The birth of the hamburger may be shrouded in mystery, but it has had a very public upbringing. This quintessentially American dish has made its way from lunch counters and backyard barbecues to glossy spreads in culinary magazines and fancy restaurant menus.
Recently, a new wave of openings across the country developed the upscale chef's burger into a complete menu, full of house-made garnishes and international flavors at spots including Taylor's Automatic Refresher at the Ferry Building in San Francisco and Iron Chef Michael Symon's B-Spot in the Cleveland area.
Pittsburgh chefs thoroughly embrace the fancy burger trend. At Bistro 19 in Mt. Lebanon, the burger comes topped with aged cheddar, bacon and roasted garlic ketchup, with house-made pickles and hand-cut French fries on the side. The burger at Kaya in the Strip District, a true behemoth of a sandwich held together with a steak knife instead of a toothpick, is loaded with pickles, bacon, avocado, tomato, Chihuahua cheese, a fried egg and a "secret" sauce, orange-colored and slightly spicy, dripping down the sides.
