Burger and brew? You bet. Burger with wine? Many burger lovers and restaurateurs aren’t sure they go together. But Wine Enthusiast magazine has released its 2012 list of the 100 Best Wine Restaurants in America. The magazine says these operations “have established themselves as standouts for wine lovers, boasting visionary beverage programs and innovative menus, with eye-catching ambiance and exceptional service.”
Are these establishments all too upscale to create burgers that pair with wines? Nope. Here are 31 great burger ideas from 26 restaurants on Wine Enthusiast’s list. I think their bouquet will please you.
NORTHEAST
ABC Kitchen
Akaushi cheeseburger ($22)
Herbed mayo, pickled jalapeňos
Alma de Cuba, Philadelphia
Cuban Chorizo Sliders
Matchstick potatoes, mustard and pickles
Art & Soul, Washington, D.C.
Beef Burger ($16; lunch)
Marinated Vidalia onion, aged Cheddar, brioche
Maryland Grass-Fed Burger ($16; brunch)
Cheddar, Vidalia-onion marmalade and brioche bun
Birch & Barley, Washington, D.C.
Brät Burger ($16)
Beer-Braised Sauerkraut, Emmenthaler, hand-cut fries, cornichon
Crabtree’s Kittle House Restaurant and Inn, NYC
Our Special LaFrieda Blend Cheeseburger
Melted Cheddar, applewood-smoked bacon, french fries
Quinoa, Chickpea, Corn and Mushroom Veggie Burger
Melted Cheddar, french fries or baby field green salad
Craigie on Main, Cambridge, Mass.
Local Grass-Fed Beef Burger ($16)
Shelburne Farm Cheddar, mace ketchup, house-made bun, crispy potato fries
(add fried egg $3; add house-smoked bacon $3)
Marc Forgione, New York City
Suck You Sliders
Beer, bacon & butter, house-made pickles, Charleston slaw, potato roll
Creekstone Farms Burger
Pepper-Jack cheese, bacon, caramelized onions, fried egg, Parmesan fries
Minetta Tavern, New York City
Black Label Burger ($26)
A selection of prime dry-aged beef cuts with caramelized onions and pommes frites
Minetta Burger ($17)
Cheddar and caramelized onions
Wit & Wisdom: A Tavern by Michael Mina, Baltimore
Ground Steak burger ($19)
Amish Cheddar, shredded romaine, secret sauce
Woodbury Kitchen, Baltimore
Kitchen Burger ($16)
House-ground chuck, lettuce, onion, fries with raw Cheddar
SOUTH
db Bistro moderne, Miami
The Original db Burger ($32)
Sirloin burger filled with braised short ribs, foie gras and black truffle, Parmesan bun, pommes frites
Emeril’s New Orleans
B.L.F.G.T. ($16)
Benton’s Bacon, butter lettuce & fried green tomato on brioche with boiled Gulf shrimp and Pommery Mustard Aïoli
Miller Union, Atlanta
The Daily Grind Cheeseburger ($13)
All the trimmings and french fries
Philipe Restaurant & Lounge, Houston
Beef Sliders ($16)
All-natural beef, caramelized onions, tomato, lettuce, barbecue sauce, fries
Proof on Main, Louisville
Proof Bison Burger ($17)
Tillamook Cheddar, applewood-smoked bacon, jezebel sauce
The Ashby Inn & Restaurant, Paris, Va.
Smoked beef burger ($14)
Fougasse, anchovy mayo, soy ketchup, Gouda, fries
Blackberry Farm, Walland, Tenn.
Farmstead Burger
Blackberry Farm sauerkraut, Swiss cheese, Benton’s bacon, Thousand Island dressing,
house-made fries
Vino Vino, Austin, Texas
Wagyu Beef Slider ($5)
Aged Vermont Cheddar, butter leaf lettuce, pickled onions, mustard
CENTRAL
Anasazi Restaurant, Santa Fe, N.M.
Buffalo Burger ($16)
Vermont Cheddar, apple-smoked bacon chile mayonnaise
Blackbird, Chicago
Short Rib Burger ($15; lunch)
Smoked provolone, capers, aïoli and pommes frites
Longman & Eagle, Chicago
Slagel Family Farms Burger ($12)
Aged Widmer’s Cheddar, Neuske’s Bacon, Beef Fat Fries, Brioche
Montagna at The Little Nell, Aspen, Colo.
Emma Farm Wagyu Beef Burger ($22)
Aged Cheddar, smoked bacon
Rosen Ranch Lamb Burger ($21)
Curried sheep’s milk yogurt, smoked-eggplant purée
Pago, Salt Lake City
Pago Burger ($15)
Gruyère, mushrooms, brown-sugar bacon, caramelized onions, black-garlic aïoli, chips
The Copper Onion, Salt Lake City
The Copper Onion Burger ($11)
Pleasant Creek Ranch Wagyu, house bun, roasted onions, steak fries or arugula salad
WEST
Portland City Grill, Portland, Ore.
Classic Tillamook Cheddar Burger ($11; lunch)
Roasted tomato jam, mayo, iceberg, crispy onions, potato bun, City Grill fries
(add apple-wood smoked bacon $1)
Press, St. Helena, Calif.
Press Prime Cheeseburger ($15; lunch)
Kennebec Fries
(add crispy Hobbs bacon $2)



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