"Hamburger America" 10th anniversary screening and tasting. 7 p.m. Sept. 9. $18, includes seating for the film, burger tasting and Q&A with filmmaker George Motz. Plaza Theater, 1049 Ponce De Leon Ave., Atlanta. plazaatlanta.com. Advance tickets and information: eventbrite.com/e/hamburger-america-10th-anniversary-screening-tasting-hosted-by-farm-burger-tickets-12553374481.
A union of beef and bun, comfort food and guilty pleasure, chef creation and roadside attraction, the hamburger is an American icon and obsession.
Over the long Labor Day weekend, we’ll eat a whole lot of them. And next week Georgia-grown grass-fed burger joint Farm Burger will present a special Atlanta Film Festival screening of “Hamburger America” with documentary filmmaker and burger expert George Motz.
Of course, some of the city’s most celebrated burgers come from fine dining chefs — like Todd Ginsberg at the General Muir, Linton Hopkins at Holeman & Finch, Todd Mussman at Muss & Turner’s, Robert Phalen at One Eared Stag and Steven Satterfield at Miller Union. Also, chef Shaun Doty conceived Yeah! Burger and chef Richard Blais is the creative director of Flip Burger.
With all that in mind, it seems like a good to time to take another look at some of Atlanta’s newest burger restaurants, and a few old favorites.
Zinburger, Lenox Square — Newly opened at the front of rejuvenated Lenox Square, this upscale burger and wine bar concept has nine more locations around the eastern U.S. The a la carte menu is centered on premium burgers made with fresh ground beef and toppings such as wild mushrooms, goat cheese and Nueske's applewood-smoked bacon. The signature Zinburger is topped with manchego cheese, zinfandel-braised onions and mayonnaise. The wine list includes suggested pairings. 3393 Peachtree Road N.E., Atlanta. 404-963-9611, zinburgereast.com.
Lucky's Burger & Brew, Roswell — The popular, dog-friendly Roswell spot recently opened a second location at Town Brookhaven. True to its name, burgers and beer are the main attraction, and the Double Stacker, featuring two 4-ounce patties with cheese in between, has been declared the "all-time favorite." The pig-out Grim Reaper tests four "challengers," who can try their luck on a 4-pound burger patty, with eight slices of American cheese, 12 strips of bacon, 7 fried eggs, onion rings and mayonnaise on a special bun. 1144 Alpharetta St., Roswell. 770-518-5695, luckysburgerandbrew.com.
Cook Out, East Atlanta — Not exactly In-N-Out, but this Southern burger chain with double drive-through windows does enjoy a cult following dedicated to its brand of bargain-priced fast food. The first Atlanta location opened in late April and has been crowded with cars and customers since. Its "fresh never frozen" burgers are "cooked outdoors style" with a noticeable char. The Big Double, with stacked 2-ounce patties in combos like "steak style" with mayo, A-1 sauce, tomato, lettuce and grilled onions, is a favorite. 403 Moreland Ave. S.E., Atlanta. 866-547-0011, cookout.com.
Smashburger, Sandy Springs — The Denver-based "better burger" chain now has multiple Atlanta locations, including Buckhead and Johns Creek. The signature Smashburger is made from hand-formed balls of fresh certified Angus beef, "smashed to order," seared on a flattop grill and served on a butter-toasted bun with an assortment of toppings and add-ons. Among specialty burgers, the Spicy Baja comes with pepper jack cheese, guacamole and fresh jalapenos. 6080 Roswell Road, Sandy Springs. 404-257-1557, smashburger.com.
Farm Burger, Dunwoody — A spinoff of the now defunct Farm 255 in Athens, Farm Burger opened in Decatur in 2010 and spawned a second location in Buckhead in 2011. The third location in Dunwoody offers the same menu of Georgia grass-fed beef build-it-yourself burgers with free and premium toppings, from lettuce, tomato and house sauce to oxtail marmalade. Blackboard Burgers include the likes of the No. 6, with local bacon, sunny side-up egg, pepper jack cheese and salsa verde. 4514-B Chamblee Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody. 770-454-2201, farmburger.net/#one.
Grindhouse Killer Burgers, Sweet Auburn — Now with four locations, including Athens and the airport, this chain emulated New York City's popular Shake Shack in opening a hip, fast-casual spot in the Sweet Auburn Curb Market in 2009. Killer Burgers are made with freshly ground chuck and brisket served in single or double configurations that can be loaded with lots of free or premium toppings. If you can't decide, there are six "style" combos, including the Dixie Style with fried green tomato, pimento cheese and cole slaw. 209 Edgewood Ave., Atlanta. 404-522-3444, grindhouseburgers.com.
