Burger Joints in New York

Jimmy Buffet wasn’t thinking of the Big Apple when he wrote “Cheeseburger In Paradise,” but the greatest city in the world brings its beef. New York burger joints go above and beyond the typical greasy spoon, satisfying both hungers and culinary curiosities.

Sure, burger traditionalists can find NYC burger joints that stay basic: the Corner Bistro gives the downtown hipster crowd a solid cheeseburger with no frills, and the city’s multiple Shake Shacks and Heartland Breweries always bring a tasty burger. Intermittent Jackson Holes also fill out the city’s figure, boasting massive burgers and tantalizing fries. But New York has never been about ordinary. In one direction, Paul’s by St. Mark’s Place has a laid-back atmosphere surrounding their mountainous cheeseburgers and near-solid shakes; in the other, Minetta Tavern’s famed Black Label Burger, aged and cured to high heaven, is an explosion of craft flavor that will put the fear of God into Big Mac devotees worldwide.

Outsiders – Texans, mostly – like to claim that the big city doesn’t know meat outside of sushi or pastrami, but burger joints in New York stand strong, proving that you don’t need to live in cow country to get a juicy treat that’s worth every damn bit of sacrifice.