The White Rose Diner, formerly the White Rose System, in Linden (Peter Genovese/The Star-Ledger)

The White Manna in Hackensack and the White Rose System in Linden, also known as the White Rose Diner, made The Daily Meal's List of the 101 Best Burgers in America.

The White Rose's burger finished 17th on the list, while the White Manna's classic slider finished 44th.

"Jersey's well represented,'' a happy White Rose Diner owner Rich Belfer said this morning as he cooked breakfast for customers.

The White Rose Diner makes for a "perfect burger experience,'' according to The Daily Meal. "Here, 2-ounce wads of 75/25 ground beef get smashed down onto an ancient griddle, onions are pressed in before it's flipped, it's topped with cheese, and a soft, squishy bun gets put on top of it to steam.

"The result is a perfect harmony of meat, cheese, onions, and bread; in short, slider perfection.''

The compact grill at the White Manna in Hackensack (Tim Farrell/The Star-Ledger)

White Manna's burger is a "perfect interpretation'' of the burgers found at diner-style burger joints that followed the original White Castle, says The Daily Meal.

"Make it a double with cheese, and the burger that will end up on your plate next to some pickle chips won't be pretty. It's astonishingly delicious, however.''

Both diners have been visited multiple times by the Munchmobile over the years. The White Manna was visited most recently in 2013 on a mission for the state's best burgers, while the White Rose Diner/System (not to be confused with the White Rose System in Highland Park or the White Rose System in Roselle), was a stop on the Munchmobile's search for the state's best Taylor ham/pork roll sandwiches this past summer.

Rich Belfer has owned the White Rose Diner for 23 years; he bought the diner, which dates to the late 60s, from owner Jack Hemmings. Hemmings, his brother Bobby and cousin Jimmy Hemmings opened White Rose Systems in Highland Park, Linden and Roselle. The "Rose'' in the name, according to Robert Hemmings, Bobby's son, came from an in-law of Jimmy's.

In 2012, the White Rose Diner was featured on Burger Land, a Travel Channel TV show hosted by George Motz, author of Hamburger America.

The White Manna (not be confused with the White Mana in Jersey City), is probably the state's most photogenic diner, a red-trimmed, glass-blocked jewel with 20 stools arranged around a U-shaped counter.

The grill is not much bigger than a coffee-table book — ok, maybe two coffee-table books — and White Manna regulars rhapsodize about the sound and smell of steaming meat and onions on the grill. The line is sometimes out the door, but it moves quickly enough. Across the street, interestingly enough, is a McDonald's.

For the whole colorful history about the Mana and Manna, check out my book, Jersey Diners.

The Daily Meal's list was initially compiled from a list of nearly 200 burgers from around the country. A panel of 50 food writers, bloggers and other experts then voted on the best.

The nation's best burger, according to The Daily Meal? The Kuma Burger at Kuma's Corner in Chicago. Number two was the Luger Burger at Peter Luger in Brooklyn.

The White Manna in Hackensack is located, curiously enough, across the street from a McDonald's (Peter Genovese/The Star-Ledger)

"A lot of the burgers on the list had fancy ingredients,'' Belfer said. "Most of our customers just want a classic cheeseburger.''

New York City had the most entries on the list, with 15; Los Angeles had seven, with five each in Philadelphia and Atlanta.

Why the American love affair with burgers?

Pat LaFrieda, whose North Bergen-based meat operation was the subject of a lengthy profile on nj.com earlier this year, had the answer.

"Americans love burgers because we see them as something that our country has pioneered,'' LaFrieda told The Daily Meal. "They are inexpensive, they fill our bellies, and most importantly, they carry a link back to a memory of comfort and safety at some point in our lives.''

Peter Genovese may be reached at pgenovese@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @PeteGenovese or via The Munchmobile @NJ_Munchmobile. Find the Munchmobile on Facebook and on Instagram.