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Grubhub Best of 2021: Ten Great NYC Burgers
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Published Dec 6, 2021
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Now that we're deep into New York City fall and the city's back open in a way that seemed almost unfathomable not so long ago, New Yorkers can keep the party going, even if that means ordering in, with Grubhub! Delivery just got even better with the Grubhub Guarantee - get your food delivered on time and at the lowest price, guaranteed or Grubhub will make it right.
Gothamist and Grubhub are teaming up to celebrate amazing restaurants that, whether they’re a few blocks from your place or a bike ride away, are NYC favorites that we think you’ll love too.
It's not as if they've ever really gone out of style, but there does seem to have been a resurgence this year of high quality burgers coming out of all sorts of kitchens around town, from counter-service stands and retro-styled diners to fancy steakhouses and sceney lounges. Another definite trend: a plethora of plant-based places opened this past year serving fast-food staples, including cheeseburgers, but done up vegan style.
The good news, too, is that burgers travel really well, something we were reminded of last winter when we couldn't eat inside restaurants and we often opted to bring food home rather than sit curbside in the cold. And even though NYC's back open in a big way, it's still sometimes nice to get cozy at home and order in a feast. Here, then, are a few of the best burgers we ate in the city this year, including both familiar favorites and some exciting newcomers, all of which you can now easily enjoy with delivery via Grubhub.
Mister Dips at The Seaport
Andrew Carmelli's superb Mister Dips, which has been operating seasonally out of an airstream trailer in Williamsburg since 2016, opened a new year-round location at the Seaport District's Pier 17 this past summer, giving downtown Manhattanites ready access to one of the best burgers-shakes-and-fries meals in town. The basic Single Dip is packed with flavor, a well-charred beef patty topped with melted cheddar, lettuce, tomato, and pickles, the "fine n' dandy sauce" obviating the need for ketchup. If you really want to stretch your jaw, the Double Dip offers twice as much of the same. There's also the cheesy BBQ Bacon Dip, which is a smoky (thanks to the crisp bacon), spicy (the crunchy slaw), and slightly sweet (the sauce) delight.
Mister Dips is located at 89 South Street, on Pier 17 -- Order Now
Mighties on the Lower East Side
Another newcomer with a stellar pedigree is Mighties at the Market Line, which arrives at that subterranean food hall via Wildair and Contra's dynamic duo, Jeremiah Stone and Fabián von Hauske Valtierra. There are two types of burgers here, and both are terrific. The first, which we'll call the "regular," is a fat, juicy patty which you can get as a single or double, enveloped in cheese if you want, and topped with onion, pickles, lettuce, and tomato. Maybe even better, though, is Mighties' "Mighties," a monster sandwich with two not-quite-smashed burgers, melted cheese, raw and fried onions, and a lively Mighties special sauce.
Mighties is located at 115 Delancey Street, at the Market Line -- Order Now
Red Hook Tavern in Red Hook
Will Durney's Hometown Bar-B-Cue has been NYC's undisrupted champ in that category for many years now, so it's not surprising that his homage to iconic NYC neighborhood spots, the Red Hook Tavern, would be a big hit as well. The star of the show here is the Dry Aged Red Hook Tavern Burger, a thick, intensely-beefy patty cooked perfectly medium-rare, drenched in gooey melted American, topped with a slice of raw white onion, all on sturdy sesame bun that does its job well. It's a hefty meal as is, but if you really want to splurge tonight, get the tangy Wedge Salad as well.
Red Hook Tavern is located at 329 Van Brunt Street -- Order Now
Emily and Emmy Squared in Brooklyn and Manhattan
We’re lumping these two together because although they are technically different pizza-focused restaurants, with different menus, both Emily (in Clinton Hill and the West Village) and Emmy Squared (in Williamsburg, the East Village, and the Upper East Side) each feature a fantastic burger. The Emmy Burger, confusingly offered only at the two Emilys, is a dry aged beef beauty topped with melted cheddar, caramelized onion, Emmy sauce, and cornichon on a salty pretzel bun. And the Emmy Squared sandwich is maybe even better, the double-patty Le Big Matt, sloppy with American cheese and spicy with Sammy Sauce. Both come with first-rate fries.
Emily and Emmy Squared are in five locations -- Order Now
HipCityVeg in Union Square
Nicole Marquis, founder of the Philadelphia-based mini-chain HipCityVeg, is on a mission to make vegan food convenient, affordable, and approachable for everyone. Judging by the crowds so far at her first NYC outpost, which opened last month near Union Square, she just might succeed. HipCityVeg offers terrific, plant-based version of fast-food classics like chicken nuggets, milkshakes, and breakfast sandwiches, but the heart of the menu here is the Beyond Beef burgers, including a Ziggy Burger with crisp, smoky tempeh bac'n, and the popular Smokehouse Burger, which comes topped with fried onion rings and BBQ sauce. Totally hits the spot.
HipCityVeg is located at 28 East 12th Street -- Order Now
Kelewele in Downtown Brooklyn
Another standout among the vegan counter-service spots that opened this past year is Rachel Laryea's plantain-based Kelewele, located in Downtown Brooklyn's Dekalb Market and specializing in Ghanaian street food snacks. The namesake dish is great, but our favorite thing here might be the Chichinga Burger, a hearty patty made from black beans and spicy plantains, topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, and a kicky housemade Shito Mayo. And the "bun" is a large, crisp, flat tostone. Ingenious! And delicious.
Kelewele is located at 445 Albee within the Dekalb Market -- Order Now
Nowon in the East Village
Jae Lee's outstanding East Village restaurant/party spot has lots of great, inventive Korean-American dishes, but the best thing may still be the first he ever cooked for us, back when he was calling his venture "Him" and working out of a bar over on Third Avenue: the Dried Aged Steak Burger with kimchi mayo, which is a gloppy, juicy monster of a sandwich. Or get Nowon's equally satisfying Legendary Burger, a double-pattied wonder that he brought to the Burger Bash this year. Either way, Lee's Crispy Tater Tots with honey butter make for the perfect companion.
Nowon is located at 507 East Sixth Street -- Order Now
Miznon in Hudson Yards and Chelsea
Chelsea Market hosted the first US outpost of this international pita-sandwich chain (the other branches are in Tel Aviv, Melbourne, Paris, and Vienna), and then Hudson Yards got in on the action this past year too. And with good reason! These things totally rule (as does their signature side dish, the incredibly buttery Whole Roasted Baby Cauliflower) but our go-to at Mizon is definitely the Folded Cheeseburger, with its uniquely-shaped patty encased in a layer of chewy grilled cheddar, the intensity of the meaty, cheese core balanced out by globs of sour cream, lots of pickles, and, of course, one of their excellent fluffy pitas. Perfection.
Miznon delivers from Chelsea Market and Hudson Yards -- Order Now
Upland in Nomad
Chef Justin Smillie, born and raised in San Berdoo, has been slinging his California love at Upland on Park Avenue South for about seven years now, and as far as we’re concerned the star of the show here is the Cheeseburger, a double-patty, avocado-topped wonder. It may give off a health-food West Coast glow--there's tons of shredded lettuce, plus the avo, plus the beef is "grass-fed", so maybe it counts as a salad?--but rest assured, this is a hefty, meaty meal. Especially with all those good, salty fries. Stealth ingredient: the sweet and spicy peppadew peppers. And don't forget, Grubhub makes it easy to stay cozy at home and support neighborhood mainstays like Upland, all winter long.
Upland is located at 345 Park Avenue South -- Order Now
Brooklyn Noosh in Crown Heights
This under-hyped gem of a neighborhood spot on the border of Crown Heights and Clinton Hill opened during the pandemic's early days, when their outdoor "secret garden" seating area was a huge draw. The Brooklyn Noosh menu offers a mix of Middle Eastern dishes and bar food standards, the latter category led by a fantastic Cheddar Burger, the fat patty cooked as requested and sitting in unfussy fashion atop a bed of lettuce, tomato, and mayo, with ketchup on the side. The accompanying fries are also very good. The Noosh now has a fire pit out back but if you want to stay really warm while you enjoy your feast just order delivery and have a toasty night at home.
Brooklyn Noosh is located at 988 AtlanticAvenue -- Order Now
BONUS ROUND
You can also order any of these with confidence: the Cheeseburger Pita from Sami and Susa on Orchard Street; the Old John's Burger from Old John's Diner on the Upper West Side; Bubby's Burger from the iconic Bubby's in Tribeca; any of the Katsu Burgers (Pork, Chicken, Salmon, Portobello) from Chef Katsu in Clinton Hill; and the massive Banh Mi Burger from Saigon Social on the Lower East Side. And there's always the Shake Shack option, too.
As more restaurants have opened up throughout the city, New Yorkers can keep supporting these institutions by exploring new spots or ordering their favorite meals with Grubhub. And with the Grubhub Guarantee, New Yorkers get their food delivered on-time and at the lowest prices - guaranteed or Grubhub will make it right. If your delivery arrives late, you’ll receive $5 off your next order and if you find a lower price with a competitor, Grubhub will match the difference, plus you’ll get $5 off your next order. Consider supporting a neighborhood business and treat yourself to some delicious food delivered by Grubhub right to your door!
This post is a sponsored collaboration between Grubhub and Gothamist staff.
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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