There are two types of people who will love The Burg – hamburger enthusiasts and those who love eating challenges. The patties are all handmade from fresh beef. When you cook using fresh beef, there’s less chance that you’re going to grill it down to a blackened hockey puck. At The Burg, the patties are juicy, not overcooked or dry. You get that wonderful beef flavour, those strong hints of steak, when you take your first bite. There are many burgers to choose from; the basic cheddar-and-bacon lover will like the Norm, while those with more adventurous tastebuds will enjoy The Burg’s signature offering with jalapeos and cured bacon stuffed into the patty. The Dante’s burger is piled high with several varieties of hot peppers. And this is where we get to the eating challenge part: The Man Among Boys. Two patties. One of them is stuffed with provolone cheese, cured bacon, garlic aioli. The thing is about as big as a human head. Showing this burger to a vegetarian would be akin to wearing Joe Namath’s fur coat to a PETA rally. It’s awesome and should replace about, well, nine meals. -Steven Sandor
10190 104 St., 780-760-1780, theburg4st.ca
When you go out to a pub in Canada, you aren’t looking for shepherd’s pie or fish and chips. You want a hamburger. And you want something unique, like Kelly’s Pub’s Firehouse, Dirty Secret or wild mushroom burger. Served on a soft, flaky crostini roll, the char-grilled AAA Alberta beef patties taste like they’re straight off a barbecue on a hot, sunny afternoon. Pair one with a signature beer-tail or glass of Scotch from the pub’s list of more than a dozen, and you’ll be whisked away to memories of Canada’s short, but sweet, summer. -Eric Silver
10156 104 St., 780-451-8825, kellyspubedmonton.com
After almost 70 years, the Sugarbowl has learned a few things, like its niche market, what it’s good at and what it wants to be. The restaurant has claimed its territory as a sweet stop for brunch, or a cool place to grab one of its 160 craft beers. This year, we recognize a specific part of its menu: The burger. There are only three options to choose from: Jerk chicken, portobello or lamb. The free-run lamb burger with creamy goat cheese and rosemary aioli is succulent, juicy and more than enough to sate any appetite. Offering Albertans a non-beef patty is a risky venture, but it’s one that pays off. -E.S.
10922 88 Ave., 780-433-8369, thesugarbowl.org
