*Stacked Town — We couldn’t pick just one burger!
AJ’s Burgers
542 North Ave; 914.235.3009
Served with fresh-cut fries in a stainless-steel skillet, the JR. Club is a flattop seared classic with few frills. Bacon, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and American cheese are standard, but the kickers are the sweet, almost translucent caramelized onions and the house-baked pizza dough bun that’s light but stands up throughout the two-fisted eating process.
The Wooden Spoon
16 Division St; 914.278.943
Yes, the Grease Truck — loaded with tater tots, fried pickles, and cheese — is one of the most popular burgers here. But we were blown away by the pretty perfect, nostalgic Classic, a diminutive 6-oz patty, griddled on the flattop, cloaked in American cheese and finished with a smattering of translucent onions and pickle chips. Round out the retro vibe with a milkshake, float, or egg cream (and a pile of tater tots).
Smokehouse Tailgate Grill
587 North Ave; 914.813.8686
Also at 320 Mamaroneck Ave, Mamaroneck; 914.341.1655
Chef Anum Bandele created a burger reminiscent of a steak dinner with the Tomahawk. It starts with house-ground rib-eye steak, for optimal fattiness and rich beef flavor, finished off with funky Gorgonzola cheese sauce, mushroom-onion jam, and deep-fried onion straws that are piled high, for one of Westchester’s more decadent burger experiences.
Leno’s Clam Bar, aka Greasy Nick’s
755 Pelham Rd; 914.636.9869
There are no microbrews at this seasonal, cash-only gritty clam shack, but cans of Piels, Budweiser, PBR and the like in a dingy, white cooler before the nicked-up order-counter inside. So refinement it ain’t got, but a slamming roadside burger? Oh, yes. Griddled on a flattop and slapped onto on a buttery, grilled hard roll with a bit of chew, the skinny patties topped with bright yellow American cheese and griddled, soft onions are the definition of snack-bar food. Munch away on rickety picnic tables while salty sea air wafts by from the unseen-yet-nearby Long Island Sound. If you’re feeling extra-wicked, order corn on the cob with your burger, then dip into the accompanying puddle of melted margarine to really send your arteries off with a bang.
