It’s a new month, so it’s time to try out some new burgers! Currently my favorite in the city is the smash burger from Niku Butcher Shop, even though it’s also one of the priciest! I’m still hunting for something that can beat it however, and this time I tried the burgers from Zuni Cafe, Sisterita and Upper Cut. Will any of them take the top spot?
1. Hamburger from Zuni Cafe
I fell in love with Zuni Cafe when my parents were here, and since it has been on my burger list forever, I knew I’d be back very soon, so one weekend we stopped in and I gave it a go. It’s a pretty simple burger on a piece of toasted focaccia ($22), but for some extra you can add different cheeses (cheddar or blue) or some grilled onions or bacon. I opted for grilled onion and cheddar, and it did look amazing when it came out. It was also a pretty tasty sandwich, although the burger definitely had more of a meatloaf texture and taste to it than just a standard burger patty so that was a disappointment. The pickled vegetables on the side were incredible, so I was a bit sad that I ordered the grilled onion as the pickled onions were so much better. Overall, a solid choice, but with all the amazing food at Zuni, it really isn’t a destination burger, at least for me.
2. Wagyu Beef Burger from Sisterita
I had an appointment in the area, so I found Sisterita online and decided to stop in for their wagyu beef burger ($25). It comes with red onion, tomato, caramelized onions, pepper jack cheese, lettuce, tomato and something called ultimate burger sauce all on a house made focaccia bun. It’s served with fries or salad, and I was feeling green, so went with the side salad. The burger looked fantastic when it came out, and it was a nice burger, but it really was lacking something to really give it that wow factor. The homemade bun was a nice touch though.
3. Double Down from Upper Cut
Upper Cut is a food truck located at Spark Social, and since I’m often in that area for groceries, I sometimes stop by to try out what’s on offer. This time, I went for the Double Down, a slider with sous vide brisket, slaw, a wagyu patty and cheddar cheese. I ordered a side of poutine with candied jalapenos on the side. Does a slider even count as a burger? It does today. Everything looked great, but again, the burger really lacked a bit of seasoning to really make it pop, but the toppings were really nice. And I’m glad it was a slider, because the poutine was pretty big, but honestly that is where the wow factor was because the duck gravy on the poutine was absolutely amazing. And the pickled jalapenos were such an amazing touch. While I wouldn’t come back for a burger slider, I would eat this poutine any time.
Winner: Niku Butcher Shop
Sadly, all the burgers were lacking, but the poutine at Upper Cut and the shoestring potatoes from Zuni Cafe are always a winner. I’m gonna keep my hunt up, and I’m always looking for new places to try, so please let me know anywhere I should go in the comments! Until next time, keep enjoying your burgers! Also, it appears Umami Burger in San Francisco is closed, so RIP to some of the best sides I’ve had at a burger place.
My current top five:
1. Niku Butcher Shop
2. Flash Crash $6 Burger
3. Barney’s Gourmet Burgers
4. Monsieur Benjamin
5. Flippin’ Burger
Honorable mentions:
Classic toppings/burgers:
Nopa
Epic Steak
4505 Burgers and Barbecue
Magnolia Brewing
The Showdown
Spruce
Frankie’s Java House
Wayfare Tavern
Fort Point Valencia
Unusual toppings/burgers:
Copas
Sons Addition
ABV
Biergarten
Rock Club Burger
Multiple toppings/burgers:
Flipper’s Gourmet Burgers
Papa Mak’s
Brickhouse
Super Duper Burgers
Beep’s Burgers
Sides:
Wes Burger ‘n’ More
