Who doesn’t love a juicy burger, smothered in cheese and dripping with delicious toppings! I have two tasty burger spots for you to try as well as a bunch of books that will show you how to make a dynamite burger.
Local Burger, conveniently located on Main Street in Bay Shore is a new burger joint in town. It provides a fun and relaxed atmosphere with a creative menu. They have several seating options, indoor, outdoor and even super casual picnic tables outback. But that’s not all. Local Burger is truly local, they proudly support a handful of local businesses by featuring a vast selection of Long Island craft beers, wines from the North Fork, cocktails made from local liquors, beef from local butchers and they even use Islip’s very own Coyle’s Ice Cream to make their delicious shakes! Their ingredients might be local but their burgers are out of this world.
My favorite burgers are the Hangover (bacon, American cheese, a fried egg and organic ketchup), the PB & B (peanut butter, bacon and cheddar), and the Atomic (cheddar, bacon, jalapenos, onions, horseradish pickle chips and sriracha mayo). You can also build your own burger with a variety of delicious toppings and unique sauces. Other notable menu items are the Sea Salt and Truffle Fries, Salt-N-Vinegar Fries, Saranac Root Beer Float and any of their hot dog creations made with nitrate free, grass fed beef. This is a great place for a casual trip with the family or to have a bite and a pint with friends.
Joe’s Sirloin Burger Grill is worth the quick trip to Bohemia. Joe’s is a fast casual eatery that specializes in burgers, fries and sandwiches. In addition to their indoor seating they also have a great wood deck with picnic tables for those who like to dine al fresco. They have hearty portions for a fair price.
At Joe’s, they use a 100% ground sirloin to make their six ounce patties and boast, “no blend, no fillers, and no preservatives.” It is simply pure ground sirloin and quite delicious. You can switch out the sirloin burger for a chicken spinach feta burger, turkey burger or even a veggie burger. You can also build your own burger or choose one of their creations. My favorites include the Horseradish Aioli Burger (mozzarella, horseradish aioli sauce, onion, lettuce and tomato), the Wasabi Swiss Burger (swiss cheese, wasabi sauce, onion, lettuce and tomato), and the Chipotle Bacon Burger (bacon, chipotle mayo, pickle, onion, lettuce and tomato). Other must try menu items include their meaty chicken wings, sweet potato fries, jalapeno poppers and the salads – says my wife. You can also grab a bottled beer to go with your burger or a bucket of beer to share with friends.
Still deciding whether to dine in? Try spicing up your burger at home. Whether it is adding avocados to give it a rich creamy taste or homemade coleslaw to add a crunch- the options are limitless. Browse through these great books to get ideas on crafting your next burger: Bobby Flay’s: Burgers, Fries & Shakes, The Good Stuff Cookbook: Burgers, Fries, Shakes, Wedges, And More and The Burger Bar: Build Your Own Ultimate Burgers. After a little research, I created my own masterpiece…a grass fed beef patty topped with avocado, tomato, smoked gouda, crispy bacon, homemade slaw, all on a toasted English muffin with chipotle mayo. So what are you waiting for? Don’t get caught having the same boring burger night after night. Check out these local burger joints or stop in and pick up a book to start creating your very own burger creations. Also, tell me about your favorite burger joints and what unique toppings you enjoy.
The Chipotle Bacon Burger and sweet potato fries at Joe’s Sirloin Burger Grill.
The Slaw Burger with American cheese and sweet potato fries at Joe’s Sirloin Burger Grill.
The Buffalo Chicken Wings at Joe’s Sirloin Burger Grill.