Great burger choices abound across Western Mass.

Date: 2/19/2020

With the news that White Hut in West Springfield closed –perhaps temporarily – many people’s attentions have been focused on the humble but mighty hamburger.

It’s seen as one of the most American of food items, known around the world with an amazing variety of permutations.

The reality is the hamburger we know has had many mothers and fathers with the development of the sandwich dating back centuries.

Apparently, though, the modern burger came about almost a 100 years ago when the White Castle company started selling hamburgers, using a system to prepare the sandwich in a quick and efficient manner. The company’s success led to many imitators and innovators.

Starting in 1926, White Castle started producing the hamburger in a way that established the concept of modern fast food, according to the company’s history.

While some people may think the modern hamburger is dominated by chains, the hungry staff at Reminder Publishing knows the best burgers are local burgers made by independently owned eateries.

The burger may be ubiquitous but all burgers are not equal, which is a good thing. The variations offer some amazing choices. In our completely unscientific way, we asked our readers what is their go-to burger.

The answers came fast and furious:

• In Wilbraham, Route 20 Pub

• In Springfield, Plan B Burger bar; the Big Mouth Burger at Nino’s Pizzeria

• In Chicopee, the Lucky Burger at Lucky Strike

• In Feeding Hills, 911

• In West Springfield, Cal’s Burger at Cal’s, Lattitude

• In Northampton, Local Burger

• In Easthampton, Riff’s Joint & Hideaway Lounge

• In East Longmeadow, Center Square Grill

• In Longmeadow, The Kitchen

The Reminder Publishing staff has some ideas of their own and the following are some of their candidates.

Theodore’s, Springfield

Theodore’s is definitely one of my top spots for a satisfying meal and for a superior burger. The Worthington Street eatery is well known for its barbeque and for its presentation of live music – one of the last such venues in the area.

If you’ve never been, you will be initially impressed on your first visit with the décor and the friendly, attentive service. Wait until you try their food.

They offer three variations of the venerable sandwich.

My favorite burger offered there is their blues burger. A generous eight-ounce patty cooked to order that is topped with blue cheese crumbles and rashers of bacon. Naturally onion, lettuce and tomato adorn it – I never take the tomato – and I have mayonnaise as a condiment.

The burger is served with the restaurant’s waffle fries, although I much prefer the fresh-made onion rings as the side.

I’ve found over the years this choice as well as their other foods is consistently delicious.    

For more information, go to http://theodoresbbq.com/.

G. Michael Dobbs

Classic Burgers, West Springfield

Walking into Classic Burgers is like a step back in time with 50s music, seats and tables in red and cream leather with chrome, and booths made to resemble the rear half of roadsters from the era.

The menu may be classic, but it’s certainly not boring. There are specialty burgers with names like “Clint Eastwood,” “The Duke” and “James Dean.” There are also standard cheeseburgers, a veggie burger and a patty melt.

When I visited, the restaurant was having a competition to see which new burger would become part of its regular menu: “The Spicy Hawaiian” or “Hey, Hiya Dooin.” While “The Spicy Hawaiian” was in the lead, I’m not a fan of spicy anything, so I chose the latter.

The “Hey, Hiya Dooin” contains everything I like in a burger: a juicy, well-done patty, thick slabs of portabella mushrooms, applewood-smoked bacon, plenty of melted Swiss cheese and what they called “a house-made herb compound butter.” It was incredibly satisfying.

Classic Burgers also offers a range of other foods typically found in American fast-casual restaurants, like hot dogs, chicken tenders and salad, but as our Assistant Managing Editor Payton North said, “Let’s face it, you’re not going to Classic Burgers for a salad.”

The restaurant also has an assortment of homemade ice cream flavors, for sale in cones or by the container. And for those with dietary restrictions, there are a handful of dairy-free flavors.

Classic Burgers is located at 1261 Westfield St., West Springfield and is open seven days a week from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Diners can eat in or take-out, and orders can be called in or ordered online for pick up at 363-1654.

Sarah Heinonen

Max Burger, Longmeadow

According to Max Burger’s General Manager Timothy Taillefer, there’s plenty to love when it comes to the Longmeadow restaurant’s burger menu. Beyond the ever-popular five-ounce and eight-ounce classic burgers, he said the biggest seller is the eatery’s maple-whiskey burger.

“It’s eight-ounce. of beef topped with caramelized onions, Great Hill blue cheese imported from a farm in Marion Massachusetts – so it’s very local – applewood smoked bacon and arugula. The key is the maple-whiskey sauce.”

Another big seller, Taillefer said, is the restaurant’s bacon onion smash burger.

“It’s an eight-ounce bacon and onion-infused patty, it’s got American cheese on it, and baconnaise – which is basically bacon infused mayonnaise – and lettuce and tomato on a ciabatta roll.”

When it comes to the daily chalkboard burgers, Taillefer said his personal favorite is Monday’s Pretzel Burger.

“It’s an eight-ounce patty on a pretzel bun with a beer cheese fondue – which is out of this world – yellow mustard, apple wood smoked bacon and caramelized onions.”

All these burgers, he said, feature Brand beef. “It’s not local, it comes from a great farm in California, but it’s all-natural, there’s no growth hormones.” The ground beef from that farm is also only distributed to select restaurants. “We’re lucky to be able to get that beef,” Taillefer said.

For those looking for a beef alternative, Max Burger also offers a turkey burger, a black bean burger, a tuna burger and a shrimp burger daily, as well as a popular chef-inspired salmon burger that is only available on Fridays. They also have the Impossible Burger on their menu, which can be served on a gluten-free bun for those with gluten sensitivities.

Max Burger is located at 684 Bliss Road in Longmeadow. Hours are Mon.-Thurs. 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Fri. and Sat. from 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., Sun. 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. See the menu at maxburgerbar.com.

Debbie Gardner

Coughlin’s Place, East Longmeadow

While some may think of Coughlin’s Place, located at 182 N. Main St. in East Longmeadow, as a popular breakfast spot – what many people don't necessarily think of is their delicious lunch offerings. Namely, burgers.

When asked on the Reminder Publishing Facebook what local restaurants were going to be people’s new (or old) go-to spot to purchase a cheeseburger are, a few residents explained that Coughlin’s was the place to go.

According to their menu listed on their website, coughlinsplace.com, Coughlin’s offers four types of burgers that are categorized under “from the grill:” the garden burger, a cheeseburger special, a falafel burger, and the jano burger. All burgers are priced out at $9.95.

The garden burger, falafel burger and jano burger are all meatless alternatives, with the garden burger featuring a veggie patty, the falafel burger offering a chickpea-based burger, and the jano burger consisting of a black bean patty. The cheeseburger special, however, would certainly appeal to traditionalists, as it features five ounces of lean ground beef, topped with your choice of cheese, lettuce, tomato and mayonnaise.

I have to say – though I haven’t personally experienced one of Coughlin’s burgers yet – after viewing the menu I’m definitely going to make it a priority to head down there. I’m particularly interested in the burger alternatives, specifically the falafel burger. I’m a big fan of chickpeas!

Coughlin’s Place is open Tuesday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m., and is closed on Sundays and Mondays. To contact the business by phone, Coughlin's can be reached at 525-1899. It also should be noted that Coughlin’s is closed until Feb. 25.

Payton North

7B’s Bar and Grill, Westfield

In Westfield, 7B’s Bar & Grill, located at 1152 Southampton Rd., has become well known for its mouthwatering burgers.

All of their burgers are made with a blend of chuck, sirloin and brisket formed into a halfpound patty. Burgers made with beef from locally raised cattle at Bolduc’s Farm are available for a dollar extra and all come served with house cut fries or kettle chips.

The traditionalist will like the tried-and-true 7B’s Classic Burger with choice of cheese, lettuce and tomato, available for $10.99, but there are plenty of options for those with more adventurous appetites. The Bacon Jam Burger comes with – you guessed it – bacon jam, smoked bacon, griddled onions and melted pepperjack cheese. For those who like a little fire, 7B’s offers the Spicy Garlic Burger topped with spicy garlic sauce and blue cheese dressing and crumbles, and the Jalapeno Burger served with sliced jalapenos, griddled onions and melted pepperjack cheese, both for $12.99.

Thinking outside the box,  the Down & Dirty Burger is served up with bacon, a fried egg, cheddar cheese and chipotle mayo for $13.99.

Taking the cake, however, is the Double Belly Buster, a daunting tower of double burger – that’s two half-pound patties – double cheese, double bacon, lettuce, tomato and onion. Large enough to fill the biggest appetite, it won’t leave your wallet empty either at $19.99. That’s a lot of beef for your buck.

You can check out more from the 7B’s menu, including their “locally famous” wings and baked macaroni and cheeses, at www.7bsbarandgrill.com.

7B’s is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Saturday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.on Sundays.

Chris Maza