.
8 - MARKET BURGER
145 W Main St
Purcellville, VA 20132
marketburger.net
You don’t want to over-complicate these patties, because beef is the star thanks to a little circle of life thing they have going on in Purcellville. Catoctin Creek Distillery across the street provides Oakland Green Farm up the road with spent grain to feed their cows, which then become fresh ground beef for Market Burger whenever possible. Stick to their namesake burger with cheddar, egg, bacon, herb mayo, lettuce, and tomato, plus a side of sweet potato fries and a really thick seasonal shake.
145 W Main St
Purcellville, VA 20132
marketburger.net
You don’t want to over-complicate these patties, because beef is the star thanks to a little circle of life thing they have going on in Purcellville. Catoctin Creek Distillery across the street provides Oakland Green Farm up the road with spent grain to feed their cows, which then become fresh ground beef for Market Burger whenever possible. Stick to their namesake burger with cheddar, egg, bacon, herb mayo, lettuce, and tomato, plus a side of sweet potato fries and a really thick seasonal shake.
7 - THURMAN'S CAFE
183 Thurman Ave
Columbus, OH 43206
thethurmancafe.com
Don’t listen to the folks who steer you toward the Thurmanator Burger, which is more of a feat of strength than a meal. That beast is a mountain of ground beef -- a pound and a half, to be exact -- not to mention another half-pound of bacon, ham, cheese, mushrooms, and... are those banana peppers? No, if you do score a seat at this legendary German Village pub, don’t squander it on a dare. Instead, order something sensible like the Rad Shroom Burger, an oozing banquet of beef, mushrooms, and horseradish cheese that you’ll still struggle to finish before fatigue sets in. I never do. But just like every burger on this list, it evolves into a new and wonderful flavor experience first thing in the morning, right out of the refrigerator.
183 Thurman Ave
Columbus, OH 43206
thethurmancafe.com
Don’t listen to the folks who steer you toward the Thurmanator Burger, which is more of a feat of strength than a meal. That beast is a mountain of ground beef -- a pound and a half, to be exact -- not to mention another half-pound of bacon, ham, cheese, mushrooms, and... are those banana peppers? No, if you do score a seat at this legendary German Village pub, don’t squander it on a dare. Instead, order something sensible like the Rad Shroom Burger, an oozing banquet of beef, mushrooms, and horseradish cheese that you’ll still struggle to finish before fatigue sets in. I never do. But just like every burger on this list, it evolves into a new and wonderful flavor experience first thing in the morning, right out of the refrigerator.
6 - MEERS STORE AND RESTAURANT
26005 OK-115
Lawton, OK 73507
meersstore.com
My first time in Lawton I was trying to get around a backup caused by an over
turned tractor trailer. Funny thing, everyone else was doing the same thing. I
saw the sign for World Famous Longhorn Burgers, so I had to stop. Now I go
an hour out of my way when ever I drive through Oklahoma. It's one of those
places where your not sure you want to go into, but don't make that mistake.
Once you're inside you will feel right at home eating your burger made from
prize winning Texas Longhorn Beef, raised on the family’s ranch. Bye 'n bye,
Longhorn beef has less cholesterol than chicken. So order a second, it'll keep.
26005 OK-115
Lawton, OK 73507
meersstore.com
My first time in Lawton I was trying to get around a backup caused by an over
turned tractor trailer. Funny thing, everyone else was doing the same thing. I
saw the sign for World Famous Longhorn Burgers, so I had to stop. Now I go
an hour out of my way when ever I drive through Oklahoma. It's one of those
places where your not sure you want to go into, but don't make that mistake.
Once you're inside you will feel right at home eating your burger made from
prize winning Texas Longhorn Beef, raised on the family’s ranch. Bye 'n bye,
Longhorn beef has less cholesterol than chicken. So order a second, it'll keep.
5 - AVENUE EATS
1201 Valley-View Ave
Wheeling, WV 26003
avenueeats.com
I love driving through Wheeling on interstate 70. Something about going through that old tunnel. And at Christmas time, houses on the mountainside all decked out in lights look like a hovering space ship. My favorite thing in wheeling is Avenue Eats. It is one of those places where everything on the menu is good. I am particular of their Roasted Jalapeno burger with bacon and house-made cheese sauce. And then, of course, the Diner burger, which has everything you need,
1201 Valley-View Ave
Wheeling, WV 26003
avenueeats.com
I love driving through Wheeling on interstate 70. Something about going through that old tunnel. And at Christmas time, houses on the mountainside all decked out in lights look like a hovering space ship. My favorite thing in wheeling is Avenue Eats. It is one of those places where everything on the menu is good. I am particular of their Roasted Jalapeno burger with bacon and house-made cheese sauce. And then, of course, the Diner burger, which has everything you need,
4 - FLATIRON BAR AND DINER
129 E Nationwide Blvd
Columbus, OH 43215
flatironcolumbus.com
Columbus, Ohio is one of my favorite Cities. And with out a doubt, a true comfort food paradise. And in this hidden gem of food heaven is one of Columbus’ oddest structures; a tiny pie-shaped Four story building that is barely eight feet wide at it thinnest point. But inside one can always count on warm hospitality, top-notch service, and the Oh so tasty Flat Iron Burger. There’s an elegant edge to this big, drippy satisfying burger, from the gourmet patty and buttery, toasted, bakery-fresh bun to a proprietary sauce boasting a hint of, what’s that... ancho?
129 E Nationwide Blvd
Columbus, OH 43215
flatironcolumbus.com
Columbus, Ohio is one of my favorite Cities. And with out a doubt, a true comfort food paradise. And in this hidden gem of food heaven is one of Columbus’ oddest structures; a tiny pie-shaped Four story building that is barely eight feet wide at it thinnest point. But inside one can always count on warm hospitality, top-notch service, and the Oh so tasty Flat Iron Burger. There’s an elegant edge to this big, drippy satisfying burger, from the gourmet patty and buttery, toasted, bakery-fresh bun to a proprietary sauce boasting a hint of, what’s that... ancho?
3- SPARKY'S
115 Franklin St
Hatch, NM 87937
sparkysburgers.com
Hatch, New Mexico, grower of the best green chiles in the world, can also boast of having one of the best green chile cheeseburgers in the world. Sparky’s Burgers proudly bears that distinction. What a burger! The fresh beef is hand cut, hand ground, and cooked to perfection. A thick slice of cheddar and a healthy dollop of green chile on a bun complete this humble but scrumptious creation. Order a shake on the side and some green chile cheese fries. This is a king’s meal, New Mexico style.
115 Franklin St
Hatch, NM 87937
sparkysburgers.com
Hatch, New Mexico, grower of the best green chiles in the world, can also boast of having one of the best green chile cheeseburgers in the world. Sparky’s Burgers proudly bears that distinction. What a burger! The fresh beef is hand cut, hand ground, and cooked to perfection. A thick slice of cheddar and a healthy dollop of green chile on a bun complete this humble but scrumptious creation. Order a shake on the side and some green chile cheese fries. This is a king’s meal, New Mexico style.
2- KUMA'S CORNER
2900 W Belmont Ave
Chicago, IL 60618
kumascorner.com
The burgers at this heavy metal meat emporium, just like the tunes it blasts, are not for the faint of heart and a proper sacrifice to the Dark Lord involves devouring a Neurosis. It's stacked with horseradish mayo, sharp cheddar, Swiss, caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, and raw onion, so each bite is a welcoming flavor assault.
2900 W Belmont Ave
Chicago, IL 60618
kumascorner.com
The burgers at this heavy metal meat emporium, just like the tunes it blasts, are not for the faint of heart and a proper sacrifice to the Dark Lord involves devouring a Neurosis. It's stacked with horseradish mayo, sharp cheddar, Swiss, caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, and raw onion, so each bite is a welcoming flavor assault.
1- SANTA FE BITES
311 Old Santa Fe Trail
Santa Fe, NM 87501
santafebite.com
There is not much to say when you bite into the perfect burger. Santa Fe Bite are the people who used to run Bobcat Bite before their landlord ran them off. So they moved to downtown Santa Fe which means when I am in my hamburger heaven coma, I can crawl out of my booth and into a hotel room at the charming Garrett's Desert Inn Motel. Santa Fe Bite's chuck and sirloin beef mix along with the smoky heat of the famous New Mexican Green Chile makes you wish more people from other states would start putting green chiles on EVERYTHING!
311 Old Santa Fe Trail
Santa Fe, NM 87501
santafebite.com
There is not much to say when you bite into the perfect burger. Santa Fe Bite are the people who used to run Bobcat Bite before their landlord ran them off. So they moved to downtown Santa Fe which means when I am in my hamburger heaven coma, I can crawl out of my booth and into a hotel room at the charming Garrett's Desert Inn Motel. Santa Fe Bite's chuck and sirloin beef mix along with the smoky heat of the famous New Mexican Green Chile makes you wish more people from other states would start putting green chiles on EVERYTHING!
HONORABLE MENTION - THE HOME BURGER
The old family recipe. Lettuce, sweet yellow tomatoes, onion, mayonnaise, Terry's Kitchen Hot Pepper relish and topped with a slice of swiss cheese. What more could you ask for. It's like a green chili burger on steroids.
The old family recipe. Lettuce, sweet yellow tomatoes, onion, mayonnaise, Terry's Kitchen Hot Pepper relish and topped with a slice of swiss cheese. What more could you ask for. It's like a green chili burger on steroids.