Five Favorite burgers in Alamance County: Teens & 20s writer does a taste test
By Cham
~First published in the Burlington Times-News, section A10
Alamance is well-known for its burgers, and I’ve been traveling all over the county to bring you the cream of the crop. How do you decide which one is best? After visiting more than 20 local restaurants, I can tell you from experience that this is a daunting challenge.
Regardless of whether they’re cooked on a grill or griddle, every great burger has three key characteristics in common — they are flavorful, juicy and tender. Once these qualifications have been met, the rest is up to personal preference. Brioche bun vs. Kaiser roll, with or without tomato, lettuce, onion, and bacon, and cheeseburger or plain — the combinations are limitless.
After visiting restaurants across the county, following (in alphabetical order) are my favorite five burgers:
da Vinci’s Table
www.davincistable.com
336–270–6503
2260 South Church Street, Burlington
Delicious Italian and American food and excellent service, in a sophisticated yet cozy atmosphere.
Recommend the Gourmet Burger — Angus beef blend of chuck and short rib served with Cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion and crinkle-cut fries or a house salad.
Saxapahaw General Store
saxgenstore.com
336–376–5332
1735 Saxapahaw-Bethlehem Church Road, Saxapahaw
Food consciously selected, locally grown & lovingly prepared in a 5-star gas station.
Recommend the Applewood Bacon Blue Cheese Burger — 1/3 pound beef patty, BBQ sauce, blue cheese, applewood bacon, and mixed greens — local beef served on a fresh baked, toasted English muffin.
Options include The Alec, The Bison, The Deluxe, The Farmhouse, The Goat, Hamburger, The Lamb, The Rico, and The Veggie served with choice of cheddar, Swiss, provolone or Manchego cheese, bacon, avocado and chili.
The Root Trackside
www.TheRootTrackside.com
336–792–1081
110 W. Lebanon Ave., Elon
Fresh, flavorful food made from scratch with quality ingredients by people passionate about good cooking
Recommend the Mozz Burger — fresh farm-raised mozzarella, basil aioli, and house-made oven-dried tomatoes with a hint of honey and fresh thyme served with lettuce — ask for added bacon and onion.
Options include The Fightin’ Christian, BBQ Bacon Cheddar, Root Burger, Shrimp and Scallop Burger, and Vegan Burger.
The Village Grill
www.BestFoodInTown.com
336–584–1497
580 Huffman Mill Road, Burlington
Recommend the Cheeseburger from Paradise — Black Angus chuck, cheddar and jack cheeses, lettuce and tomato on a Kaiser roll.
Options include local grass-fed beef when seasonally available.
Zack’s Hotdogs
www.ZacksHotdogs.com
336–226–4746
201 W. Davis St., Burlington
Hot dogs at their best since 1928
Recommend the All Beef Cheeseburger — an American classic.
Options include hamburgers, cheeseburgers and bacon cheeseburgers served with choice of slaw, onions, chili, mustard, lettuce and tomato.
