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While Rochester may be famous for the Garbage Plate and red hots, locals know where to find a good burger. We recently polled some Rochesterians via Twitter and Facebook to find out where their favorite burgers are served. Then we visited the top five spots in the downtown area to conduct our own taste tests.
The Gate House Cafe
274 N. Goodman St.; 473-2090 or thegatehousecafe.com
The menu at this Village Gate restaurant has a “Famous Burgers” category that lists 11 varieties, each named for a notable Rochesterian — from suffragist Susan B. Anthony to actor Taye Diggs to drag queen Pandora Boxx. “Famous Burger” patties are made from beef, lamb, falafel or veggies. A Kobe beef patty can be substituted for an extra $5; a chicken breast or a veggie patty can be substituted for no extra charge. We had the classic beef cheeseburger (cooked medium), which was piled high with lettuce and tomato and nestled inside a fresh roll. This was our second favorite among all the burgers we sampled, and we can’t wait to try another variety.
Toppings: cheese, lettuce and tomato; add pickles and onions for 50 cents more.
Size: 1/2 pound.
Sides: choice of french fries (regular or garlic rosemary), red cabbage coleslaw, pasta salad or grilled veggies.
Cost: $9.13, including tax.
Good Luck
50 Anderson Ave.; 340-6161 or www.restaurantgoodluck.com
You'll shell out a little more money for the Good Luck Burger, but the restaurant uses only grass-fed beef, and the burger weighs a full pound, so it can easily feed two people (most of Good Luck’s entrées are meant to be shared). In addition to the fresh-tasting beef, the burger is topped with a homemade, tangy vegetable slaw and smoky McCadam cheddar and served on brioche, a thick, egg-y bread. Our taste buds didn’t know which flavor to concentrate on first when we bit into this gourmet masterpiece.
Toppings: McCadam cheddar cheese and vegetable slaw (shredded lettuce, tomato, red onion and sesame seeds in a vinegar-based dressing).
Size: 1 pound.
Side: seasoned shoestring fries, served with homemade ketchup.
Cost: $19.44, including tax.
Hogan’s Hideaway
197 Park Ave.; 442-4293 or hoganshideaway.com
Like The Gate House, Hogan’s serves a variety of burgers, including veggie, portobello and bleu cheese burgers. They also toast the buns (white or wheat), and you can add bacon to any burger for 75 cents extra. The toasted roll gave a satisfying crunch to our lean and juicy classic beef cheeseburger.
Toppings: cheddar cheese, red onion, tomato and lettuce.
Size: 6 ounces.
Side: wedge-cut, seasoned french fries.
Cost: $8.10, including tax.
Mise en Place
683 South Ave.; 325-4160 or miseenplacemarket.com
Of all the burgers we tried, the seasoned burger at Mise en Place in the South Wedge was our favorite. It tasted like it was prepared with garlic and pepper and cooked in peanut oil. Something we’d never experienced was the tasty mixture of seasoned french fries and steamed broccoli served on the side.
Toppings: cheese, red onion, tomato and lettuce.
Size: 10 ounces.
Side: a mixture of seasoned french fries and broccoli (the veggie of the day).
Cost: $12.96, including tax.
The Owl House
75 Marshall St.; 360-2920 or www.owlhouserochester.com
Some of the folks who responded to our informal poll directed us to the Owl House for vegan and vegetarian options. We tried the lentil burger, which had an interesting pureed texture (similar to pureed squash or peas). It was topped with sprouts and the restaurant’s own roasted garlic “veganaise” (an egg-free mayonnaise), both of which added a freshness and zest to the filling burger. We’re meat eaters for the most part, but we’d gladly order this veggie-friendly burger again.
Toppings: red onion, sprouts, tomato, half-sour pickles (cucumbers that are pickled for short time, which gives them less of a sour taste and more of a crunch) and house-made roasted garlic veganaise.
Size: Approximately 6 ounces.
Sides: french fries or field greens.
Cost: $8.64, including tax.
