Best burgers in New York

The Cardinal

• Price band: 2/4

This refreshingly simple cheeseburger reminds us of the best kind of backyard cookout. While there’s no charcoal grill hiding in his kitchen, North Carolina native Curtis Brown does right by the proprietary Ottomanelli Brothers patty, trapping its copious juices with a sear in a cast-iron skillet, then serving it with American cheese, onions, Bibb lettuce and a Martin’s potato roll. A zingy mustard-BBQ sauce adds some understated Southern flair, and house-made pickles and chips complete the platter.

Petey’s Burger

• Price band: 1/4
• Critics choice

West Coasters love to tout the burger-building prowess of California drive-ins, but this Astoria fast-food spot gives them a run for their money. The addictive “double cheese”—a squishy toasted bun sandwiching two juicy patties cloaked in melted American cheese and brightened by raw onion, iceberg lettuce and tomato—is a gloriously greasy retort to Golden State smugness. A Thousand Island–like special sauce, slightly acidic, with a hint of ketchupy sweetness, drips through the whole messy package.

Shake Shack

• Price band: 1/4
• Critics choice

Danny Meyer’s wildly popular Madison Square Park concession stand is still mobbed with hour-long lines during the summer; in chilly weather, heat lamps provide the warmth for you to get your burger fix. Sirloin and brisket are ground daily for the excellent patties, and the franks are served Chicago-style on poppy seed buns with a “salad” of toppings and a dash of celery salt.

Back Forty

• Price band: 2/4
• Critics choice

The gastropub fare from chef-restaurateur Peter Hoffman (Savoy) is uniformly solid and we’re particularly partial to the juicy grass-fed burger, which comes on a seeded challah bun with house-made pickles and proprietary ketchup. (Fries, farmhouse cheddar and heritage bacon can be added for an additional $2 each.)

Peaches HotHouse

• Price band: 2/4
• Critics choice

Co-owner Craig Samuel named his layered house burger, the Full JimCade, after his insatiable uncle-in-law. Black Angus beef from Creekstone Farms and a springy Il Forno bun form the spine of the over-the-top burg’. Samuel piles it on with sharp Swiss, sautéed onions and two meaty strips of applewood-smoked bacon, plus a crispy, tart disc of fried green tomato.

Roberta's

Chef Carlo Mirarchi has amassed acclaim for his composed plates at Roberta’s, but for his purist patty he leaves well enough alone. The burger sports just American cheese, onion and romaine, letting the quality of its main ingredients shine. The pan-seared round, a custom blend from Pat LaFrieda, bursts with complex dry-aged flavors. Equal attention is paid to the accompanying roll: The house-made beauty boasts a moist buttery crumb.

Steak 'n Shake Signature

• Price band: 1/4

When this pedigreed Midwest import made its triumphant NYC debut earlier this year, it became an instant contender for the city’s best under-$5 burger. The original Double ’n Cheese Steakburger features two patties smashed thin and crispy on the griddle, then draped with just-melted American cheese and sandwiched inside a soft, buttery bun. Since the Gotham storefront maintains the same prices as the chain’s nationwide locations, the whole greasy package will set you back just $3.99, including fries.

Saxon + Parole

• Price band: 3/4

For a splurgeworthy steakhouse-style burger, look to Saxon + Parole’s meaty half-pounder. While chef Brad Farmerie (Public) pimps it out with plenty of upmarket tweaks—a fried egg, nutty Pennsylvania Havarti, maple bacon and a house-made “everything” brioche bun—they all play supporting roles to the deeply flavorful dry-aged Angus beef blend. Order it medium-rare to best appreciate the distinct mineral tang of the meat, which remains juicy and pink beneath a thick, gorgeously charred crust.

Corner Bistro

• Price band: 1/4
• Critics choice

The burgers at this dimly lit Village standby are legendary, and the New Yorkers who love them legion. You may have to wait in line for a good hour to get your hands on one (and you will need both hands). Fortunately, several $2.50 drafts (including McSorley’s Ale) will help you bide your time, as will the Yankees on the tube, and a jukebox that plays everything from Calexico to Coltrane. Go for the Bistro Burger, a fat patty of broiled beef, cheese and smoky bacon on a sesame-seed bun for $6.75. A plate of crisp shoestring fries will run you $2.50, but they’re totally beside the point.

The Spotted Pig

• Price band: 2/4
• Critics choice

Blame consulting chef Mario Batali and talented toque April Bloomfield for the inevitable wait at this still-hopping West Village gastropub. The burger is a must-order: A top-secret blend of ground beef is grilled rare (unless otherwise requested), covered with a heap of Roquefort cheese and plated under a tower of rosemary- and garlic-kissed shoestring fries. Wash that down with the Pig’s proprietary cask-drawn ale.