Worth a Detour - Reeds Spring Pizza Co.

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Pit Stops
Worth a
DETOUR
51
GREAT PIZZA
PARLORS
Whether a tried-and-true standard or
an imaginative gourmet creation, pizza
is an all-American crowd pleaser. We
asked local experts to name one great
pizza parlor in each state and the
District of Columbia. Here are their
picks for places to savor that favorite
Italian import.
Alabama
Bettola chef/owner James Lewis spent
months in Naples studying pizza. The
secrets he imported to Birmingham:
super-fresh ingredients; the right lowyeast, low-sugar flour; and a $20,000
Napoli-made oven that burns white
oak at 850 degrees. 2901 2nd Ave. S.;
205-731-6499
Alaska
A loaded, hand-tossed pizza called
the Avalanche, including toppings of
barbecue sauce, bacon, blackened
chicken, pepperoni, red onion, parsley
and three cheeses, is a belly-buster
at Moose’s Tooth Pub and Pizzeria in
Anchorage. 3300 Old Seward Highway;
907-258-2537; moosestooth.net
32
USA TODAY THE BEST FAMILY VACATIONS Located in Dublin, Ga.,
Deano’s brick oven
literally was imported
from Italy – this makes
their pizza a must-try!
For the best kids’ favorite eats
– sure to please your palate, too –
pick a place off the beaten path
Arizona
The “king” himself would be dancing in
his blue suede shoes after a bite of the
cheesy pizza at the Velvet Elvis in Patagonia. With garden-fresh ingredients
and gourmet toppings such as smoked
Gouda and herbed cream cheese, it’s
no wonder folks flock to this pizza joint
in the middle of nowhere. 292 Naugle
Ave.; 520-394-2102
Arkansas
Arkansas’ very own pizza chain, U.S.
Pizza Co. with 10 statewide locations, including Little Rock, has been
sating the cravings of pizza lovers
with its unique recipe for thin-crust
pizza cooked in an old-fashioned
stone hearth oven. Main location:
2710 Kavanaugh Blvd.; 501-663-2198;
uspizzaco.net
California
At Pizzeria Picco in Larkspur, ingredients
come from local farms, and mozzarella
is hand-pulled in house. Mario Batali
once declared Picco’s the best pizza
in the country. 316 Magnolia Ave.;
415-945-8900; pizzeriapicco.com
Colorado
At Virgilio’s Pizzeria Napoletana in
Littleton, Naples-born owner Virgilio
Urbano makes a slice that’s pliable so
you can fold it and eat it on the street.
It’s cooked in gas ovens, so the crust
is light and puffy on the edges.
7986 W. Alameda Ave., Lakewood;
303-985-2777. 10025 W. San
Juan Way, Littleton; 303-972-1011;
virgiliospizzeria.com
Connecticut
To refer to Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana in New Haven as a mere pizza
parlor would be like calling St. Peter’s
in Rome a church. Since 1925, Pepe’s
has been a place of innovation: The
New Haven-style thin-crust pizza
was invented here. 157 Wooster St.;
203-865-5762; pepespizzeria.com
Delaware
Lined with elegant frescos of famous
Elizabeths from throughout the
ages (think Taylor, Davis and even
the queen), Pizza by Elizabeths is
an elegant eatery in Greenville. The
California-style pies are gourmet
creations topped with the likes of
mushroom duxelles and fig jam.
3801 Kennett Pike; 302-654-4478;
pizzabyelizabeths.com
District of Columbia
The pies at We, the Pizza, owned by
Top Chef alum Spike Mendelsohn,
are a fuss-free departure from D.C.’s
boutique pizza scene. The crispcrusted artichoke-and-spinach
pie with bechamel is great, but a
simple slice of pepperoni is terrific,
too. 305 Pennsylvania Ave., SE;
202-544-4008; wethepizza.com
Florida
No Name Pub is a mustn’t-miss if you
can find it. With dollar bills pinned to
the walls and a pizza recipe that hasn’t
changed since the 1960s, this Big Pine
Key hideaway (about 30 miles from
Key West) is one of the few places
that retain the quirky Keys personality.
30813 N. Watson Blvd.; 305-872-9115;
nonamepub.com
Georgia
For authentic handmade Italian brickoven pizza in a beautiful loft-like space,
don’t miss Deano’s in downtown
Dublin. Just off I-16 between Atlanta
and Savannah, Deano’s features a brick
oven imported from Italy. 112 W. Jackson
St.; 478-275-1117; deanositalian.com
Hawaii
It’s not often you find authentic tomato
sauce in the middle of the Pacific. But
V Lounge, an unassuming pizzeria in
Honolulu, is hellbent on keeping the
craft alive, serving kiawe-wood-fired,
Naples-style creations. 1344 Kona St.,
808-953-0007; vloungehawaii.com
Idaho
Mention Flying Pie Pizzeria in Boise
to pizza lovers and watch them
salivate. From crisp crust to creative
Reeds Spring
has a small
town feel, but
its pizza has a
delicious bigcity taste.
combinations on “gourmet nights”
(gyro pizza with feta cheese and
tzatziki sauce to Southwestern chicken
with black-bean sauce), it’s one great
bite after another. 4320 State St.;
208-384-0000. 6508 Fairview Ave.;
208-345-0000; flyingpie.com
Illinois
The original Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria in
Chicago suburb Lincolnwood has what
it takes to make a good pizza parlor
great: atmosphere, history and a sense
of permanence, on top of delicious
pies. The deep-dish pizza is legendary.
6649 N. Lincoln Ave.; 847-673-0800;
loumalnatis.com
Indiana
People magazine put Mother Bear’s
Pizza on the map in 1982 when it
named the pie palace “one of
America’s Top 9 Pizzerias.” Decades
later, the pepperoni pie is still the best
seller at this Bloomington pizzeria.
1428 E. Third St.; 812-332-4495;
motherbearspizza.com
Iowa
McCaffrey’s Dolce Vita hides in
the countryside near the lovely
little town of Decorah in the
state’s northeast corner. The
wood-fired sourdough pizzas are
delicious: cracker-thin with interesting
toppings. 2149 Twin Springs Rd.;
563-382-4723; mcdolcevita.com
Kansas
If you like lots of cheese on your
pizza, you won’t be disappointed at
Big Cheese in Independence. There’s
a choice of mozzarella, Romano and
cheddar in any combination, and you
get to choose the amount. 103 E. Main
St.; 620-331-2330
Kentucky
Located near the entrance to Kentucky’s Red River Gorge State Park,
one of the world’s top rock-climbing
destinations, Miguel’s Pizza and Rock
Climbing Shop in Slade combines tasty
pies (more than 30 combinations) with
expert climbing advice. 1890 Natural
Bridge Rd.; 606-663-1975.
Louisiana
You know you’re in South Louisiana
when your pizza joint offers muffaletta
pizza, jambalaya pizza with Cajun
smoked sausage and a calzone called
the “Inferno” because of the extra hot
sauce. Specifically, you’re at Pepper’s
Pizzeria in Houma, about an hour south
of New Orleans. 541 Corporate Dr.;
985-872-0006; pepperspizzeria.com
Maine
Ricetta’s Brick Oven Pizzeria in
Falmouth makes crispy crust pies,
both traditional (margherita) and not-
so-traditional (buffalo spiced chicken
and gorgonzola) varieties. 29 Western
Ave., South Portland; 207-775-7400
and 240 Rt. 1, Falmouth; 207-781-3100;
ricettas.com
Maryland
In Baltimore, everybody loves
Matthew’s Pizza. It’s just a hole in
the wall, but it dishes out pies with
volume: thick, with soft-but-chewy
crust, rich tomato-y sauce and the
right amount of gooey, salty cheese.
3131 Eastern Ave.; 410-276-8755;
matthewspizza.com
Massachusetts
Connoisseurs of a crispy crust turn
to Picco. This Boston pizzeria wins
the pie vote on two fronts: a crispyyet-chewy, lightly charred crust with
just a little tang, and fresh toppings
that range from simple to decadent.
513 Tremont St.; 617-927-0066;
piccorestaurant.com
Michigan
With a nod to Greektown, Motor
City Brewing Works’ “Mary Did Have”
pizza is a dazzling combination of
olive oil, ground lamb, garlic, mint,
tomato and pine nuts, baptized with
feta, labne (a Middle Eastern yogurt
cheese) and cucumbers. 470 W.
Canfield St.; 313-832-2700;
motorcitybeer.com
Minnesota
Fat Lorenzo’s in Minneapolis is
a cozy, friendly hub of neighborhood activity, and its high-quality
tomatoes and excellent cheese
make this joint’s classic American
pizza a cut above the norm. 5600
Cedar Ave. S; 612-822-2040;
fatlorenzos.com
Mississippi
The Pizza Shack in Jackson earned
a fiercely devoted following with
hand-tossed pies so generously
topped that the nine-topping
Supreme weighs in at about 6
pounds. It’s worth braving the
standing-room-only lunch wait.
925 E. Fortification St.; 601-352-2001;
thepizzashackjackson.com
Missouri
The Mayberry-like village of Reeds
Spring, a mecca of art and good
food, boasts the best pizza in
Missouri at Reeds Spring Pizza
Co. 22065 Main St.; 417-272-3507;
reedsspringpizzaco.com
Montana
Biga Pizza in Missoula features a
sourdough crust baked in a brick
oven. But it’s the imaginative
toppings that make these winning
pies. 241 W. Main; 406-728-2579;
bigapizza.com
THE BEST FAMILY VACATIONS USA TODAY 33
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Pit Stops
Nebraska
Big Fred’s Pizza has been an Omaha
family favorite since 1965. A particular
favorite is the “Goodie Roonie,” a
double-crusted pie stuffed with either
Romano or mozzarella cheese and
sausage or hamburger. 1101 S 119th St;
402-333-4419; bigfredsinc.com
Thin-crust pizza lovers
can satisfy their
cravings at any of 10
U.S. Pizza Co. locations
throughout Arkansas.
and three other locations tops its
pies with organic ingredients such as
roasted eggplant, portabella mushrooms, artichoke hearts, kalamata olives
and arugula. 78 S. Main St.; 215-3458565; julesthincrust.com
Rhode Island
When in the Ocean State, you want
wood-grilled pizza: hand-stretched
dough draped and then flipped over
a charcoal-fired grill. And the best is
at Bob & Timmy’s, an off-the-beatenpath spot on Federal Hill, Providence’s
Little Italy. 32 Spruce St.; 401-453-2221;
bobandtimmys.com
Nevada
The blue-and-pink neon outside is pure
Las Vegas, but the pizza at Metro Pizza
is billed as “the original way pizza was
baked in Little Italy in 1905” when the
founders’ immigrant families served
it in New York. Six locations including
4001 S. Decatur Blvd.; 702-362-7896;
metropizza.com
South Carolina
New Hampshire
Named after the Italian superspeedway near Milan, Monza offers an
upscale twist on the old-school pizza
joint. The wood-fired Neapolitan-style
pizzas served at this Charleston haunt
are named for racing greats. Try the
spicy Fangio with homemade sausage
and peppers or the Vanwall Special
topped with local white shrimp. 451
King St.; 843-720-8787; monzapizza.com
Recommended by Sid Evans, editor of
Garden & Gun magazine
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Alley Cat, a longtime favorite with
Manchester pizza lovers, offers large
New York-style pies with a tasty,
chewy crust and a rich, flavorful
sauce with chunks of sweet tomato.
486 Chestnut St.; 603-669-4533;
alleycatpizzerianh.com
New Jersey
De Lorenzo’s Tomato Pies in Robbinsville makes extraordinarily elegant
pizza: thin-crusted with a web of
cheese, topped with hand-crushed
tomatoes and, if you like, clumps of
fennel-laced sweet Italian sausage.
2350 Highway 33; 609-341-8480;
delorenzostomatopies.com
New Mexico
Local foodies agree that Giovanni’s
Pizzeria in Albuquerque makes the best
pies: New York-style, thin-crust pizza
crispy with a blackened spot or two
and a good, yeasty taste. Green chile
shows up frequently as a topping.
921 San Pedro SE; 505-255-1233;
giovannispizzaalbuquerque.com
New York
From the floor-to-ceiling wood-burning
pizza oven to the chef and ingredients,
the secret sauce at Za’Za’ is its Italian
imports in Scarsdale. 753 Central Park
Ave.; 914-472-4005
North Carolina
In business for 20 years, Pepper’s Pizza
in Chapel Hill serves some of the best
pizza in the Triangle. What makes it so
special? The ingredients: hand-tossed
dough and homemade sauce. 107 E.
Franklin St.; 919-967-7766
34
USA TODAY THE BEST FAMILY VACATIONS North Dakota
Sammy’s Pizza and Restaurant in Fargo
has been satisfying locals for decades.
The crispy-thin crusts are cranked out
in the front window by an ancient pizza
crust-rolling machine. 301 Broadway N.;
701-235-5331
Ohio
“Brier Hill” pizza was born in
Youngstown, and Bruno Brothers
Pizza’s hand-tossed pie slathered
with tomato sauce and topped with
bell peppers and Romano cheese
is among the best. 8381 Market St.;
330-726-0055; 7401 Market St.; 330758-8045; brunobrotherspizza.com
South Dakota
Oklahoma
Tennessee
Sam & Ella’s Chicken Palace (say it
fast and get the joke) proves that
things are not always as they seem.
This Tahlequah eatery dishes out what
many consider the best pizza in the
state. Carrie Underwood was once a
waitress here! 419 N. Muskogee Ave.;
918-456-1411
Oregon
Nick’s Italian Cafe, a small-town temple
of regional Italian cooking tucked
into a historic McMinnville storefront
in Pinot Noir country, sweeps diners
away with its handcrafted, ever-soslightly charred authentically Italian
pies. 521 NE Third St.; 503-434-4471;
nicksitaliancafe.com
Pennsylvania
Jules Thin Crust Pizza in Doylestown
Charlie’s Pizza House in Yankton has
been serving up crusty, slow-baked
pies since 1959. A favorite of the local
college crowd is the “Festus” (named
for the Gunsmoke character), with
meatballs, jalapenos and sauerkraut.
804 Summit St.; 605-665-2212
Big Ed’s Pizza in Oak Ridge is a no-frills
kind of place where staffers toss the
dough high in the air and cut a
steaming pie with a sharp pair of
scissors. 1 Broadway; 865-482-4885
Texas
At Olivella’s in Dallas, a tiny spot next
to Southern Methodist University,
you can get a delicious wood-oven
pizza. Prices can be a smidge high,
but happy-hour deals mean you can
get Neapolitan-style, crispy-crust
pies for a bargain in midafternoon.
3406 McFarlin Blvd.; 214-528-7070;
olivellas.com
Utah
The chef-owners of Pizzeria 712 met
while cooking at Robert Redford’s
Sundance Resort and maintained
their high-quality standards when
they opened this tiny place in Orem.
320 S. State St.; 801-623-6712
Vermont
American Flatbread in Waitsfield
is not your average pizza joint. The
dough is baked in a wood-fired
oven built from stone and clay and
topped with ingredients sourced
from nearby farmers and food
producers. 46 Lareau Rd.; 802-4968856; americanflatbread.com
Virginia
Homemade dough, a perfect combination of sauce and spices, and a
near endless list of toppings make
Crozet Pizza in Crozet (15 miles west
of Charlottesville) a destination for
pie lovers. 5794 Three Notch’d Rd.;
434-823-2132; crozetpizza.net
Washington
Serious Pie is a place to rub elbows
with fellow Seattle diners while
eating artisanal, hand-shaped oblong
pies made with local ingredients and
cooked in an applewood-burning oven.
The guanciale (house-cured Italian
bacon) with baby arugula and soft,
runny eggs is a favorite. 316 Virginia
St.; 206-838-7388; tomdouglas.com/
restaurants/serious-pie
West Virginia
Sirianni’s Cafe in Davis, in the
Allegheny Mountains, is packed with
mountain bikers or skiers hankering
for a homemade pie topped with
fresh ingredients. Sirianni’s doesn’t
take plastic, so bring cash. 474
William Ave.; 304-259-5454
Wisconsin
A talented Serbian-Irish couple play
hard to get in Milton (pop. 5,100)
by opening the doors of Georgio’s
for only two or three hours a day.
Arrive after 7:30 p.m., and you might
not get to eat. 301 Parkview Dr.;
608-868-4872
Wyoming
The small ranching community
of Lusk in eastern Wyoming has
become a hot spot for travelers and
locals, thanks to The Pizza Place.
People will drive 50 to 60 miles one
way to savor pizza with homemade
barbecued pork. 218 South Main St.;
307-334-3000
51
GREAT BURGER
JOINTS
Few national dishes satisfy like a wellmade hamburger. We asked local experts
to name one great hamburger joint in
each state and the District of Columbia.
Here are their picks for places to savor
that classic all-American sandwich.
Idaho
the letters DB. 120 N Leroux St.; 928-7743274; diabloburger.com
Hudson’s in Coeur d’Alene is a counteronly diner that serves nothing but
hamburgers. Singles or doubles are
hand-formed and cooked to supreme
juiciness, then topped with just-sliced
pickle disks and hoops of onion and
homemade hot sauce. 207 Sherman
Ave.; 208-664-5444
Arkansas
The signature “Hubcap Burger”from
Cotham’s Mercantile in Scott is 17
ounces of fresh chuck, made to order
and cooked on a flattop grill. 5301
Highway 161; 501-961-9284; cothams.com
California
Illinois
Umami means“savory”in Japanese, and
its complex flavor comes from glutamate
and other natural food elements. You’ll
find that special flavor at Umami Burger in
Los Angeles. 850 S La Brea Ave.; 323-9313000, umamiburger.com
Callaghan’s Irish Social Club, a ’40s
pub-turned-restaurant in Mobile, came
up with its signature “L.A. burger”
(as in Lower Alabama): spicy Conecuh
pork sausage is mixed into beef patties
and dressed with pepperjack cheese,
spicy mustard and coleslaw to cool it
all off. 916 Charleston St.; 251-433-9374;
callaghansirishsocialclub.com
Colorado
The burgers at Park Burger in Denver are made of fresh Angus beef,
come in three sizes, and are cooked to
your desired temperature. They’re served
on a griddle-warmed potato bun with
a variety of toppings. 1890 S. Pearl St.;
720-242-9951; parkburger.com
At Kuma’s Corner in Chicago’s
Avondale neighborhood, where
the pounding heavy-metal music
is as unremitting as the lines, the
high-quality beef and chewy pretzel
rolls are what make the burgers special.
2900 W. Belmont Ave.; 773-6048769; kumascorner.com
North Wilmington. 2600 Concord Pike;
302-478-2165; charcoalpit.net
Alaska
Connecticut
District of Columbia
At the two Arctic Roadrunner locations in
Anchorage, tuck into the Kodiak Islander,
a quarter-pound patty with green chile
pepper and half slices of bologna, salami,
ham and melted American and mozzarella cheese. 2477 Arctic Blvd.; 907-2797311; 5300 Old Seward Hwy.; 907-561-1245
The steamed cheeseburger is a dish
virtually unknown outside a few towns in
central Connecticut. At Ted’s Restaurant
in Meriden, the fresh ground beef is
cooked in one drawer of a large metal
steam cabinet while the cheese gets the
same treatment in another. 1046 Broad
St.; 203-237-6660; tedsrestaurant.com
You won’t find burgers on the menu at
Triple XXX Family Restaurant. The owners of this West Lafayette joint prefer
the term “chop steaks” because they
use 100 percent fresh top-choice sirloin.
State Road 26 W and Salisbury; 765743-5373; triplexxxfamilyrestaurant.com
Arizona
Delaware
Alabama
The beef served up at Diablo Burger in
Flagstaff is grass-fed and hormone-free
from a ranch just 40 miles away. Burgers
come on an English muffin branded with
Vice President Biden’s go-to spot for
burgers, the Charcoal Pit flips its juicy,
charbroiled quarter- and half-pounders
according to a secret family recipe in
Five Star Burgers in Taos and Albuquerque has “gone
green” by using hormone- and antibiotic-free Angus
beef. Its Southwest-style toppings (below) zing!
Indiana
At Black & Orange Burger, the patties are
grilled over mesquite and set on brioche
buns. Try the eatery’s namesake burger,
seasoned with cilantro and chipotles.
1300 Connecticut Ave. N.W.; 202-2962242; aburgergrillingcompany.com
Florida
Father-and-son team Big Ray and T-Ray
Mullis run the busiest faux Exxon gasoline station on Amelia Island. Open the
door and the smell of burgers sizzling on
the grill welcomes you to T-Ray’s Burger
Station, famous for its $3.25 burgers. 202
S. 8th St.; 904-261-6310
Georgia
Iowa
Django, a French brasserie in
downtown Des Moines, serves one
of the state’s best burgers: Le
Cheeseburger. The beef is juicy, the
bun fresh-baked and the toppings
crisp. 210 10th St.; 515-288-0268;
djangodesmoines.com
Kansas
The Cozy Inn, in business for 80-plus
years, has a cult following for its oneounce 85-cent burgers and classic
1920s diner atmosphere in Salina. 108 N.
7th St.; 785-825-2699; cozyburger.com
Georgia Brown opened the historic Collegiate Grill in 1947 in downtown Gainesville. Customers enjoy freshly prepared
burgers, dogs and shakes in a 1940s
setting. 220 Main St. SW; 678-989-2280;
thecollegiategrill.com
Kentucky
Hawaii
The Judice Inn in Lafayette, handbuilt by two brothers after World
War II, remains family-owned to this
day. Their key to success: building a
burger and “secret sauce” suited to
the unique taste buds of Southwest
Louisiana Cajuns, with seasonings
that are full-flavored without being
hot. 3134 Johnston St.; 337-984-5614;
judiceinn.com
On the Big Island, Village Burger Kamuela
at Parker Ranch Center in Waimea is
the spot for grass-fed, pasture-raised,
ground-fresh-daily Big Island beef
burgers topped with just-picked,
Waimea-grown veggies in a
brioche bun. 67-1185 Mamalahoa
Hwy.; 808 885-7319; villageburgerwaimea.com
Tolly-Ho, near the University of Kentucky
in Lexington, has been an around-theclock tradition since 1971. 606 S. Broadway; 859-253-2007; tollyho.com
Louisiana
THE BEST FAMILY VACATIONS USA TODAY 35
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Pit Stops
The Big Okie burger
pushes gut-busting
limits with four, quarterpound patties on a bun
at Hank’s Hamburgers in
Tulsa, Okla.
Fred’s Texas Cafe in Fort
Worth has a greasy-spoon
look. But they clean up with
their fabulous burgers.
➔
Maine
In Brunswick, you’ll find an old-school,
drive-in burger joint oozing nostalgia.
Fat Boy Drive In is the real deal, no
ersatz Happy Days remake. The serving
tray gets clipped to the driver’s side
window. 111 Bath Road; 207-729-9431
Maryland
Baltimore’s The Abbey Burger Bistro
has a patty for every taste: Black
Angus beef, bison, lamb, ostrich and
turkey. 1041 Marshall St.; 443-4539698; abbeyburgerbistro.com
Massachusetts
Northampton is a funky, earnest college town. So it makes sense that Local
Burger and Fries offers patties made
of grass-fed beef, locally sourced when
possible, as well as farm-fresh veggies
in season. 16 Main St.; 413-586-5857;
localnorthampton.com
Michigan
A meat-cleaver door handle opens to
the Cottage Bar and Restaurant, an
83-year-old Grand Rapids institution
that crafts old-school hamburgers. The
Cottage Burger, nestled in a rye bun
and dripping with American and Swiss
cheese, chopped olives, lettuce, tomato
and handcrafted smoky mayonnaise, is
the showstopper. 18 Lagrave Ave. SE;
616-454-9088; cottagebar.biz
36
USA TODAY THE BEST FAMILY VACATIONS Minnesota
If Minnesota has a state burger, it’s the
Jucy Lucy, a molten cheese-stuffed favorite born of the taverns of South Minneapolis. Today, serious burger lovers flock to
Casper & Runyon’s Nook in St. Paul for a
modern, gourmet Jucy update. 492 Hamline Ave. S; 651-698-4347; crnook.com
Mississippi
Shrimp and oyster po’ boy sandwiches
were standard fare at the Blow Fly Inn
in Gulfport until a customer requested
one made with ground beef. And so
the Hamburger Po’ Boy was born: two
grilled ground chuck patties on a 9-inch
loaf of real New Orleans French bread.
1201 Washington Ave.; 228-896-9812;
blowflyinn.com
Missouri
Schindler’s Tavern in the hamlet of New
Hamburg, southwest of Cape Girardeau,
tops its handmade patties with a slice
of fried bologna and smothered with
grilled onions. 1029 State Highway A;
573-545-3709
Montana
The signature burgers at the Hateful
Hamburger in Gardiner come in beef, elk
or bison. The burgers got their nickname
after a tourist wrote to the local paper
complaining about surly service. But
they’ve been in business since the ’60s, so,
obviously, they’re doing something right.
711 Scott St. W; 406-848-7627
Nebraska
Bring your scale to Bob’s Bar in
Martinsburg, where Bob serves up
hamburgers that weigh nearly a pound.
If you order fries, they’ll be a pound,
too. 5205 Main St.; 402-945-2995
Nevada
The Awful Awful Burger has had many
imitators since it first slid off the grill at
the Little Nugget Diner in Reno in the
early ’50s. But it’s still considered “awful
big, awful good” by fans at the original
greasy spoon. It’s a half-pound of beef
topped with cheese, lettuce, tomato,
red onion and special Awful Awful
sauce on an onion bun. 233 N. Virginia St.;
775-323-0716
New Hampshire
The Barley House is a favorite in Concord not just for its burger varieties
(including bison and black bean), but
specifically for its beef Dublin Burger,
covered with whiskey gravy and blue
cheese and topped with crispy, thinsliced deep-fried onions. 132 N. Main St.;
603-228-6363; thebarleyhouse.com
New Jersey
At White Manna in Hackensack, the cook
smooshes small balls of freshly ground
chuck onto a hot griddle and adds fistfuls of thin-sliced onions. He flips them,
adds squares of cheese and crowns each
smothered micro cheeseburger with the
top of a soft potato roll to sponge up
savory juices. 358 River St.; 201-342-0914
New Mexico
When you talk burgers in New Mexico,
you’re talking green chile cheeseburgers.
But what distinguishes 5 Star
Burgers, with restaurants in Taos and
Albuquerque, is quality – hormoneand antibiotic-free Black Angus beef
is ground fresh daily and cooked to
order. 5901 Wyoming Blvd. NE,
Albuquerque; 505-821-1909; and
1032 Paseo Del Pueblo Sur, Taos;
575-758-8484; 5starburgers.com
New York
Tom Wahl’s in Avon has been a family
tradition for upstate New Yorkers since
1955. People drive from all over for the
juicy burgers, crispy fries and legendary
handcrafted root beer. 283 E. Main St.;
585-226-2420; tomwahls.com
North Carolina
At Char-Grill in Raleigh, guests place
custom orders on long, skinny order
sheets, slide them through a slot in the
window and watch their burgers sizzle
on a charcoal grill. 618 Hillsborough St.;
919-821-7636; chargrillusa.com.
At Baltimore’s The Abbey
Burger Bistro, your patty
choices include ostrich, bison,
lamb and turkey as well as beef.
North Dakota
With barstool seating for only 24 people,
JL Beers brings a big-city pub feel to downtown Fargo. Tuck into a half-dozen kinds of
burgers, including the Humpty Dumpty with
fried egg and cheese, and a lineup of beers.
518 1st Ave. N.; 701-492-3377; jlbeers.com
Ohio
Since 1926, generations of burger buffs
have flocked to Zip’s Cafe, a casual
burger joint and bar in Cincinnati’s
Mount Lookout Square. 1036 Delta
Ave.; 513-871-9876; zipscafe.com
Oklahoma
Tulsans including singer Waylon Jennings have been getting their burger
fixes at Hank’s Hamburgers for more
than 60 years. The gut-busting Big Okie
Burger is four quarter-pound patties,
four slices of cheese plus all the fixings.
8933 East Admiral Place; 918-832-1509;
hankshamburgers.com
Oregon
The Country Cat Heritage Burger in
Portland begins life as 6 ounces of USDA
prime grass-fed beef, custom-cooked
and capped with pan-melted jack
cheese, shredded romaine lettuce and
lively garlic aioli, then sandwiched inside
a toasted French onion bun baked daily
on site. 7937 Southeast Stark St.; 503408-1414; thecountrycat.net
Pennsylvania
In the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch
Country, DJ’s Taste of the ’50s in Lancaster
serves tried-and-true burgers, fries and
shakes. 2410 Old Philadelphia Pike;
717-509-5050; countrylivinginn.com
Rhode Island
With an all-American menu of burgers, fries
and shakes, Stanley’s Famous Hamburgers
in Central Falls feels like being embraced
in a big, happy hug. 535 Dexter St.;
401-726-9689; stanleyshamburgers.com
in Nashville is based on “thoughtful
consumerism.” 2901 12th Ave. South;
615-279-3767; burger-up.com
Texas
Fred’s Texas Cafe in Fort Worth is a
complete dive, but the burgers are wonderful. The specialty is the Diablo Burger
topped with chopped chipotle chiles,
grilled onions and Swiss cheese. 915 Currie St.; 817-332-0083; fredstexascafe.com
Utah
You don’t have to be a Clemson Tigers
fan to appreciate the burgers at Mac’s
Drive In in Clemson. Old sports photos
adorn the walls of this ’50s-style diner,
famous for its sweet tea, milkshakes
and simple, delectable burgers. 404
Pendleton Rd.; 864-654-2845
Hi-Mountain Drug’s lunch-counter burger
in Kamas makes you proud to be an
American, if only because we came
up with a national food this good. No
designer beef, no heirloom tomatoes,
just a beef patty formed with a light
touch, cooked until pink in the middle
and cuddled up in a toasted bun. 40 N.
Main St.; 435-783-4466
South Dakota
Vermont
South Carolina
They still fry burgers the way Harold
Niklason did – on a flat griddle – when
he opened Nick’s Hamburger Shop in
Brookings in 1929. Customers buy them
by the bag to go, or sit on stools around
a retro lunch counter. 427 Main Ave.;
605-692-4324; nickshamburgers.com
Tennessee
Known for local beef and organic fare
from area farms, the new Burger Up
Located in a former McDonald’s, The Farmhouse Tap & Grill in Burlington offers five
kinds of“localvore”burgers: grass-fed beef,
pastured pork, soy, turkey and portobello
white bean with plenty of optional toppings (artisan cheeses, house-made pickles, runny sunny-side-up eggs). 160 Bank
St.; 802-859-0888; farmhousetg.com
Virginia
Ray’s to the Third in Arlington special-
izes in juicy, 10-ounce burgers and
presidential visits. President Obama
has visited the former location twice for
lunch. 1650 Wilson Blvd.; 703-841-0001
Washington
Pick-Quick Drive In in Fife is the place to
visit when you want the whole package:
cooked-to-order burgers, greasy-in-agood-way fries and thick milkshakes,
some made with seasonal fruit. 4306
Pacific Highway East; 253-922-5599;
pickquick.org
West Virginia
Fat Patty’s in Huntington offers 17
scrumptious varieties, including the
garlic-laden Vampire Killer and the Luau
Cow with ham, pineapple, provolone
cheese and honey mustard. 1935 3rd
Ave; 304-781-2555; fatpattysonline.com
Wisconsin
For some customers, going to MickeyLu-Bar-B-Q in Marinette is a fourgeneration rite of passage. The simple
joint with neon lights and a charcoalflame grill has satisfied burger lovers since
1942. 1710 Marinette Ave.; 715-735-7721
Wyoming
The Bird in Jackson has burgers worth
going out of your way for – amazing
beef, great toppings and awesome fries.
425 S. Pub Place; 307-732-2473
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