Scott Nishimura
Classic burger from Old Neighborhood Grill
They don't call us Cowtown for nuthin'.
Whether it's old-fashioned meat and cheese or a dressed-up, chef-driven delicacy, one thing's for sure — Fort Worth is proud of its burgers. On National Hamburger Day, our editors dish on their personal favorites from around town.
Brian Kendall: Ben’s Triple B. I’ve only recently admitted that my favorite meal consists of a hamburger (mustard, mayo, hold the onions) and French fries (hold the ketchup). Simple enough. So, I feel I’ve struck pay dirt living in a city as proud of its burgers as Fort Worth. As far as my favorite in town, I’m not particularly fond of the Hopdoddy trend that made the traditional hamburger into a chef’s canvas on which to experiment. You can count me out on any patty that has toppings outside of the traditional lettuce, tomato, pickle, and onion — a smug burger purist I have definitely become. While Kincaid’s — being the first Cowtown burger I ever tried — still holds a place in my heart, nothing compares to The Old Fashion from Ben’s Triple B. With its thin patty, burger sauce (zero clues as to its ingredients), and toasted bun (that has a beautifully wrinkled aesthetic), I have found my burger Graceland.
Scott Nishimura: There have been a few food groups I’ve craved more than any others during COVID-19’s shutdown of restaurants. One is anything fried. A second is a good old burger and fries. For lunch today, my wife, daughter, and I ordered in a sack of classic burgers from the Old Neighborhood Grill on the Near Southside, one of our Fort Worth faves. “Fries?” I asked my wife before I ordered. “Better not,” she said. “But I may have a few of yours.”
Samantha Calimbahin: Unlike my more traditionalist counterparts above, I prefer my burgers with a bit of pizzazz. If I'm being truly honest, my favorite burger in Fort Worth doesn't even have meat in it — it's the Big Stack from Spiral Diner. Think McDonald's Big Mac — but made fresh. That's literally what it tastes like. And it's amazing.
