Top Creative Burgers In Philadelphia
Whether serving up one patty or two, burgers can be fried, grilled, smoked, barbecued and broiled. They're molded into a a variety of shapes and sizes, crafted from meat, poultry, veggies and even fish. This quintessential, all-American dish is also an all-around favorite of the masses, and can be found tucked into the culinary line-up of many a restaurant menu. Improving one's palate when it comes to burger sampling is, for some, a life-long quest. But no worries -- Philadelphia, home to some of the best and most creative burger masters around, is a great place to fine-tune those taste buds.
Misconduct Tavern
1511 Locust St.
Philadelphia, PA 19102
(215) 732-5797
www.misconduct-tavern.com
Head over to the Misconduct Tavern for classic with a twist of fun. This venue's namesake burger is beef, but it's anything but simple. The patty, hand-crafted to order from prime Angus beef, sits on a challah roll, and the toppings are served up raw, fried or caramelized. Expect toppings of lettuce, tomato, pickles, ketchup and mustard too.
Opa
1311 Sansom St.
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 545-0170
www.opaphiladelphia.com
Opa is nestled in Philadelphia's hip Midtown Village. Open for lunch Monday through Friday, Opa serves dinner seven days a week. With a beer garden out back, this hip Greek restaurant, open late until 2 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, serves up its fair share of gyros and flatbreads, Opa is also becoming well-known for its sumptuous burger, the Bifteki Se Psomi – a patty made entirely of locally raised, grass-fed beef, stuffed with savory feta and topped tomato, onion and cucumber relish.
PYT
1050 N. Hancock St.
Philadelphia, PA 19123
(215) 964-9009
www.pytphilly.com
Northern Liberties' PYT is known throughout Philly and beyond for serving up uniquely delicious, one-of-a kind burgers. Here, it's a coin toss as to which are more creative: the burgers or the buns they're put on! No run-of-the-mill bun will ever do again once you've had your burger served up on donuts, pretzel buns, deep-fried Twinkies or even the ultimate blend of All-American meets Americana: a PB&J bun. Burgers at this quirky spot range from the traditional all-beef cheeseburger to chicken, turkey, white bean or lobster and crab patties, and may be topped with a variety of cheeses and other complimentary add-ons and condiments, even chocolate-covered bacon!
Sketch Burger
413 E. Girard Ave.
Philadelphia, PA 19125
(215) 634-3466
www.sketch-burger.com
Sketch Burger in Philly's Fishtown neighborhood is all about the art. From the walls that surround your table to the food decorating your plate, art abounds at Sketch. Diners can nosh on a number of innovative burgers made from bison, lamb, tofu or veggies – even Kobe beef. Patrons of Sketch will find that all their toppings are be made from scratch using local ingredients, the owner told CBS in an interview last year.
Related: Fishtown Eatery Named Philadelphia's Best Spot For Burgers
Village Whiskey
118 S. 20th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 665-1088
www.villagewhiskey.com
Village Whiskey's Iron Chef-inspired burger, created by Philly chef Jose Garces, takes pub food to a new level. Sustainable farm-raised Angus burgers are topped with a variety of delightful toppings such as truffled mushrooms, horseradish crab salad, Rogue smoky bleu cheese and even spicy cucumber aioli. For the ultimate burger fan, the foie gras-topped burger, served up with maple bourbon-glazed cipollini, rogue bleu cheese and applewood bacon – aka the Whiskey King Burger – is a must. Open seven days a week, Village Whiskey serves lunch and dinner daily, with a special late night menu and brunch on the weekends.
Related: Top Burger Joints In Philadelphia
Christy Ayala covers sports, recreation, the outdoors, and leisure activities in the Philadelphia area. She earned a masters degree in recreation administration from George Williams College and managed programs in the Midwest, Hawaii, and Pennsylvania. Her work can be found on Examiner.com.
