Utah County’s 10 best burgers, ranked
The Utah Bacon Burger is pictured Friday, Aug. 11, 2017 at Asado Argentinian Grill in Orem. ISAAC HALE, Daily Herald
The Artisan Burger is pictured Friday, Aug. 11, 2017 at Antonella’s Artisan Bread Cafe in Orem. ISAAC HALE, Daily Herald
The Bleu Bacon Burger at Art City Trolley in Springville.
The Jack Kerouac burger from Station 22 in Provo.
The Dragonslayer burger at Cubby’s. Cubby’s has locations in Provo, American Fork and Spanish Fork.
A Quarter Pounder and fries at Ripple's Drive-In in Provo.
The Bacon, Egg & Cheese Burger at Smokehouse BBQ & Burgers in Orem.
The Goat Burger at Black Sheep Cafe in Provo.
The CHOM Burger, at CHOM Burger in Provo.
The Utah Cheeseburger at Chubby's Neighborhood Cafe in Pleasant Grove.
Thanks to the Daily Herald’s dining reporting, I’ve carved out a new niche for myself. That niche is consuming more food than any human should.
In April I spent five straight hours in downtown Provo, eating 10 different desserts from 10 restaurants. It pushed my body to its gestational limits. We’re continuing this unwise new tradition, with me as the guinea pig. I’m not necessarily proud of it, but here we are.
My task this time: finding the best burger in Utah County. This was undertaken over a period of weeks — I didn’t dare eat them all in one night, as I did the desserts. The following 10 burgers are the best ones I tried. (Yes, I ate more than 10.) For your convenience, I’ve scored and ranked them. Happy (and hungry) reading.
The Utah Cheeseburger, Chubby’s Neighborhood Cafe, Pleasant Grove
Price: $7.29 (served with choice of one side)
On first bite, the Utah Cheeseburger tastes like a burger-flavored cloud. Everything — from the buttery golden bun to the medium-cooked patty — is astoundingly soft and fluffy. This offering also includes lettuce, tomato, pickles, fry sauce and a heap of melted cheese. This softness was nice at first, I will admit. After a while, though, I needed more contrast. Some additional crunch would have been nice. If crunch isn’t your thing, by all means, chow down.
Score: 6.5/10
The CHOM Burger, CHOM Burger, Provo
Price: $5.75
CHOM Burger has more imaginative burgers than this titular offering, but I’m sticking to the basics here. The CHOM, while pretty standard in most respects, has some nice flourishes. This is more of a fast food-type burger — thin beef patty, standard fixings, etc. — so it’s all about the execution. And they execute it quite well. Thin patties tend to get overcooked, and CHOM avoids that mistake here. Of particular note was the CHOM’s toasted potato bun: light and fluffy but not flimsy, keeping all the fixings contained. Nothing really jumps out at you with this burger, but I think that’s kind of the point. Overall, a harmonious and pleasant burger.
Score: 7/10
The Goat Burger, Black Sheep Cafe, Provo
Price: $15, currently served only at lunch, (served with choice of fries or Mexican street corn)
A few friends insisted I try Black Sheep’s Goat Burger. It has people talking, and hey, I’m nothing if not a man of the people. This burger takes more risks than any other on this list. With great risk (and a hefty price tag) comes great responsibility. Its ambition goes thusly: a beef patty cooked medium-rare, garlic goat cheese, Portobello mushrooms, roasted red bell pepper, arugula and chipotle mayo sauce (the latter served on the side), all housed in a large piece of nanniskadii flatbread. Whoa, this is a big ol’ burger. Unlock your jaw.
The Goat Burger has the makings of something legendary — bold flavors, surprising combinations, top-notch presentation. Getting this many flavors and textures to harmonize isn’t easy. Therein lies this burger’s problem: too much dissonance. The ratios are all off. The red bell pepper and Portobello mushrooms are way too thick, there’s too much arugula, and opting for low-profile flatbread instead of a traditional bun sacrifices the fluffy texture this burger sorely needs. The crucial taste of bread and meat just gets lost. And if those get lost in a burger, what do you even have? The Goat Burger’s biggest upside — its potent and wonderfully pungent garlic goat cheese — can’t save it. I applaud what the Goat Burger is attempting, but it needs to be recalibrated.
Score: 7.25/10
The Bacon, Egg & Cheese Burger, Smokehouse BBQ & Burgers, Orem
Price: $7.50 (served with choice of one side)
If this were a good looks contest, Smokehouse BBQ’s Bacon, Egg & Cheese Burger would vie for the top spot. The burger is picturesque, with a large pretzel bun, slices of bacon, melted American cheese and an egg fried over easy. (Plus lettuce and a pickle slice on the side.) It’s unmistakably American. This burger’s individual components are pretty good — good enough to bump it up a few spots on this ranking. However, they just don’t transcend themselves. It’s not perfectly executed — the cheese overpowers some of the other flavors, the bacon seems more hammy than bacon-y — but it still tastes like there’s something else missing, and I don’t know what it is. I needed something to grab me, like a signature flavor or texture, but nothing did.
Score: 7.5/10
The Quarter Pounder, Ripple’s Drive-In, Provo
Price: $3.90
When it comes to messy, fast food-type burgers, Ripple’s has a lot of practice. The restaurant has been in Provo for more than 60 years. I’m no historian, but that probably makes Ripple’s the city’s oldest burger joint. In this case, practice practically makes perfect. The Quarter Pounder at Ripple’s does all the simple things amazingly well. There’s its juicy quarter-pound patty, its soft and succulent tomato slice, its slightly toasted bun, all gradually falling apart in a handy wrapper. This burger doesn’t boast any tricks, it’s just really good.
Score: 7.75/10
The Dragonslayer, Cubby’s, Provo
Price: Single patty $6.99, double patty $9.99
I don’t know if this one slays dragons, but my taste buds? Consider them slayed. The Dragonslayer balances a bunch of standout flavors. Condiments include bleu cheese, smoked bacon, spring mix lettuce, tomatoes, grilled onions and a special buffalo sauce, all resting on a medium-sized top sirloin patty. The creamy buffalo sauce is the defining flavor here — its sweet profile and tangy kick immediately grab your attention on the first bite. This burger isn’t too messy, but keep it in the Cubby’s wrapper as you chow down. The Dragonslayer’s patty, cooked medium while retaining its softness/chewiness, isn’t an overflowing patty like some of the online photos make it seem. Instead, it’s more on the smaller side of medium, fitting snuggly between the Dragonslayer’s soft, doughy buns. It’s balanced, fresh and flavorful; an ultimately satisfying burger.
Score: 8/10
The Jack Kerouac, Station 22, Provo
Price: $12.99 (served with choice of one side)
First off, this is a fantastic burger. The Jack Kerouac starts with the burger basics (patty, tomato, lettuce, onion, pickle), and takes things to another level with a slice of melted Brie cheese, bourbon sauce and applewood bacon. The key to this burger’s brilliance is the dance between the bourbon sauce and Brie. Melting the Brie eases — but doesn’t sacrifice — its earthy, slightly sour taste. Then that bourbon sauce comes sliding in with the casual sweetness. Have mercy! I prefer my burgers medium-rare, and Station 22 accidentally cooked it medium (though they’ve gotten it right in the past). It’s tough to properly lubricate a burger: Those juices need to be apparent, but not so dominant that the burger falls apart. With the bourbon sauce and a smidge of aioli, The Jack Kerouac nearly nailed it. I just needed a bit more, and might have gotten it if my patty was cooked medium-rare. The Jack Kerouac is a subtle but undoubtedly ambitious burger.
Score: 8.5/10
The Bleu Bacon Burger, Art City Trolley, Springville
Price: $11 (served with choice of one side)
In life, there are sensations you know you want, and others you never knew you always wanted. Burgers are no different. The best ones simultaneously comfort and surprise you. With its Bleu Bacon Burger, Art City Trolley delivered both in abundance. There was the comfortable: a 1/3-pound grass-fed patty; mixed greens; a large, buttery pretzel bun that truly glistened; slices of honey-cured bacon. Then there was the surprising: balsamic vinegar, caramelized onions, bleu cheese spread and Gorgonzola crumbles. The addition of sweet balsamic vinegar was virtuosic — it counteracted the sharpness of the cheeses, with the sweet-and-savory bacon (honey-cured — remember?) fusing the flavors in blissful harmony. Bravo, Art City Trolley. Take a bow.
Score: 8.5/10
The Utah Bacon Burger, Asado Argentinian Grill and Café, Orem
Price: $12 (served with fries)
A last-minute addition to the list, Asado’s Utah Bacon Burger should be taught in Burger Theory 101. (You know, at burger college.) It checks off so many boxes that any score less than 9/10 would be unfair. Bring your appetite for this one — it includes a BIG patty (of 100 percent chuck beef, not ground beef) cooked medium rare, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, cheddar cheese and some remarkable thick-cut bacon, served on a toasted ciabatta bun. That bun was a stroke of genius: perfectly airy and flaky, but sturdy enough to keep everything together, you can see the crisscross grill marks charred on its underside. Why don’t more burgers use ciabatta? The Utah Bacon Burger utilizes a triple threat of ciabatta, medium-rare chuck beef and thick, flavorful bacon slices that are both chewy and sturdy. This is how you balance flavors and textures.
Score: 9/10
The Artisan Burger, Antonella’s Artisan Bread Café, Orem
Price: $7.39 (served with potato chips)
I’ve had this burger more times than any other on this list. Indeed, the burger at Antonella’s is what keeps me coming back. Just know I tried to be impartial this time around. Even with a calm head and stomach, though, this burger is still among the best I’ve had in Utah County. Here’s why: its counterintuitive approach to bread and fresh toppings. Antonella’s does not hold back, loading up its burger with an enormous heap of fresh greens, tomatoes and red onions.
And the bun! My goodness. Bread is the restaurant’s specialty — the owner comes from a family of bread makers — and that expertise is put on display here. The burger’s bun is huge, fluffy and flavorful — opting for boldness where most restaurants choose a smaller, tamer option. The big bun and abundant toppings don’t overwhelm the actual patty, which is covered in melted cheese. Instead, these supporting players soak up the extra juices that would overwhelm a less fortified burger, without taking the spotlight away from the patty. Like I said, counterintuitive. This burger is just different than the rest. It’s nearly perfect — I’d prefer the patty be cooked medium-rare instead of medium — but man, this burger gets really close.
Score: 9/10
Selecting the burgers: This was not a scientific process. I solicited recommendations from friends, perused menus from local restaurants and saved a few slots for my own favorites. Utah County has a lot of restaurants; there are praiseworthy burgers I haven’t tried, I’m sure. Consider this list a starting point.
Grading scale: Ever watched the NBA’s slam dunk contest? Even when a dunk is missed, a judge’s lowest possible score is 6/10. Why? Because an attempted dunk is still better than no dunk at all. I treated these burgers similarly. I’m scoring these burgers on a 10-point scale, with a perfect burger scoring 10/10. (There’s no such thing as a perfect burger, but we eat in search of it.) Listen, all of these burgers are pretty good — to a degree, they’re all winners. The lowest-ranked burger still gets a 6.5/10. Sometimes, a fraction of a point is all that separates them.
No national chains: Yes, I know In-N-Out and Five Guys are wonderful, but I had to narrow the playing field. The restaurants I visited are specific to Utah. Some have multiple locations, some don’t.
No novelty burgers: Burgers are bound only by our imaginations. Some have barbecue sauce, or grilled pineapples, or who knows what. I didn’t want to compare metaphorical apples to oranges. For the sake of consistency, I ruled out what I’d consider “novelty burgers.” No barbecue sauce (barbecue burgers need a contest all their own), no fruits, etc. Flourishes are allowed here, but the burgers in this Top 10 keep the patty and bun as their central focus.
Take each on its own terms: A fast food-type burger isn’t trying to be gourmet, and vice versa. You’ve got to take it on its own terms. Does a burger accomplish what it’s attempting?
How does it age?: A burger’s lifespan starts on your first bite, carries into the last bite, and continues on in the days, weeks and months that follow. It isn’t just about how good it tastes in the moment, but how it’s remembered. It’s enjoyed differently at each stage, and each of those stages matter.
Is it more than the sum of its parts?: All burgers have good components, but even stellar components don’t guarantee a good burger. The best burgers transcend their individual pieces. Do the flavors and textures create something new? Do they make a statement?
My heart has final say: I’m analytical. I categorize and compartmentalize most aspects of my life. I’m analyzing these burgers. But in the end, food is a matter of the heart, not the head.