Atlanta may be known for peaches and peanuts, but the true heart of the city goes to the hamburgers. When you’re downtown in the city, you need a good beef and bun, and Atlanta’s been known for having one of the best burgers in the world. Zero in on the city’s legendary dishes, but don’t think a hamburger has to be fast food: you’ll want to sit down and savor these.
The Vortex
I’ve personally had the Double Coronary Bypass Burger (two fried eggs, six slices of American cheese, eight slices of bacon, and two grilled cheese sandwiches instead of hamburger buns… alongside a half-pound sirloin patty; they have recently one-upped this for the Triple Coronary Bypass) and the Elvis (known for peanut butter, plantains, and bacon), but this restaurant known for it’s over the top menu choices and eclectic design, with one of the two locations having you walk into the mouth of a giant skull to get your grub on. This has been my personal go-to if someone’s visiting Atlanta for the first time.
Ann’s Snack Bar
Ann’s Snack Bar features the Ghetto Burger, what the Wall Street Journal declared the best American hamburger in 2007. The Ghetto Burger is a double bacon chili cheeseburger “with a secret ingredient”. Miss Ann has run Ann’s Snack Bar since 1973, but has been looking at selling the restaurant since 2009. Make sure to get the Ghetto Burger (or the Hood Burger, a hamburger with coleslaw) while Ann’s still firing them out.
Grindhouse Killer Burgers
The titular Grindhouse Burger features american cheese, grilled onions, lettuce, pickles, grindhouse sauce. The variety of burgers they sell all come with a theme; Gringo, Hillbilly, Apache, and more fill out the menu. The oddest inclusion would be pimento cheese or a black bean spread, but it’s the quality of the burger, not the absurdity, that makes Grindhouse Killer Burgers worth noting.
Yeah! Burger
Bacon Jam. If that didn’t get your attention, you’re already lost. Roasted garlic aioli, buttermilk-fried all natural chicken, and the like spread out an amazing topping and ingredient list that put Yeah! Burger at the top of list of must-try burger joints. Sunflower pesto is something that just begs to be tried.
Flip Burger
The d’lux features seared foie gras, apple slices, and arugala, alongside more ingredients that sound fitting for a salad than a burger. Steak tartare, vodka-battered onion rings, and chorizo are all top-shelf ingredients and sides that really make you flip your expectations of a burger. Pair all of that with a Krispy Kreme milkshake or cucumber martini, and you have a high-class hamburger that you’re only going to find at two locations in Atlanta (and one in Birmingham).
Farm Burger
Farm Burger goes back to basics, with 100% grassfed beef at the heart of their burgers. Cured lardo, oxtail marmalade, roasted bone marrow, and local fried okra remind eaters where they’re eating: it’s a Georgia restaurant, with Georgia-grown and Georgia-loved foods. A salted caramel shake might be the perfect companion for boiled peanuts as you enjoy your overly-southern sandwich.
Ted’s Montana Grill
Ted? Who’s Ted? One of the standouts of Atlanta history, Ted Turner’s own Montana Grill features bison, the almost-forgot beef source in America. While it’s not initially native to the city (and isn’t even named after the state), the founder is unequivocally an Atlanta legend. To really encapsulate his legend, try the America’s Cup (named after Ted’s win in 1977 America’s Cup), featuring swiss cheese, bacon, and grilled onions and mushrooms.
This is a guest post from Chad Bonin, a food and restaurant writer for
Instawares restaurant equipment and supplies.
Photo :StGrundy
