The Nation, Nation Kitchen and Bar
The combo of sweet whiskey BBQ sauce, kicking horseradish aioli, smoked cheddar, and two brisket-blend patties from Avril’s—brisket, rib eye, and ground chuck—will make you wanna saddle up. Maybe even hogtie a steer. Having double patties (as opposed to one chunker) seems to help keep the taste and cooking consistent, and the Sixteen Bricks challah bun is a properly sturdy conveyance. nationkitchenandbar.com
Photograph by Wes Battoclette
The Early Bird, Americano Burger Bar
Cristian Pietoso’s foray into All-American cuisine can be a bit cutesy, but the Early Bird delivers unadulterated greasy goodness. Soundly seasoned Eckerlin’s meat comes with the basics—bacon, tomato, American cheese, and onion straws—but it’s elevated with just the right kick from Sriracha mayo and the requisite fried egg squirt, making it just the right kind of messy. americanoburgerbar.com
Bru Burger, Bru Burger Bar Cincinnati
This Indianapolis chain has four regional locations, and the burgers aren’t lacking in creativity. Italian Taleggio is a funky, yet subtle change of cheese pace, and the tomato jam bridges the divide between a slice of fresh tomato and a squeeze of Heinz. Plus, combined with the caramelized onions, it avoids the slide factor—the bane of burger-eating existence. bruburgerbar.com
The Westsider, Chandler’s Burger Bistro
Imagine a Frisch’s Big Boy with a promotion, upgraded to better meat and buns. You’d have the Westsider. Slathered with tartar sauce, this burger is an ode to familiar flavors, but Chandler’s, which opened in Delhi Township in 2014, uses blended ground chuck from Bridgetown Finer Meats and Servatii’s buns to beef up a classic. chandlersburgerbistro.com
Big Sur, ZBGB
There is something to be said about a perfectly proportioned burger, where the final morsel of meat is still stacked evenly between the last bit of bun. The Big Sur, ZBGB’s tamest offering, has all the right ratios and arrives with avocado, goat cheese, and a light chipotle mayo, letting the Prime Angus beef and housemade
bun shine. zbgb.co
Editorial note: ZBGB has now closed.
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