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Sunday, May 28 is National Hamburger Day and Clifton certainly has some amazing options. According to the History Channel, "The groundwork for the ground-beef sandwich was laid with the domestication of cattle (in Mesopotamia around 10,000 years ago), and with the growth of Hamburg, Germany, as an independent trading city in the 12th century, where beef delicacies were popular." In the mid-1800s, an influx of German immigrants to the United States led to the introduction of some of their favored foods, including ground beef steaks. Eventually, this led to the popularization of the burger-on-a-bun, widely introduced to the American population at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair.
The popularity of this much-loved dish exploded with the opening of the first White Castle restaurant in Kansas in 1921, followed decades later by McDonald’s and In-N-Out Burger (both founded in 1948), Burger King (1954), and Wendy’s (1969) (The History Channel). Since then, restaurants of all types began selling this simple protein-and-carb delight, no matter their culinary focus. The burger can be simple and inexpensive or richly exotic and pricey, depending on the type of beef used and the preparation and presentation.
Some burgers are pressed flat and grilled quickly, leading to a crispy outer coating. Others are thick patties, allowing for tons of juicy flavor to burst forth with that first bite. Breads can range from light, fluffy buns to brioche rolls or even English muffins that soak up the meat's juices. Some are served piled high with lettuce, onions, tomato slices, pickles, and cheese while others are simply meat on a bun or roll. At some Clifton eateries, there are wide varieties of specialty burgers offered to accommodate many different tastes and preferences.
Members of the Facebook group Clifton News and Community offered up some of their favorite burgers, forming the basis of our poll. Don't see your favorite? You can enter it! Voting is limited to once per day and the results will be announced in another story on Sunday. So who makes the best burger in Clifton? You tell us! Just click on the link below.
