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ITALIA STAFF PICKS |
BEST BURGERS by Sarah Lagrotteria It’s a feeling familiar to many of us at Babbo- that rumble in the belly that fruits and veggies just won’t hush. That’s when we know it’s time for a great burger, New York-style. These spots are our favorites when nothing but 8-ounces of meat will do... Corner Bistro 331 West 4th Street (at Jane Street) The indisputed king-at least among the Babbo staff- of burger joints, Corner Bistro is relentlessly packed. But that's because the bistro burger is relentlessly good, with bacon and cheese oozing hot atop an 8-ounce chunk o'grilled meat. Total cost? A mere $5.50. Go in the evenings prepared to wait on line, or break away from the daily grind and take advantage of the mid-afternoon quiet. Smoky, drafty, and dark on winter nights, Corner Bistro gets great sunshine a little after lunchtime. Blue Ribbon Bakery 33 Downing Street It’s a bakery-some of us think it’s the very best around-, so you know the bun has got to be good. It’s white and doughy, but still fluffy; the kind of bun you’d like to pull apart with your fingers and eat by itself. At Blue Ribbon, though, the top-quality meat makes a worthy complement to the homemade bun. Go by yourself and sit at the small bar, or go with a group and sit downstairs in one of the rooms, where the brick walls are warmed by the perpetually working ovens and where the air is full of the smell of bread, rising, resting, and baking right where everyone can watch. 97 Sullivan Street (between Prince and Spring Streets) No, you're not seeing double. But there's something about the warm hospitality of the Blue Ribbon group that has us hitting both of these restaurant when we're craving meat. At Blue Ribbon, it's the turkey burger that keeps us coming back. We like them late night (the restaurant is open from 4PM-4AM), when Sullivan Street is quiet but the restaurant is still full. This turkey burger deluxe is stacked thick on a homemade sesame bun with iceburg lettuce, tomato, onion, and a homemade pickle. Perfect. 82 University Place This spot is a classic- permanently cast in semi-darkness, smoky, and loud. Standing by the beautiful long bar, it’s hard to tell if it’s day or night. Burgers, best when topped with a generous slice melting cheddar, are large and dripping with juices. For an optimal experience, dive in with a frothy pint of McSorley’s at hand. |
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