Worthy Burger, South Royalton
I was lucky to start off with a real gem. Pretty much everything about Worthy Burger is deliciously awesome. The location right on the train tracks is incredible, while the interior gives off a hipster vibe cool wooden tables, an outdoor patio and chalkboards displaying your eating options. Orders are taken at the bar, and while the crowd of people waiting is initially overwhelming, it is worth the wait.
I ordered a grass-fed delicacy topped with goat cheese, grilled kimchi and caramelized onions, and it was easily the best burger I've had in a long while perfectly cooked with just a little pink in the middle. I was also impressed by the cheese selection, which included goat, blue and aged cheddar. While burgers clearly take center stage, the wide variety of sodas, including homemade cream soda and ginger ale, was also killer. And if you like pickles, I highly recommend their house-made ones not to mention the sweet and spicy "crack" fries, which are perfectly cut and seasoned.
Service is fast, and the price of around $7.50, including all the toppings, really can't be beat. Overall I would rate this place a 4.6 out of 5, because due to a half-hour drive, it's difficult to reach without a vehicle. But if you have a car, it's definitely worth the trip and your stomach will not be disappointed.
Overall burger: 4.8
Cheese selection: 4.5
Exotic extras: 5
Fries: 4.3
Drinks: 4
Ambiance: 5
Distance/location: 3
Service: 3
Other food: 3.5
Skunk Hollow Tavern, Hartland Four Corners
This is hands down the best restaurant I've been to in a long time. The tavern has a bar downstairs and a fancier dining area upstairs, but the vibe and homey ambiance couldn't be better.
This burger was really something special I'm no expert, but I'd imagine it takes some serious skill to make something so standard into a culinary masterpiece. While there were no fancy extras to shake things up, the cheeseburger I devoured melted right in my mouth, with a delicious brioche bun and spicy mustard. It was cooked to perfection the middle of this burger was pink and juicy while the outside was charred and marvelously grilled.
We also ordered a garlic shrimp dish, fish and chips and pork satay, all scrumptious. The lemon ginger cheesecake that finished our meal was also noteworthy. But it was the fries that really make Skunk Hollow shine. They're hand cut and smothered in malt vinegar, just the way those adorable Brits like 'em.
Overall, everything was positively delicious and much cheaper than your average Simon Pearce meal. I want to go back and try everything on their menu, but their burger is definitely not to be missed. Skunk Hollow gets points for serving delicious food, drinks and everything in between.
Overall burger: 4
Cheese selection: 2
Exotic extras: 3
Fries: 5
Drinks: 5
Ambiance: 5
Distance/location: 3
Service: 4.5
Other food: 5
Carpenter and Main, Norwich
I was a bit underwhelmed, although I'd heard many good things from friends. This place usually needs a reservation, but we magically were seated immediately at a nice table by the window. The vibe was cozy and the service was prompt.
We had calamari for starters, which was pretty solid, but there were other options on the menu that probably would have been tastier. At this point, I had to have a veggie burger, because there was just no way that I was eating red meat three days in a row. It's hard to make an amalgamation of beans, tofu paste and whatever other weird stuff they put into those fake patties taste good, but this one was something special. The outside was crispy while the inside was gooey and juicy, just like any regular burger would be. It was topped by delicious tomatoes and served over a lettuce leaf.
I am not saying that you should abandon meat for the sake of a sandwich, but if you have the hankering for some good veggie and tofu paste masked as a burger, this would definitely be my first choice. It sounds unappetizing when I put it that way, but if it's capable of converting a die-hard meat fan like me, you know you've got the real deal. While not as good as Skunk Hollow, this place is much closer and has a wider variety of choices.
Overall burger: 4
Cheese selection: n/a
Exotic extras: 4
Fries: 4.5
Drinks: 3
Ambiance: 4.8
Distance/location: 5
Service: 5
Other food: 4
The Hungry Bear Pub and Grill, Bradford
It claimed to have the best burgers and wings in the Upper Valley, but I completely disagree. It's located off the freeway next to a gas station, and has a slightly dumpy feel. That's not to say it was terrible it was definitely better than Stinson's and any burger at Foco but I didn't think it was worth the drive. The food was mediocre at best and slightly overpriced.
The burger selection was wide, offering veggie, meat, bison and turkey burgers, but I was underwhelmed by my turkey burger. I was, however, a fan of their salad, which has a killer homemade dressing. I probably would have liked this place a bit more if it had been one of the first burgers I'd eaten, but even the caramelized onions, barbecue sauce and pepper jack cheese couldn't cover the meat that was too well done. My dining partner ordered a bison burger that also didn't quite make the cut the lean meat was too overcooked to be satisfying.
Not every restaurant in the middle of nowhere can be great, but if you are in the Bradford area, give the Hungry Bear a try. If not, stay a little closer to home and get a bit more bang for your buck. Overall I would rate this place a 3.5 out of 5, because the food was nothing to write home about, although the drive to get there was certainly a beautiful one.
Overall burger: 3
Cheese selection: 4
Exotic extras: 4
Fries: 3
Drinks: 3
Ambiance: 4
Distance/location: 2.5
Service: 4.7
Other food: 3
Honorable Mention: Salt Hill, Hanover
I was skeptical of Salt Hill, since I've been there so many times and foster a love-hate relationship with it. While their nachos are divine, some of their other selections are less satisfactory. When I was trolling around on Google looking for places to eat in the Upper Valley, I stumbled across this Yelp Review: "Not much you can go wrong with when ordering from Salt Hill, but their Burgers are great! They put all other burgers in the upper valley to shame."
That is a very strong statement, especially since I've located all these other fantastic restaurants in the area. Since my cross-country road trip relied almost entirely on Yelp recommendations, I have come to appreciate the site's genius and have rarely been led astray. While I did not actually go to Salt Hill during this particular search, I do vouch that the local restaurant has some worthwhile burgers and certainly wins the Hanover selection.
