National Burger Day — yes, it’s a thing. Tomorrow, May 28th, has been dedicated to the best friend of the fry, beer, shake, you name it. And it just so happens that Marin County has a great deal to offer in this arena. In light of these circumstances, we thought we’d do a quick round-up of some celebration-worthy patties. From melty to meatless, we’ve found something for everyone.
Are you someone who likes building your own burger? Have you taken to cooking this quarantine season? Do you feel especially connected to this holiday and want to dive in hands-first? Well, you’re in luck. Balboa Cafe, an iconic San Francisco restaurant, is offering burger kits so you can make yours at home. Bonus: They also serve to-go signature cocktails so you can celebrate with style.
If the desire to partake is there, but the motivation to cook is not, we’ve got you covered too. Here are our top take-out and delivery picks for this holiday — or any day:
MEATY BURGERS
Gravity Burger
Gravity Tavern
Want to spice it up? Gravity Burger will send your tastebuds soaring. With their seared house grind burger, horseradish aioli, aged sharp cheddar, and little gem slaw, this burger has the praise-worthy ‘salt, fat, acid, heat’ that we have come to deeply appreciate.
*Take-out & delivery
Wagyu Cheeseburger
Floodwater
Delicious, rich, and well-worth it. This house ground patty made with tender Wagyu beef is drizzled with French onion bone marrow and served with all the works. A side of thick, house cut fries and a crunchy pickle round off this burger experience. If you’re feeling like a little extra something, bacon, avocado, a fried egg can be added for an additional cost — add one or add them all.
*Take-out & delivery
The Belcampo Burger
Belcampo Meat Company
If the beef patty is the most important aspect of a burger for you, visit the Belcampo Meat Company. Topped with white cheddar, caramelized onions, butter lettuce, and a special house sauce, the Belcampo burger is surrounded by lots of flavor. Belcampo’s culinary practices not only reflect Marin County’s growing sense of responsibility to public health and environmental sustainability, but also create a burger that tastes superb.
*Take-out & delivery
Joinery Burger
The Joinery
A tall stack made of a sesame seed bun stacked high with tomato, pickles, onions and beef — all swimming in a pool of mouth-watering melted cheese. You can also choose from a variety of fries to pair alongside your burger. Selections include sweet potato, garlic and dirty fries with pork belly and cracklings.
*Take-out & delivery
Stemple Creek Cheeseburger
Watershed MV
A celebration of local goodness, this burger features a grass-fed patty from Stemple Creek Ranch in Tomales and a brioche bun from Parkside in Stinson Beach — toasted to perfection. Thick-cut fries on the side. Add grilled red onion or Cherokee tomato at an additional cost (we recommend both!).
*Take-out only
The Bacon Cheeseburger
Gott’s Roadside
When it comes to chain restaurants, food quality drops as the number of locations go up. Not with Gott’s. Despite the sheer number of burgers they dish out, Gott’s achieves a slam dunk each time with their rendition of the bacon cheeseburger. Toppings include American cheese, Zoe’s bacon, lettuce and pickles stacked on a plushy, toasted egg bun — not to mention Gott’s secret sauce.
*Take-out & delivery
Roadhouse Cheeseburger
Buckeye Roadhouse
Sometimes food tries to do too much. If you want the basics, and you want it done well, Buckeye Roadhouse is your spot. Described as “fully garnished” on their menu, the Roadhouse Burger is a formidable player in the burger game by nailing the basics. It involves a solid and simple combination of smoky beef flavors, a black-seeded sesame bun, and pickles.
*Take-out & delivery
The Niman Burger
Parkside Cafe
Parkside’s Niman burger is a whopping 8 o.z. masterpiece of grass-fed beef and house brioche bun, served with hand cut fries and lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle and mustard aioli on the side. If you like a dense bun, oh boy. The fluffy and floury brioche will be the hallmark of your Parkside experience.
*Take-out only
The BOS Burger
Fast Food Francais
One of their more creative spins on the menu, the BOS Burger incorporates intense French flavors. Covered in aioli and other French-influenced sauces, the organic Niman Ranch grass-fed beef patty and smoked bacon nestle in a toasted ciabatta roll. To the avid fusion-food fans, we recommend that you add a side of Kennebec fries (and even dip them into the St. Nectaire and bearnaise sauce) for a one of a kind Euro-American eating experience.
*Take-out & delivery
Bungalow Burger
Bungalow 44
For your dose of upscale California cuisine in a burger, look no further than Bungalow 44. Smoked onion rings? Yes, please. Awesome sauce? It’s got that too. White cheddar, shredded lettuce, and fries. Need we say more?
*Take-out & delivery
The Perry’s Burger Classic
Perry’s on Magnolia
When you don’t want to stray too far from the traditional taste and look of a burger, Perry’s nails down the art of simplicity by paying attention to quality above all else. The burger is served with house-made cottage chips on the side. Spice it up by adding avocado, crispy bacon, or extra cheese at an extra cost.
*Take-out & delivery
Burger Américain
Left Bank Brasserie
An American burger and a French fry? Oui, s’il vous plaît! Served with delicate butter lettuce, juicy tomato slices, and a crispy side of frites, this generous ½ lb. burger is guaranteed to satisfy. Sandwiched between a toasted, hearty bun, this meal not only provides the flavor you love but the texture you never knew you wanted.
*Take-out & delivery
ShackBurger
Shake Shack
While there are plenty of options to choose from, the classic ShackBurger is the way to go. A few notches above the traditional fast food joints, Shake Shack delivers that satisfaction you’re craving for under ten bucks. Prefer your burger cooked well done? This one maintains its great flavor. Oh, and don’t forget to throw in a shake while you’re at it.
*Take-out only
VEGGIE BURGERS
Veggie Burger
Iron Springs Pub and Brewery
Vegetarian? Not vegetarian? Doesn’t matter. As long as you own working taste buds, you have to try this veggie burger. Served on a toasted egg brioche bun with mustard aioli, it’s a flavorful, filling meal. Add a side of homemade russet potato chips, fries, garlic fries, or hop salt fries — seasoned with the pub’s own hops! While you’re at it, get yourself a growler or crowler of cider or beer.
*Take-out & delivery
Impossible Burger
The Counter
This one needs no introduction. Made from 100% natural ingredients, this vegan wonder consists of mixed greens, lettuce blend, quinoa, alfalfa sprouts, toasted almonds, grilled red onions and roasted grape tomatoes with a sesame ginger vinaigrette. What gives this burger its distinct zing, besides the fact that it’s impossibly crispy, flavorful and completely free of animal products, is the garlic aioli sauce.
*Take-out & delivery
That concludes our National Burger Day round-up. Be sure to let us know if you tried any of our recommendations or if we missed your favorite. Comment below or on our Facebook page!
How to Help
For more ways to support local businesses, go here.
For more on Better:
- Birdwatching in Marin: Get to Know Your Backyard Visitors
- How to Keep a Positive Mindset During the Coronavirus Crisis
- Stay Home and Shop Local: Items We’re Ordering Right Now from Marin Stores
Sabrina Tuton-Filson is the Assistant Editor at Marin Magazine and a graduate of Elon University where she studied Professional Writing and Fine Ar. Born and raised in San Francisco/Marin, she loves traveling just as much as coming home to the Bay Area. She has curated a sophisticated palate for food, travel and culture and uses her travels as an outlet to develop her photography portfolio and hone her writing craft.
