This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2011, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Imagine the ideal burger. What does it look like? Is it a simple cheeseburger with ketchup that's a one-hand affair? Or, is it a gorgeously messy bacon, blue cheese burger that requires extra napkins? Whatever your beef-and-bun craving, there's no doubt Americans remain in love with the burger.
According to the consumer researching firm NPD Group, nine billion burgers were served in 2010, more than any other menu item in the quick-service restaurant market. Of course, that's not a new trend, as Americans have long been enamored with slapping a beef and a bunch of condiments between a bun. After all, while the jingle "two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame-seed bun" may have had hypnotic powers when we were kids, yet most of us scoff at it now.
Today, Utah diners want to know where their beef and buns come from. Is that meat fresh or was it previously frozen? Move over American cheese, make way for artisan cheeses. Diners want our burger "our way." Serve us a basic burger and let us add our own condiments, such as honey mustard, ranch, barbecue, mayo, mustard and — since we're Utah eaters — don't forget our beloved fry sauce.
In search of our Top 10 local burgers, the Tribune features staff divided and conquered — and tasted — nearly 30 burgers from Provo to Ogden and from Tooele to Heber City. With evaluation sheets in hand, we set out for local burger chains and mom-and-pop eateries only.
That meant national chains — McDonald's, Wendy's, Burger King, Sonic, Red Robin and the like — were out. So were the more recent out-of-state chain arrivals: In 'n' Out, Smashburger, Five Guys Burgers and Fries, Culver's etc.
Also not included were local places with "token" burgers. For example, I know first-hand that Squatter's, The Bayou, Hapa Grill and Spin Cafe, make sensational burgers, but their "boutique" burgers tend to hover above $8. We were looking for cheap, fast, and good burgers.
A burger is really the sum of its parts: the bun, the meat, the cheese, the toppings (lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles, etc.) and the condiments (ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, fry sauce, etc.). In my opinion, the flavor of the meat should be the most prominent, followed by the rest of the ingredients.
Texture is also big factor, because who wants a soggy bun or limp lettuce, or insipid tomatoes on their burger? Quality ingredients are key. That said, nostalgia also plays a role in our burger cravings, so we may be a tad less finicky in the quality department when it comes to a veteran burger joint.
Our tasters rated burgers on a 35-point scale, scoring the overall appearance, flavor, bun, meat, bun-to-burger ratio, price-to-burger comparison and manageability. Out of the nearly 30 burgers we tasted, four tied for the top spot: Dairy Delight in Tooele, Lucky 13 in Salt Lake City, Salt City Burger Co. in Sandy and Bountiful, and Sammy's Café in Provo. (See more on the top four below.)
The best of the rest in our Top 10 included Ab's Drive-In in West Valley City and West Jordan, Buster Burger in South Jordan, Guzzi's Vintage Burgers and Fries, Hires Big H, and Hook & Ladder Co. Fire Station No. 13, all in Salt Lake City.
Now go out and satisfy that local burger craving!
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Top Four Burgers
Dairy Delight • The "old-fashioned" burger is huge — 1/2 pound to be exact. What makes this $5.19 burger work ($5.99 with cheese, $6.19 with bacon, $6.99 with bacon and cheese) is that the meat and bun are moist but not greasy. The fresh bun is toasted and warm, but not with butter, and the condiments don't overwhelm the taste of the meat. 46 W. 100 South, Tooele; 435-882-6400. Open daily, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
— Tom Wharton
Lucky 13 • The bacon cheeseburger, $7.50, is a winner for anyone with a hankering for a really big burger. It's messy-beyond-belief, but that's easy to overlook when you bite into the beefy, charbroiled patty topped with cheddar and heavenly house-smoked apple-wood bacon. This is bar food at its best. 135 W. 1300 South, Salt Lake City; 801-487-4418. Open Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.
— Kathy Stephenson
Salt City Burger Co. • If you're looking for one of the most flavorful burgers you can wrap your lips around, this is the go-to place along the Wasatch Front. At $5.16, the 1/4-pound burger with your choice of cheese is the perfect size and price. The restaurant uses a condiments bar chock full of the freshest ingredients. There's also dozens of bottled sauces to complement your burger. 9176 S. Village Shop Drive, Sandy; 801-495-4111, and 401 W. 500 South, Bountiful; 801-292-5544. More information at http://www.saltcityburgercom.com. Open Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
— Vince Horiuchi
Sammy's Café • "The Big Al" is a flavor explosion in your mouth. The 1/3-pound burger ($6.29) is cooked to order, getting that delicious crunchy char on the outside, while the middle stays moist and juicy. It's topped with provolone cheese, sautéed mushrooms and onions and a giant slab of peppered pastrami. Tell the attendant which fixin's you want, including lettuce, tomato, onion, mayo, ketchup and mustard. 27 N. 100 West, Provo; 801-805-9208. More information at http://www.sammyspieshake.com. Open Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
— Alicia Greenleigh
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Best of the rest
Ab's Drive-In • Sometimes the meat gets lost in all those toppings and condiments, but that's not the case with the "Fat Boy" ($3.29). Two 1/8-pound top-and-bottom patties are complemented by cheese, tomatoes, shredded lettuce, mayonnaise and a not-so-secret pickle relish-tomato mixture. The tang takes you by surprise but keeps you thinking about this burger long after your initial craving has abated. 4591 S. 5600 West, West Valley City; 801-968-2130 and 7903 W. Airport Road, West Jordan; 801-280-8075. More information at http://www.absdrivein.com. Open daily, 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Lesli J. Neilson
Buster Burger • This one-off — so far — burger joint's menu is small but the payoff is big. The single buster burger ($4.77) is a 1/4-pound patty, that's formed in-house using fresh ground beef, with American cheese, lettuce and tomatoes sandwiched between a lightly toasted bun. Once your order comes up, help yourself to the condiments bar, replete with ketchup, fry sauce, mayonnaise, mustard, honey mustard, ranch and barbecue sauce as well as flavored salts and peppers for the excellent fries. 1078 W. South Jordan Parkway (10600 South), South Jordan; 801-446-5800. More information at http://www.busterburger.com. Open Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Lesli J. Neilson
Guzzi's Vintage Burgers and Fries • All of the succulent burgers (except the basic "Burger") and fries are made in-house, so expect a wait, which will be well worth it. Signature burgers include a garlic burger with fresh minced garlic and a Hawaiian burger with the meat marinated in teriyaki sauce. The best part of the burgers, though, are the soft but hearty bun, huge sliced tomatoes, and your choice of raw or grilled onions. The basic burger is $5.55, and all burgers come with fries included in the price. 180 E. 800 South, Salt Lake City; 801-364-4541. Open Monday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. David Burger
Hires Big H • There are more "massive" burgers to be had than The Hires quarter-pound single with cheese. But for $3.85, this is a great burger with flavorful meat; a soft bun made locally by Rocky Mountain Bakery and dressed with shredded lettuce, tomatoes and Hires classic pink fry sauce. 425 S. 700 East, Salt Lake City; 801-364-4582; 835 E. Fort Union Blvd., Midvale; 801-561-2171; and 2900 W. 4700 South, West Valley City; 801-965-1010. More information at hiresbigh.com. Call restaurants for hours. Kathy Stephenson
Hook & Ladder Co. Fire Station No. 13 • For 39 years, this Glendale mainstay has been cranking out burgers, fries and ice cream. A signature burger is the mushroom bacon cheeseburger which is a 1/4-pound patty, griddled mushrooms and bacon accented by fresh shredded lettuce, pickles, tomatoes and red-flecked fry sauce. A fluffy, toasted, seeded bun holds it all together. Alone the burger is $3.59 or a better option is "the combo" with the burger, small fries and a large drink ($5.99). 1313 W. California Ave., Salt Lake City; 801-972-2336. Open Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Lesli J. Neilson
No Worries Café & Grill • You can have your burger up to 50 ways at No Worries Café and Grill in Summit Park. I went with a traditional cheeseburger ($9.15) — the base price for a burger and standard condiments is $6.95 — with 1/3 pound of beef with cheddar cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, red onion, pickles and mayonnaise sandwiched between a toasted kaiser bun. A pickle and the choice of French fries, onion rings, coleslaw, soup or green salad comes alongside. 185 Aspen Drive, Park City; 435-658-5007. Open daily, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lesli J. Neilson
Other burgers sampled were from the following local burger joints: Apollo Burgers, Arctic Circle, B&D Burgers, Burger Bar, Busy Bee Bar & Grill, Cottonwood Heights Café, Crown Burgers, Flippin Burgers, Iceberg Drive Inn, Jake's Over the Top, JCW's The Burger Boys, Millies Burgers, Rich's Mighty Fine Burgers & Grub, Scaddy's Fresh Grill, Shivers, Tonyburgers, Top Hat Diner and The Training Table —
The Tribune's Top 4 burgers
Dairy Delight • 46 W. 100 South, Tooele; 435-882-6400. Open daily, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Lucky 13 • 135 W. 1300 South, Salt Lake City; 801-487-4418. Open Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.
Salt City Burger Co. • 9176 S. Village Shop Drive, Sandy; 801-495-4111, and 401 W. 500 South, Bountiful; 801-292-5544. More information at http://www.saltcityburgercom.com. Open Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Sammy's Café • 27 N. 100 South, Provo; 801-805-9208. More information at http://www.sammyscafe.blogspot.com. Open Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.
The Tribune's best of the rest:
Ab's Drive-In • 4591 S. 5600 West, West Valley City; 801-968-2130 and 7903 W. Airport Road, West Jordan; 801-280-8075. More information at http://www.absdrivein.com. Open daily, 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Buster Burger • 1078 W. South Jordan Parkway (10600 South), South Jordan; 801-446-5800. More information at http://www.busterburger.com. Open Monday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Guzzi's Vintage Burgers and Fries • 180 E. 800 South, Salt Lake City; 801-364-4541. Open Monday to Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Hires Big H • 425 S. 700 East, Salt Lake City; 801-364-4582; 835 E. Fort Union Blvd., Midvale; 801-561-2171; and 2900 W. 4700 South, West Valley City; 801-965-1010. More information at hiresbigh.com. Call restaurants for hours.
Hook & Ladder Co. Fire Station No. 13 • 1313 W. California Ave., Salt Lake City; 801-972-2336. Open Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
No Worries Café & Grill • 185 Aspen Drive, Park City; 435-658-5007. Open daily, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.