From patties and toppings to buns and meat blends, we took a deep dive into the state of burger affairs. Here are all the juicy details, including our suburban Top Get the napkins ready. With beef grease still coursing through my veins, I released a list of the best burgers in Chicago back in For one glorious minute I sat content at my desk, happy that I got the chance to highlight what I thought were the meatiest and most alluring burgers in the area.
Then the emails came. Dozens of people angrily pointed out that I had skipped their favorite joint and was therefore an idiot. Who cared that I devoured 71 burgers in less than a month?
I had apparently missed a few places. As I gathered up recommendations, I noticed one dominant theme: Most places I still wanted to try were in the suburbs. The vast scope of the suburbs excited me so much I decided to limit my next burger quest to finding the best one outside the city. Before the hate mail floods in, let me explain. For whatever reason, a lot of suburban restaurants feel the need to serve outrageously huge burgers, often with patties that weigh in at eight to 10 ounces.
While not my favorite style, I can appreciate them when done well. But most of these burgers were cooked with little to no salt. If they were skinny little patties draped in salty cheese, that would be one thing; but these were half-pound monsters of unseasoned meat. Fortunately, as I moved past the obvious picks, I found a crop of newcomers, along with a couple of elders of the scene, who served burgers with serious culinary chops.
In the end, I tried 60 suburban burgers, which brings my overall total to just over But this burger obsession chose me, and I feel completely unable to resist. Instead of an imposing pretzel bun, Crusade uses an absurdly soft potato-based brioche one, which acts like a fluffy cradle for the half pound of freshly ground beef. Unfortunately, most of the burgers on the menu feature large quantities of other meats on top, like braised brisket or Korean barbecue pork belly. I went with salty aged cheddar and grilled onions.
