By Caroline Grogan By Caroline Grogan | October 19, 2021 | Food & Drink
There’s no other food that captures the essence of childhood nostalgia and long summer days quite like a burger. For New Yorkers craving this American delicacy, downtown Manhattan is becoming a one-stop destination for the best burger joints New York City has to offer.
See also: 6 Spooky Halloween Treat Recipes From Chef Jason Goldstein
88 West Houston St / Website
You may know Morgenstern’s for their ice cream treats, but owner and pastry chef Nicholas Morgenstern is also a recent pioneer of the downtown burger craze with his new smash burger menu. Burger offerings include an all-American burger, bistro burger, buffalo burger, pork teriyaki burger and cheezy sauce burger as well as a classic hamburger and cheeseburger. Since it isn’t a burger without fries, Morgenstern’s also offers five varieties of french fries including classic, garlic, flaming hot, ranch and VIP.
430 E 9th St / Website
Walk down 9th Street near Tompkins Square Park during the late afternoon or evening and you’ll likely see a line stretching down the block. It’s not for a pop-up shop or hot new concert, though. This line is for Superiority Burger’s decidedly delicious vegan eats. Whether you opt for this cult-favorite restaurant’s classic veggie burger or branch out at try the faux Sloppy Joe or . While Superiority Burger is known for its small venue, the restaurant plans to move around the corner to 119 Avenue A, the former location of Odessa.
91 E 7th St / Website
Newcomer 7th Street Burger is keeping it simple: the menu consists only of a cheeseburger, double cheeseburger, Impossible burger and fries. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it, right? The gloriously greasy burger is complemented by a thin bun, gooey yellow American, lightly sauteed onions and mustard. This burger’s simplicity means it’s all about the beef, and I’m not mad about it.
507 E 6th St / Website
Head to Nowon, East Village’s trendy restaurant from Chef Jae Lee, for fresh Korean-American cuisine in a cozy setting with a hip-hop flair that keeps diners entertained until late at night. Born from Chef Lee’s buzzy 2019 pop-up restaurant that generated lines out the door, Nowon’s kimchi mayo burger is droolworthy. The burger consists of two Pat LaFrieda meat patties, American cheese, dill pickles and to-die-for homemade kimchi mayo sauce all sandwiched between two sesame buns.
516 Hudson St / Website
Daisies joined the ranks of downtown burger joints in September of 2021 and is already making a name for itself with three towering burger options and side dishes including fried cauliflower and (of course!) french fries. In addition to the cheeseburger, which comes piled high with pickles, tomatoes, lettuce, red onions and relish, Daisies offers a bacon burger and the “fancy b,” a burger elevated with truffle mayo and gruyere cheese.
115 Delancey St / Website
Burger counter Mighties, an offshoot of Ends Meat butcher shop, recently opened in Market Line beneath Essex Market. While the menu is sparse with only two burgers and one hot dog available regularly, Mighties makes up in flavor what it lacks in variety. The eponymous Mighties burger consists of a two-patty burger on a sesame seed bun topped with raw onions, American cheese and a housemade sauce with notes of mustard. Order a side of their flavorful, skin-on fries to really seal the deal.
Multiple NYC Locations / Website
While everything on the menu at Ruby’ is crave-worthy, their wide selection of burgers is particularly incredible. From the Bronte Burger, a classic beef patty elevated with sweet chili, to the fried chicken burger, you can’t go wrong. The best, however, is the Whaley’s, an Australian-style burger topped with tomato, lettuce, beet, pineapple, fried egg and ketchup. Trust us, it’s to die for.
Photography by: Morgenstern's Finest Ice Cream
