Montage of Portland Burgers

Portland's best burgers: Freelance food writer Adam Lindsley ate his way through the city's top burger options to name Portland's 10 best.

(Adam Lindsley, Special to The Oregonian)

We don't put much stock in lifestyle bureaucrats -- you know, the ones who declare white clothes and outdoor grilling forbidden at the strike of midnight on Labor Day? But even if you think bleached Levi's and charred Webers should be packed away by Sept. 2, we think you'll agree that burger season doesn't need to end, even if those burgers are more likely to come from a restaurant than our patio.

About three months ago, we set out to find the top 10 burgers in Portland. We weren't searching for a specific style, though bistro burgers, those chef-invented creations with high-quality beef (and plenty of it), plus top-notch toppings and soft, sturdy buns -- ended up rising to the top of the list.

Related: The top 10 classic burgers in Portland

About me: By a conservative estimate, I've eaten more than 100 distinct burgers in the Portland area, including the 65 or so I've tried this year while making a concerted effort to catalog the best of the best. Over the past three months, I revisited my 25 favorite Portland burgers, plus the best new burgers of 2014, looking to narrow down a top 10.

There were some surprises along the way. Le Pigeon's burger, often called the city's best, didn't quite flap its way onto the top 10. Meanwhile, the revamped burger at its sister restaurant, Little Bird Bistro, landed at No. 5. While I haven't always loved Grain & Gristle's house burger, recent visits proved it deserved a spot on the list. And let's just say that if they ever open a Portland Burger Hall of Fame, Toro Bravo's John Gorham will be a first-ballot inductee.

Related: Portland's best new burgers of 2014

Below, find our honorable mention picks, our guide to Portland's budding chile-cheeseburger scene, our list of Portland's standout sides and our countdown of Portland's best burgers.

Portland's best burgers

No. 10

Alberta Burger from Branch Whiskey Bar

The Alberta Burger with blue cheese and caramelized onions from Branch Whiskey Bar.

Those averse to sweet-salty combos should stay far away from the Alberta Burger at Northeast Portland's Branch Whiskey Bar. (That just means more for the rest of us.) Funky blue cheese asserts itself among the mess of caramelized onions draped over this well-seasoned beef patty, while housemade pickles temper the richness. Extra points for the spicy remoulade's kick.

2926 N.E. Alberta St., 503-206-6266, branchpdx.com

No. 9

Burger from Grain & Gristle

Standout sides

The best potato pairings for our top 10 Portland burgers.

Duck Fat Fries from Branch Whiskey Bar

Potatoes and duck fat are a match made in heaven, especially with sprinkle of chopped sage.

Onion Rings from Grain & Gristle

Heavy on the crunch factor, these salty onion strings are great on their own or added to the excellent burger.

Fried Smashed Potatoes from Gruner

Skin-on Yellow Finns, smashed and fried until a crisp shell surrounds a pillowy interior, put most traditional fries to shame.

Truffle Fries from Little Big Burger

Takes the McDonald's classic French fry prototype -- thin, crisp on the outside, fluffy on the inside -- and improves it in every way.

Grain & Gristle's simple burger is aided immeasurably by a deep, dark crust.

A good crust can work wonders on ground beef, amplifying beefy flavors while providing a pleasurable contrast to the softer meat beneath. Grain & Gristle's burger gets a beautiful dark umber sear, allowing the beef to sing while eliminating the need for anything beyond a crisp leaf of lettuce, some pickles and a smear of aioli. Skip the cheese for once and let the beef strut its stuff.

1473 N.E. Prescott St., 503-298-5007, grainandgristle.com

No. 8

Paley's Cheddar Burger from Paley's Place

Paley's Place serves a supremely tender burger for a paltry sum during happy hour: just $7.

James Beard Award-winning chef Vitaly Paley strips down the bar-only burger at this Northwest Portland institution to the essentials: a soft bun, sweet caramelized onions, a few pickled vegetables, and the most tender ground beef in Portland. Throw down an extra $1 for the house bacon -- which is oddly reminiscent of breakfast sausage -- and try not to feel too guilty for going lowbrow in such classy surroundings.

1204 N.W. 21st Ave., 503-243-2403, paleysplace.net

No. 7

Tasty Burger from Tasty n Sons

Tasty n Sons' Tasty Burger is essentially a cheffy take on a classic bacon cheeseburger.

A total overhaul of the classic bacon cheeseburger, this is the simplest of the three burger masterpieces John Gorham has unveiled in Portland (and it won't be the last time his name appears on this list). A loosely packed patty graced with two thick slices of house bacon and Beecher's cheddar or smoked blue cheese, rests on crunchy shredded lettuce and red onion, the latter permeating the entire sandwich. The house-baked bun, which seems capable of absorbing a pint of burger juices without dissolving, is a marvel.

3808 N. Williams Ave.; 503-621-1400; tastyntasty.com/sons

No. 6

Aina Burger from Ate-Oh-Ate

You'll find the kimchi-and-pork-belly-topped Aina Burger on Ate-Oh-Ate's menu alongside macaroni salad and other cheap Hawaiian dishes.

What are the chances of finding a great burger at an unfussy Hawaiian joint? When said restaurant happens to spring from the mind of Laurelhurst Market co-owner Ben Dyer, pretty high. That link is key to the success of Ate-Oh-Ate's Aina Burger, which uses a variety of the noted steakhouse's top-tier cuts in its half-pound patty. Pungent kimchi relish and two slabs of fatty pork belly are worthy companions, matching the beefy flavor without overpowering it.



2454 E. Burnside St.; 503-445-6101; ate-oh-ate.com

No. 5

Burger from Little Bird Bistro

Green chile cheese-burgers

Green chile cheeseburgers are having a moment.

A cross-section of Little Bird's perfectly medium rare burger.

Goat cheese on a burger might sound like a deal-breaker to some burger fans, but the creamy, tangy cheese proves a genius foil for the pickle relish and eight ounces of ground beef in Little Bird's revamped bistro burger. Executive Chef Erik Van Kley decided to forgo Le Pigeon's popular burger for his own creation earlier this year. The result is even better than the original. You can pay $20 more to add grilled foie gras, but that just seems like overkill.



219 S.W. 6th Ave.; 503-688-5952; littlebirdbistro.com

No. 4

House Bacon & Manchego Burger from Toro Bravo

Manchego and romesco grace the irresistible burger at the bustling Toro Bravo.

The burger at John Gorham's perpetually bustling tapas restaurant may not split as neatly as the small plates populating the rest of the menu, but ignore it at your peril. Nutty romesco sauce and melted manchego cheese conspire with the seared beef and house-cured bacon to nearly overwhelm your palate with rich indulgence ... until the terrific bread and butter pickles swoop in to restore balance. The mouthwatering result makes a strong case for further Spanish-American crossovers.

120 N.E. Russell St.; 503-281-4464; torobravopdx.com

No. 3

Pimento Double Cheeseburger from Trifecta

Two patties covered in "pimento" cheese, cooked over a wood-fired grill and served on a Ken Forkish bun make for burger greatness.

Kitchen restraint is overrated. That's the thought that might pass through your head while taking your first bite of the Pimento Double Cheeseburger at Trifecta. With salty Calabrian chile "pimento" cheese melted over two medium-rare patties hot off the wood-fired grill, what else do you need? Baker Ken Forkish's airy house-baked brioche bun, soft yet pliant and smeared with pickled-studded Thousand Island, is among the best in Portland. So's the burger.

726 S.E. 6th Ave.; 503-841-6675; trifectapdx.com

No. 2

Alder Burger from Tasty n Alder

John Gorham knows how to make a burger, and the one he serves at downtown's Tasty n Alder is his best yet.

Of Gorham's three burgers on this list, his newest contribution happens to be his best. A crusty patty cloaked in hazelnut romesco and buttery Chubut cheese from Albany's La Mariposa makes for a rich, soul-pleasing experience, and the bitter arugula and outstanding pickles cut through the fats with aplomb. Don't underestimate the importance of the crisp bacon here, which imparts a mouthwatering smokiness to every bite. Try it once and you'll crave it forever.

580 S.W. 12th Ave.; 503-621-9251; tastyntasty.com/alder

No. 1

Hamburger from Gruner

The hamburger from Chris Israel's Gruner is the best burger in Portland.

Seasons change, burgers come and go, yet Gruner's remains at the pinnacle of the Portland burger mountain (located, incidentally, directly across the street from our No. 2 pick). A mere $11 grants you VIP access to a near perfect assembly of juicy 25% fat ground beef, house-cured bacon, fontina, arugula, aioli, and some of the best bread and butter pickles and pickled onions you'll find, all sandwiched in a sturdy house-baked potato bun. Be sure to add a smear of the delicious spiced ketchup before digging in. Umlauts be damned: This is the best burger in Portland, period.

527 S.W. 12th Ave.; 503-241-7163; grunerpdx.com

Honorable Mentions

Yakuza's shichimi-dusted burger packs a zippy wallop, accentuating the beef, while truffled shoestring potatoes ensure a satisfying crunch.

Screen Door's Backyard Burger is a messy masterpiece guaranteed to leave your face smeared with pimento cheese, mayo and whatever else comes bursting from the seams of this behemoth.

Biwa's late-night-only burger features a heavily-seasoned patty topped with a thin disc of crisp char siu pork and kimchi mayo. Pair it with a draft Sapporo for the ideal end to a long hard day.

-- Adam Lindsley