Why did I take on the impossible task of deciding which burger was the winner? After all, this is an ancient discussion at the level of “pitta or lapa”, one that divides friends and family members over the edge of a patty, a discussion that is going to take place in Tel Aviv until the day the oxygen runs out. So why should I take a position on an issue that is – without any doubt – precision about taste and smell? Well it’s simple, as Time Out’s street food critic and the person who ate 20 burgers in 20 days, I feel experienced enough in the realm of the patty on a bun to determine who takes this battle of the lot. We specifically chose these three hamburgers because they are regular contenders in the list of the best hamburgers in Tel Aviv, and provide a relatively wide variety of approaches. Besides, this is the only category where we didn’t hold back and entered three. You can fight with me, you can agree, but for sure – go eat hamburgers, why fight now?
Showcase
location: First of all, there are two different locations, which is an advantage in itself – but the fact that the wide branch of Ibn Gvirol is fundamentally different from the compact one of Lilinbloom makes the variety an advantage and covers two important hamburger spots in the city – the southern border of Rothschild and the city center.
atmosphere: A light American diner a la California.
Showcase Hamburger (Photo: Instagram Showcase)
The hamburger: The Butler is a legend. There is no other word. A wonderful alchemy that is greater than the sum of its parts. In a relatively rare way for modern hamburgers, the meat is not the main thing, and the maximum flavor comes from its combination with the cheeses (gouda and blue) alongside a magical aioli, a unique onion jam and an umami taste that wraps everything to create a burger that cannot be replicated. In fact, almost every beloved burger joint has had competitors try to imitate it, but with Showcase no one has ever really tried.
beside him: The famous half and half fries, with the lemon zest and all the vojras, which reminded Tel Avivians that sweet potato fries can also be tasty if they are handled well (ie thin. Remember that. Thin).
The bottom line: a particularly light and rare meal that really succeeds in reinventing the wheel. Not for nothing has it earned its legendary status, even if it has been forgotten a little (remember the days of the endless line at the original branch?) – it is still one of the most special and stable hamburgers in the city.
Head to head, first round:
Who is the best restaurant in town, George and John or OCD?
Which is the best museum in the city, the Tel Aviv Museum or the Land of Israel Museum?
What is the best park in the city, the railway or Kiryat Safar?
Which market is the best in the city, Carmel or Levinsky?
What is the best hummus in town, Abu Hassan or Al Kalha?
Pat Kao
location: North North North Dizengoff, which is a bit far from anywhere that isn’t the port. The branch is dim and minimalistic like the hamburger they serve.
atmosphere: Something between a high-end butcher shop and an industrial warehouse that has been redesigned as a black burger joint, I guess inspired by Tom Aviv’s toxic masculinity. In other words, a hamburger by boys™, and for boys™, at least when it comes to attitude.
Pat Kao. Photo: PR
The hamburger: a surprising quality creation from a place that looks like a fantasy from a Blazer magazine in 2003. Instead of toppings that come to obscure the flavors of the meat, Pat Cow produces a minimalist burger that feels like a perfect gadget – concentrated, refined and without any distractions. Don’t even try to look for vegetables, here it’s a soft bun like a hug from your mom and tough meat on the outside and soft on the inside like a hug from your dad. The raw materials – that is, the meat because there is only one more aioli – are simply fantastic and the meticulous production method does them a great and justified honor. A hamburger that drips every drop is a waste. Let’s wipe with the chips.
beside him: The chunky fries are nice, but the real hit are the strips of nuggets covered in crispy popcorn that makes a crunching noise that still sends shivers down my spine, and inside are strips of chicken that are soft, juicy and somehow, also refreshing. Leave, maybe it will be the chips.
The bottom line: Despite the tough pose and the controversial celebrity chef, Pat Kao’s burger is spectacular carnivorous minimalism – a thick, plump patty made to perfection. Cleaning up the surrounding bullshit, it’s just a wonderful bite.
Head to head, second round:
Who is the best pizza in town, Lila or La Tigra?
Where is better to get drunk, the Nile or the Peacock?
Where will you leave Tel Aviv, Givatayim or Ramat Gan?
Where should you see a movie, Rav Chen Dizengoff or Lev Cinema?
America Burgers
location: One of the busiest corners in the city, the artery of Allenby, the corner of Ahad Ha’am, a crossing point so central that it is hard to resist the temptation at the end of every evening.
atmosphere: A non-binding diner, a bit crowded and with mostly small tables, but overall it’s an atmosphere of people who come to eat their hamburger like crammed kings.
Cheeseburger in America Burger. Photo: Boaz Lavi
The hamburger: There is not a single star in the America Burgers dish – the meat is finely chopped and held genius with a perfect medium-wall measure (although personally I prefer medium), the fresh vegetables add the necessary freshness, the sweet aioli softens everything together and the two types of onions inside (one caramelized, the other pickled purple) jump the dish from a successful hamburger to an excellent hamburger.
beside him: The chips are definitely good, but the real show is in the other toppings, especially the fried ones. The excellent nuggets, the brilliant fried pickles and of course, the most spectacular fried cheese in town.
The bottom line: America all the way. A classic hamburger with small but significant twists and one of the most accurate dishes in the whole city. Uniform, reliable and always delicious.
the winner
The whole is the sum of its parts, the inventor of the meatball that no one has been able to reproduce and the dish that needs not even a small change – the showcase. But you must not agree with me. No big deal, I’ll be right on my own.