The humble hamburger is a menu mainstay at restaurants everywhere, from the cheapest of fast-food joints to the finest of fine dining. When in doubt or indecision, a burger is a reliably safe bet. From its American beginnings at the turn of the 20th century and evolution into a sandwich staple that caters to all — carnivore to vegan — the burger is synonymous with the American diet.
For the Inlander’s first-ever Burger Issue, we set out to explore some of the region’s favorite beef patties, along with growing options for health-, ethically, and environmentally conscious eaters. And what we discovered is that the burger is nearly ubiquitous — on menus everywhere — which made narrowing down what’s featured here quite challenging. For that reason, don’t hate us if your favorite isn’t in here. We also welcome and encourage readers to tell us their favorites and why they’re so great at [email protected].
In the end, we rounded up our top five staff favorites, notable vegan and vegetarian options, several meaty alternatives to ground beef, where to get a great deal on a burger and beer, the newest burger-centric restaurant opening in the region and, finally, a look at two buzzworthy, plant-based burger products now available in the local market. So get out there, and get chomping.
