Although I celebrate this delicacy all year round, May just happens to be National Burger Month! How exciting (insert as many burger emojis as possible here)! In the past three years at Manhattan Digest, I have had my fill of some of the most delicious burgers in the world, and now I have come to find there are tons more options available to celebrate the month in style, and beef.
Check out some of these tasty options to celebrate National Burger Month this month, and the entire year round. Mangia!
First, from French bistro La Gamelle and Executive Chef Denis Kuc (The Modern, BLT Bar & Grill) we have the new 10 ounce certified Angus beef burger (available at brunch and dinner) served with gruyere cheese, truffle mayonnaise, caramelized onions, mushrooms and frites, and thick slabs of applewood smoked bacon. This option is closer to a steak than it is to a burger, and its high quality and dramatic appearance led to a recent feature from Gotham Burger Social Club, and in turn, Thrillist. La Gamelle is located at 241 Bowery at Prince, www.lagamellenyc.com, 212-388-0052
Second, from Upper West Side staple Burke & Wills Australian Bistro, we have the ‘roo burger, made with kangaroo meat, tomato jam (owner Tim Harris’ grandmother’s recipe from Australia), arugula, pickled onions and served with triple fried chips. From Executive Chef Rodrigo Nogueira (Montmartre, the Monkey Bar, Colicchio and Sons) the burger is lightly gamey, refreshingly lean, and surprisingly tender (when cooked properly, as it always is at Burke & Wills). Its taste is familiar enough for conservative diners, yet distinctive enough for those looking to embark on a culinary adventure. Burke & Wills is located at 226 W 79th Street, 646-823-9251, www.burkeandwillsny.com.
Third, from NoMad newcomer PN Wood Fired Pizza–which features gourmet neapolitan pizza with a choice of 8 distinctive flours, as well as simple, light Italian cuisine–we have the lamb burger with eggplant, pine nuts, yogurt and mint. It’s a brand new, undiscovered burger gem from Chef Giovanni Gurrieri, who trained at culinary school in Milano at Alto Palato, where his teachers were Michelin-starred chefs. PN Wood Fired Pizza is located at 2 W. 28th Street, www.pnpizzanyc.com, 646-964-4834.