This elevated fast-food joint takes a stand for healthier fare. It eschews preservatives, trans fats, hormones and antibiotics, and the beef for the Standard Burger is grounded in-house daily. The only burger on the menu, the Standard Burger, sometimes draws comparisons to a certain other area cult-favorite burger chain. Two juicy all-beef patties are seared on a flat top and covered with melty American cheese. Crisp lettuce, fresh tomato, sliced onion, crunchy dill pickle and house Stand sauce are stacked with the patties, all served on a soft and springy white bun. Optional add-ons include buttery caramelized onions, Niman Ranch bacon and grilled jalapenos; gluten-free buns are also available.

Adam Richman of Man v. Food once called the Cricket Burger the best he’s ever had. He’s not the only one to espouse the merits of this place. Cherry Cricket has been hailed by local and national publications on countless occasions. While much of the menu is a DIY hodgepodge of toppings, the namesake is the most popular. Fresh 80/20 Black Angus shoulder chuck patties are grilled over an open flame, creating a slight char and succulent interior. It’s finished with American cheese, sauteed onions, bacon and an over-easy egg.

This Philly restaurant has earned a strong following for interesting variations on its namesake dish: sandwiches. But wait, there’s more. The place also serves some of the most-creative patties on the continent. Cue the pork roll burger. It’s a riff on the Jersey breakfast classic, the pork roll (Taylor Ham in the north) sandwich with egg and cheese. Here the beloved breakfast meat is blended into a patty with ground beef, topped with Cooper American cheese, Sriracha mayo and a sunny-side up egg, then placed on a Martin’s Potato Roll. This hybrid patty is so popular that it’s won numerous awards for the city’s best burger.

Go to: The Blue Duck Sandwich Co

At his Houston craft beer mecca, Chef-Owner Chris Shepherd creates food that’s just as diverse and creative as the extensive list of brews. He offers his own twists on classic bar food like PB&J wings, chicken-fried steak and pig head (not a typo) tacos. His burger, known as the Cease and Desist, is sure to stop you in your tracks with double meat (two seared 3-ounce patties), double American cheese, lettuce, tomato and housemade pickles. Ketchup, mustard and mayo are served on the side.

Photo courtesy of Julie Soefer

Go to: Hay Merchant

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/res...ica.html?oc=linkback

A SoCal tradition since 1963, this old-fashioned Pasadena storefront has hardly changed a thing in the past half-century. It hasn’t had to; it’s just that good. The Formica counter, swivel stools, pie case and longtime staff still remain, and the recipes are classic and excellent. The hamburger with or without cheese is about as brilliantly Americana as it gets. A quarter-pound of freshly ground beef is griddle-cooked, topped with optional American cheese — get the cheese! — and served on a toasted, spongy white bun. Lettuce, onions, pickles and housemade Thousand Island dressing are added onto the patty, before the burger is wrapped in wax paper, ideal for keeping hands clean and adding to the vintage charm.

Go to: Pie ‘n Burger

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/res...ica.html?oc=linkback

Many restaurants serve a dry-aged burger. But this historic Greenwich Village place, owned by acclaimed restaurateur Keith McNally (Balthazar, Cherche Midi), was at the forefront. The infamous Black Label Burger starts with a specially designed patty blend from Pat LaFrieda Meats: 50 percent 45-day dry-aged rib eye, 50 percent blend of short rib, chuck, skirt steak and brisket. As it cooks, it’s basted with butter. Then it’s placed on a slightly sweet, fresh-baked Balthazar Bakery brioche bun, topped with caramelized onions, lettuce, housemade pickles and tomato, and served with a side of fries.

Go to: Minetta Tavern

This Los Angeles burger joint, with locations in Santa Monica and Culver City, Calif., has long been a city favorite and is often credited for kicking off the gourmet burger craze. Inspired by French onion soup, the Father’s Office burger starts with 100 percent dry-aged chuck charbroiled to a juicy medium-rare, topped with bacon-onion jam, arugula, blue cheese and Gruyère, all intended to highlight the flavor of the beef. The full lot is placed on a crunchy, garlic-butter-infused toasted bun. Be sure you’re happy with the combination before ordering: Yoon has a strict no-substitutions and no-additions policy on his signature sandwich, and not even ketchup is allowed. But it’s perfectly delicious as is.

Photo courtesy of Katie Burton

Go to: Father's Office

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/res...ica.html?oc=linkback