With the Fourth of July smack dab in the middle of it, summer is the perfect time to celebrate an American classic — the hamburger. This ground meat patty placed between two slices of bread (or buns) has taken on many forms in Philadelphia, with restaurants sometimes switching up the beef for ground bacon, falafel or even beets. Innovation can also happen around the patty, by trading in a traditional bun for brioche or adding a fried egg into the mix. If you’re looking to sink your teeth into an epic burger this summer, here are our top picks.
The P’unk Double Decker
P’unk Burger
1823 E. Passyunk Ave.
punkburger.com
You know the saying: Two is better than one, especially when it comes to burgers. The accessibly hip P’unk Burger on East Passyunk serves up a “double decker” burger ($14) that features two organic beef patties, a double helping of cheddar cheese, caramelized onions, fried egg, lettuce, tomato and sriracha mayo. For an extra dose of fun, order their birch beer vanilla milkshake. Run by a husband and wife team, this place is perfect for the whole family as well as a casual first date.
The Falafel Burger
Fuel
1225 Walnut St.
1917 E. Passyunk Ave.
3210 Chestnut St.
5 Lancaster Ave., Ardmore
Vegans and the gluten-free crowd like to eat burgers, too. (Who doesn’t?) Luckily, Fuel, which has expanded all over the Philly region, has the Falafel Burger ($8.95) on the menu. The chickpea hummus patty replaces the traditional beef patty and is topped with lemon garlic aioli, tomato and romaine. Served on gluten-free bread, this is one burger that won’t break the calorie bank, coming in at 366 calories. Still hungry? A healthy smoothie will round out your meal nicely so try their avocado shake, made with avocado, pineapple, spinach and honey.
Der Burger
Bru Craft & Wurst
1316 Chestnut St.
bruphilly.com
Looking for flavor fireworks? New chef Craig Meyers is taking bar burgers to a new level at indoor beerhall Bru Craft & Wurst with Der Burger ($14). Its beef patty is piled high with Amish cheddar, tasso ham, candied jalapeño and Bibb lettuce, before being topped with a roasted tomato aioli and snuggled in a brioche bun. Wash it all down with one of their 39 craft beers. Conveniently located at 13th and Chestnut, this is a great spot for after-work socializing.
The Double Pig
Nick’s Bar and Grille
16 S. Second St.
nicksroastbeefbarandgrille.com
If you love bacon, you are most definitely going to love The Double Pig burger ($12.50) at Nick’s Bar and Grille, which is made of ground bacon instead of beef. Heart attack waiting to happen? Maybe. Delicious? Without a doubt. Rated No. 1 by Zagat, pulled pork is added to the top along with cheddar cheese, jalapeños, frizzled onions and Bistro Sauce. If you’re in the mood to watch the game as you eat, Nick’s has plenty of televisions to keep you tuned into the action.
The Lion Burger
The Little Lion
243 Chestnut St.
thelittlelionphilly.com
Looking for a burger that simply roars with flavor? The Little Lion serves up a burger for traditionalists looking for quality, local ingredients. Their Lion Burger ($14) is a standard beef patty with sharp cheddar, bacon, pickled red onion, pimento cheese, butter lettuce, heirloom tomato and pickles added on top. Is it a mouthful? Heck yes. But it is so worth it. And don’t get your pickles twisted — all of the pickling is done in-house, which adds much more freshness than canned varieties.
The Beet Burger
Taproom on 19th
2400 S. 19th St.
taproomon19th.com
And the “beet” goes on … your burger! No, it’s not a topping, the beet is the main attraction at Taproom on 19th. Their Beet Burger ($10), is topped with a patty of bread crumb crusted fried goat cheese, mixed greens and preserved lemon vinaigrette. (Trust us, plants have never tasted so good.) It even comes with either fries or salad. Since you’ve got your greens already on the burger, treat yourself to those fries. Need to save some cash? Drop in on a Monday and get the burger half off.
