Photo: Courtesy of 5 Leaves/Yelp.
"Best veggie burger is at Westville! No bun, plus mushrooms!" - Neha Gandhi, Executive Editor, Features
Westivlle, 173 Avenue A (at E. 11th Street); 212-677-2033.
"The Bacon Blue at Brooklyn Public is exactly what it sounds like — bacon on top, and the whole thing's dripping with blue cheese. I always have a hard time ordering here, because the regular burger comes with onion rings, but in the end I always come back to my beloved blue. Medium rare, of course!" - Lexi Nisita, News Editor
Brooklyn Public House, 247 Dekalb Avenue (at Vanderbilt Ave); 347-227-8976.
"The Shake Shack burger. I can't even speak its name without hearing my stomach grumble. It's jam packed with flavor and easy to eat, meaning you won't spill all over yourself. Pairs perfectly with cheese fries." - Annie Georgia Greenberg, New York Editor
Shake Shack, Southeast corner of Madison Square Park near Madison Avenue and E. 23rd Street; 212-889-6600.
"Champs vegan build-a-burger. I love it because you can have something different every single time. They've got all the fixins' — cheddar, avocado, chili — and you can make it a triple-decker for those days you really can't get enough. I cannot, for the life of me, remember what a real burger tastes like, but I would imagine this is pretty close." - Jill Meisner, Director of Public Relations
Champs, 176 Ainslie Street (at Leonard Street); no phone.
The Mercer Kitchen, 99 Prince Street (at Mercer Street); 212-966-5454.
"The Cadillac Smoked Bacon & Cheddar burger at P.J. Clarke's. It's awesome. Everything about this bar is classic NY: Founded in 1884, strong simple cocktails, waiters in dress shirts and black pants. - Jake McGraw, Director of Operations
P.J. Clarke's, 915 Third Avenue (at E. 55th Street); 212-317-1616.
"Five Leaves' Burger is phenom, and so stacked that you'd have to be a human-sized boa constrictor to eat it. Made Australian-style with a fried egg, beets, pineapple (I add cheddar too, since apparently a million ingredients isn't already enough), this is definitely worth the tummy ache afterward. Pro tip: Upgrade your side order of fries to the ones sprinkled with truffle oil." - Connie Wang, Senior Global Editor
5 Leaves, 18 Bedford Ave (at Lorimer Street); 718-383-5345.
"There are certain days when I just need a DuMont burger. I have a friend with whom I have regular dinner plans. We spend all day planning our quinoa salads, then he comes over and we each spend 20 minutes waiting for the other person to mention DuMont. It usually takes closer to five minutes. Then we eat burgers and watch Showgirls because YOLO." - Kelsey Miller, SEO Editor
Dumont Burger, 314 Bedford Avenue (between S. First and S. Second streets); 718-384-6127.
"I haven't even had one yet, but I know my favorite is the ramen burger." - Zooey Purdy, Innovation Engineer
Dassara, 271 Smith Street (at Degraw Street); 718-643-0781.
"The Shake Shack Shroom burger is naughtily delicious. It may be 90% cheese based and 10% fried portobello, but who cares? I DO NOT." - Kate Hyatt, Director of Production
Shake Shack, Southeast corner of Madison Square Park near Madison Avenue and E. 23rd Street; 212-889-6600.
"Lucky's Cheddar Burger! It's just pure beefy perfection, and I'm not even a fan of meat — not too big (I dislike huge burgers that are stuffed with toppings and I can't bite into), with a slightly spicy Lucky's sauce, and a fluffy potato bun. It's SO great." - Isabel Cafaro, Executive Assistant
Lucky's Famous Burgers,147 East Houston Street (at Eldridge Street); 212-254-4900.
"I don't care if you have to lie, cheat, or rescind your commitment to vegetarianism — the Black Label burger at Minetta Tavern is not an optional life experience. You'll understand as soon as you take your first bite into the fat, prime dry-aged beef patty topped with caramelized onions and a steady drizzle of clarified butter, all sandwiched inside a rich, brioche bun. Yes, it costs $26. Yes, cheese is extra. And no, it is not easy to get a seat inside the cozy, Greenwich Village bistro. Afterwards, maybe you'll never have to do it again. Or maybe, just maybe you'll find the one true love you've been searching for all your life." - Claudine Ko, Editor
Minetta Tavern, 113 MacDougal Street, (between W. Third and Bleecker Streets); 212-475-3850.