While we are into local produce, organic gardening and enjoy our urban-farm fresh eggs from our 7 chickens – we are not shy about meat. In fact, we eagerly seek out local, grass fed producers of beef (from Skagit Valley and Eastern Washington), and relish hyper-local sausages from Link Labs (2 blocks away). Lucky us!
So when Seattle Magazine published the Top 25 Burgers in Seattle, our family was all over it. We printed reference copies to secure in our car glove compartments for post-soccer game treats, and mid-week excursions. In the month of March 2012, we managed to sample 5 venues on the list. Through much discussion (and little debate) we all agree on the following prioritization of favorite experiences to date:
1. Uneedaburger (Fremont): Runaway Number 1! We are skeptical any joint will unseed their burgers, fries, onion rings, shakes, service and ambiance. Uneeda offers the total package, execution and consistency at an unbelievable price too (we’ve returned 3X+)!
2. Skillet (Capital Hill): Bacon Jam on burgers? Yum! And the fries are spectacular. Local food truck also available in Wallingford on weekends. Sweet. Gourmet burgers at gourmet prices ($14+, not including fries). If you can afford it, great choice.
3. Red Mill Burgers (Phinney Ridge): Classic stand-by and weekend favorite for a family lunch and shakes after a soccer game. Red Mill offers classic backyard barbeque quality, no frills, and consistent service at a great price.
4. Lunchbox Laboratory (SoLU): Burgers featured on TV for good reason, and a great retro-vibe – attractive to teens and young adults. Great experience, but given the pricepoint, the quality of burger execution is overshadowed by TANG! décor.
5. Teddy’s (Woodinville): One of only three suburban venues included in the Seattle Magazine article. We expect this will be #25 of the Top 25. While the burger was decent, the entire experience was artificial and the service was poor. We hate “manufactured” destinations absent personality and quality food. If I had to choose between Teddy’s and Red Robin, I would certainly pick the former. However, given a choice, I’ll drive 25 miles to Seattle for a more immersive dining experience at Uneedaburger or Skillet.
This past month of April, we took “off” from follow-on Burger experiences. While we call ourselves meat-a-tarians, we do appreciate variety. We expect to resume our Top 25 Burger adventure in May. Stay tuned.
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