Celebrate National Burger Month in May at These Chicago Burger Joints

The newest installation of One Off Hospitality Group’s Publican family, Wicker Park’s Publican Anker serves as homage to classic Gastropub fare offering a menu stocked with light, clean and rustic cuisine, including the flavorsome Turkey Burger. A recent addition to the dinner menu, the Turkey burger provide diners at this popular neighborhood haunt with a health conscious, vegetarian-friendly alternative to the traditional beef burger. Dressed with avocado mayo, dill Havarti, and gem lettuce, the Turkey Burger is available for $12.

Dusek’s Board & Beer, located inside historic Thalia Hall in the Pilsen neighborhood, serves up their take on a classic Juicy Lucy, a cheeseburger that has American cheese stuffed inside the burger instead of on top, resulting in a melted core of cheese within the patty. The burger is made with Slagel Family Farms beef, red onion bacon marmalade, butter lettuce, heirloom tomato and served on a challah bun alongside a pile of beef fat fries for $15. Available for brunch, lunch, dinner and late night.

The Moonlighter, the new neighborhood bar by Scofflaw Group (Scofflaw, The Heavy Feather, Slippery Slope), guarantees vegans and vegetarians won’t miss out on the fun of National Burger Day with its delicious Portland Burger ($12). The dish starts with a Beyond Burger™ plant-based patty packed with pea proteins, before its topped with vegan American cheese, shredded iceberg lettuce, raw onion, pickles, tomato and special sauce. The Portland joins The Moonlighter’s selection of burgers, which can all be made vegetarian by request, and be enjoyed on the bar’s newly opened 1,000 square foot patio.

James Beard award-winning pastry chef Mindy Segal may be the Queen of Pastries and sweet treats in Chicago, but the burger at her Bucktown restaurant, Mindy’s HotChocolate is not one to be missed. The menu staple is made with Slagel Family Farm beef, Carr Valley aged cheddar cheese, and pickle on a house-made sesame bun, served with cooked house chips. Available for $17. Add a sunny side up egg for $1 or organic bacon for $2.

To promote the inclusivity of Chicago’s growing Muslim community, Epic Burger, the city’s homegrown burger institution made the switch to 100% natural, premium Halal-certified Black Angus beef in 2017. Aligning with Epic Burger’s mission to serve “A More Mindful Burger” to all customers, the Halal beef burger uses high-quality ingredients sourced from Creekstone Farms that are humanely handled and processed according to the guidelines of Islamic Law. Patrons can select a single ($6.29) or double ($7.79) beef patty along with fresh toppings including grilled or raw onion, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and Epic sauce with the option to specify Halal-friendly preparation if desired.

Head to Chicago’s South Side to Hyde Park where The Promontory is slinging a burger. Chef Bernard Bennett puts the restaurant’s live-fire hearth to good use by grilling a 6oz Slagel Farms beef patty over the oak fire. The grilled burger is then topped with a rich and creamy house made pimento cheese and red pepper jelly, as well as pickled green tomato and bread and butter pickles for acidity and crunch, all within the warm confines of a soft butter-toasted potato bun. Reach for some extra napkins, or simply embrace the inevitable cheese mustache with this burger. $15.