Battle of the Burgers
By Melanie Berliet, New York
The French have their croissants; the Italians, their pastas; and we Americans, our burgers. Yes, even in the foodie metropolis that is New York City, a good burger is revered above all else. And where the options abound, so do the opinions on the best of breed. Recently, we asked locals in Union Square for their thoughts, and--in true New York fashion--the answers were as varied as the city's residents.
Andrew Rigie - Undisclosed Occupation
“In the past two years, there’s been like a burger explosion, so everybody has to claim the best burger. My favorite burger, I have to say, is probably still Corner Bistro, because it’s greasy and it’s just been there for a long time and I kind of grew up with it. So it has that traditional thing--you know, no pictures of where on the cow the meat came from. I don’t really need all that when I’m eating a burger. Just a good burger on a plate, big and greasy. It deserves to have a long line every day.”
Corner Bistro
| Website
331 W 4th St,
New York,
NY
Kim Osnat Spiegler - Limiko Films
“Dumont Burger on Bedford Avenue. It’s just so perfect every time--the consistency, for years! It’s really, really good. They’re the perfect size, with perfect fries and perfect pickles. Really nice.”
DuMont Burger
314 Bedford Ave,
Brooklyn,
NY
Patrick Tully - Sports Marketer
“I would think that, because I’ve had it so many times, P.J. Clark’s on 3rd Avenue over any other burger in the city. It’s always fresh and quick and it’s great with a beer. And there’s a great atmosphere.”
P.J. Clarke's
| Website
915 3rd Ave,
New York,
NY
Kim Small - Consultant
“Pop Burger’s the best to me. The fact that it’s so little makes you feel less guilty about it. Not that that really matters, since you end up eating at least two of them, but still. And whatever the sauce they put on there--I’d guess some kind of Russian dressing--is awesome."
Pop Burger
14 E 58th St,
New York,
NY
Pietro - Film Distributor
“I have two favorites. One is the Shake Shack in Madison Square Park, and the other one is Corner Bistro in the West Village. At Corner Bistro they’re kind of like small burgers but I think they’re really, really tasty. And, uh, I don’t know, they feel more healthy and natural. At the Shake Shack it’s just like the whole combination of the shake and the burger and really good sauces--and I don’t mind like standing in line for an hour and a half. I don’t know, it’s like the experience of eating in the park too.”
Shake Shack
Madison Square Park,
New York,
NY
