While the North Shore is rightly famous for its seafood, it is also blessed with an abundance of good old-fashioned American burger joints. Forget the fast food, these ten burgers-hot off the griddle and made with heart-are fit for royalty. By Anna and David Kasabian Photographs by Glenn Scott Styling by Maria del Mar Sacasa
Daily Harvest Cafe
Daily Harvest Cafe
Danvers Surrounded by strip malls and bleak parking lots, the three-year-old Daily Harvest Cafe is a pleasant surprise on Route 35. Step inside and you are transported away from the humdrum to a warm and friendly combination of old-fashioned bakery, neighborhood coffee shop, and country-chic cafe. Wood floors, bead board, country design accents, and bright copper-top tables add to the cozy atmosphere. The Burger: Bronto Bacon Burger ($7.99). The Beef: Eight ounces of Angus. The Bun: House-baked bulkie. The Toppings: Caramelized onions, Vermont cheddar cheese, applewood bacon, lettuce, tomato, and BBQ sauce. The Fries: No French fries here, but we did taste the home fries ($1.99). The Vibe: What a happy, light-filled, cheery place this is! It appears that everybody-staff and customers alike-is having a good time. 103 High Street, Route 35, Danvers, 978-777-4123, dailyharvestcafe.com.
Â
Dotty & Ray’s Lunch
Dotty & Ray’s Lunch
Salem To get to this spot, head straight out of Salem on Route 114, but go slowly. You’ll have to look for it, but it’s there, on the right, exactly where it has been since 1958. And looking pretty much the same today as it did when George and Pauline Marcos bought the place 30 years ago. That’s back when “high quality” and “hand-made” weren’t just marketing slogans but the norm. At Dotty & Ray’s, that hasn’t changed, either. The Burger: Cheeseburger Club ($6.50). The Beef: Six ounces of top round, freshly trimmed and ground by George three times a week. The Bun: In this case, three slices of toasted deli white (wheat and pumpernickel are also available) for building the club sandwich. The Toppings: American cheese, bacon, tomato, lettuce, and mayo. The Fries: Straight-ahead, standard American French fries that are nicely cooked and definitely worth the calories. The Vibe: Make no mistake-this place is a no-frills, deeply planted, honest-to-goodness neighborhood joint that we should feel privileged to know about. 112 North Street, Salem, 978-744-9730, dottyandrays.com.Â
Â
The Farm Downtown
The Farm Downtown
Beverly With
The Farm Downtown
(a recently established outpost of The Farm Bar & Grill in Essex), Noah Goldstein and partners have found a need and fulfilled it. Specifically, to satisfy our hankering for authentic, fresh, handmade burgers that are fast, affordable, and fabulous. Plus, they’re open Thursday through Saturday until 2 a.m.! The Burger: Junior Burger with Mushrooms ($4.50) and “Fries Your Way!” ($2.50). The Beef: Four ounces of griddle-cooked Angus. The Bun: Very fresh, American-standard burger bun. The Toppings: Mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, and Route 22 Sauce (their name for mayo-and-ketchup Fancy Sauce). The Fries: An ample portion of sweet, hand-cut spuds, skins on, nicely crisped, seasoned with salt and pepper. The Vibe: Sub-shop chic with woody tones, limited seating, and a welcome sense of urgency to get your burger in your hands as fast as possible. 350 Rantoul Street, Beverly, 978-922-0011, farmdowntown.com.Â
The Old SpotÂ
Salem Brendon Crocker of Beverly’s esteemed Wild Horse Cafe has created a pleasingly credible replica of a bona fide British pub, made a tad more convincing by its ancient-looking spotted pig logo and mascot. He has also created a heck of a genuine American burger. The Burger: Cheeseburger ($9.75). The Beef: Angus chuck, 80 percent lean. The Bun: 4.5-inch split-top with cornmeal, which lends the burger a little texture and a richer savory taste. The Toppings: Swiss cheese, tomato, “Special Sauce” (a.k.a Fancy Sauce). The Fries: Proficiently prepared standard issue 3/8-inch shoestrings. The Vibe: Warm, worn, welcoming, and sincere. You’ll feel like a regular your first time in. 121 Essex Street, Salem, 978-745-5656, theoldspot.com.
Â
Beach Street Cafe
Beach Street Cafe
Manchester-by-the-Sea Bob and Tracey Atwater bought the place in 1984 and have since firmly established
Beach Street Cafe
as the quintessential small-town eatery. Come here for the authentic charm, the fabulous staff, and-among many other commendable dishes-the cheeseburger we adore. the burger: Cheeseburger ($4.50), side of French fries ($2.50). the beef: Five ounces of 85 percent ground beef, trimmed and custom-ground daily in the Crosby’s Supermarket butcher shop across the street. the bun: Bob calls it a 3-D seed bun, which is square, not round. As far as buns go, it’s a style typically found around roast beef sandwiches rather than burgers, but it works brilliantly here. the toppings: Swiss cheese, tomato, and dill pickle chips. the fries: Standard shoestring potatoes, but done with skill. the vibe: A bustling village meeting place for a cross section of the town’s seniors, school kids, lobstermen, landscapers, lunching ladies, moms with toddlers, and guys wearing ties. Tracey’s delightful paintings adorn the walls, while gulls glide over Manchester Harbor, visible through the window. Commuter trains groan in and out of the village on tracks just feet away. 35 Beach Street, Manchester-by-the-Sea, 978-526-8049. ÂÂ
15 Walnut
15 Walnut
South Hamilton The recent and dramatic expansion of the bar and dining area of this near-landmark establishment is testament to just how right Chef Sam Hunt and the whole team at
15 Walnut
got it from the start, which was just two years ago. Like so much else that comes out of the kitchen here, the15 Walnut
Burger shows Hunt’s devotion to quality ingredients and careful preparation, which, in our estimation, underpin the restaurant’s success. The Burger:15 Walnut
Burger ($10). The Beef: Eight ounces of char-grilled chuck. The Bun: The richly flavored bun of brioche-the classic French bread enriched with eggs, butter, and milk-sets this burger apart. The Toppings: Caramelized onions, Vermont cheddar, and house-cured bacon. The Fries: Perfectly browned and crispy hand-cut shoestrings. The Vibe: Crisp, airy, and woodsy with an almost California wine country feel; just right for this upscale suburban setting and its smartly dressed natives.15 Walnut
Road, South Hamilton, 978-468-2400, 15walnut.com.ÂÂ
Passports
Passports
Gloucester After 16 years in the heart of downtown Gloucester,
Passports
is not just a landmark; it’s an enduring symbol of Gloucester’s economic and cultural revival. Make no mistake; these folks do food right, including their signature burger, a longtimePassports
staple. The Burger: Burger du Jour ($9). The Beef: Eight ounces of char-grilled Angus. The Bun: An outstanding, fresh-baked-daily, sesame-topped St. Joseph’s roll from the legendary Vergilio’s bakery just down the street. The Toppings: Tomato, lettuce, and a touch of thinly sliced red onion. It’s simple, so the grilled beef flavor really comes through. The Fries: The thick-sliced and deep-fried Red Bliss potatoes are full of rich potato flavor, but they’re not your regular-cut French fries, which is okay for a change. The Vibe: Casual European-style storefront cafe atmosphere with lots of local art on the walls, liberal portions on the plates, and smart service all around. 110 Main Street, Gloucester, 978-281-3680, passportsrestaurant.wordpress.com.ÂAle House
Amesbury If you enjoy a pint or two with your burger, this is your kind of place. With 31 quality beers on tap, from the everyday to the exotic, and literally scores of bottled brew from every corner of the planet, Ale House earns it name. Once your burger is cooked and assembled, it’s buttered and griddled à la a grilled cheese sandwich, so the bread is crispy and the cheese oozy. The Burger: Patty Melt with Cherry Wood Bacon ($10). The Beef: 10 ounces ultra-lean (90 percent) house-ground Angus. The Bun: Not a bun at all-rather, two slices of tasty Italian bread. The Toppings: Swiss cheese, caramelized onions, and cherrywood bacon. The Fries: Hand-cut twice-fried Ale House Belgian-style frites, reportedly fried in lard. The Vibe: Expansive, woody room with a substantial bar, roomy booths, enthusiastic staff, and all the other makings of a great night out. 33 Main Street, Amesbury, 978-388-1950, amesburyalehouse.com.
Â
The Grog
The Grog
Newburyport Chef and owner Patrick O’Neil is proud of his restaurant, a Newburyport fixture for more than 40 years, and, in particular, of the dish he calls “my burger!” Considering the result, fussing over his burgers as he does seems worth it. Like the way he super-heats a small pan, then places it on top of a burger cooking on the grill, searing it on both sides at once. Or the way he puts a subtle, smoky scent on the bun by toasting it on the grill. The Burger:
The Grog
Burger ($7.95). The Beef: Eight ounces of char-grilled 81 percent Black Angus sirloin. The Bun: Split-top deli roll, toasted on the grill. The Toppings: Wisconsin bleu cheese, mushrooms sauteed in garlic-parsley butter, lettuce, tomato, and garlic-dill pickle chips. The Fries: Larger plank-cut potatoes, “because they hold the heat and the ketchup,” says O’Neil. The Vibe: “Ould Newburyport” personified, with magnificently worn-in wood floors and fixtures and a half-century-old nautical ambiance that’s cozy and real. 13 Middle Street, Newburyport, 978-465-8008, thegrog.com.
Bradford Tavern
Bradford Tavern
Rowley As long-time North Shore residents, we’ve watched this location open and close a number of times, as one restaurateur after another tried to crack the code for what is obviously a tricky market. After opening up just last October, these folks-the same ones who operate Sylvan Street Grilles in Peabody and Salisbury-just might have done it. Judging from the number of smiling faces in the dining room, folks around here seem to like Chef Mike Clukey’s honest and exuberant American tavern fare just fine. We sure liked the burger. The Burger: Smokehouse BBQ Burger ($8.99). The Beef: Eight ounces char-grilled, 80 percent lean Angus. The Bun: A substantial and tasty item Chef Clukey calls a “cross-knotted seeded roll.” The Toppings: Caramelized onions, cheddar cheese, bacon, and
Bradford Tavern
‘s Special BBQ Sauce. The Fries: Fresh-cut shoestrings with the chef’s mild fry seasoning. The Vibe: Bustling, full-service casual dining with patrons of every age and description giving it an upbeat neighborhood feel. 87 Haverhill Street, Rowley, 978-948-3657, bradfordtavern.com.