New York has plenty of foods it can confidently claim as its own—bagels, dollar slices and bacon-egg-and-cheeses. Burgers, though? That’s a national competition. And according to our latest ranking, New York is holding its own.
Time Out‘s food experts just named the 20 best burgers in America, surveying everything from century-old institutions to barbecue joints that are putting their own spin on the classic. Two New York City restaurants cracked the list: Brooklyn’s Red Hook Tavern at No. 4 and Hamburger America in Soho at No. 7.
The higher ranked of the two is Red Hook Tavern, Billy Durney’s perpetually packed neighborhood spot. Durney, also behind Hometown Bar-B-Que, worked with butcher Pat LaFrieda for six months to develop the tavern’s 8-ounce patty, which blends prime dry-aged New York strip and ground chuck. It’s cooked on a hot griddle, rested to preserve its glorious crust and finished with two slices of melted American cheese…