In response to a recent run in with some top notch burgers I thought I would throw up this post with my perspective on the Top 5 Burgers worldwide. I am hoping that some of you reading this will have a favorite of your own that you think is a must experience and can force me to rejigger my list. If you do please comment below.

Top 5 Burgers

1. DB Burger – I ignored reports of the famed burger by Daniel Boulud while living in New York City and only caught up with this masterpiece in Singapore. After experiencing the DB, I consider not having one in NY long ago to be one of my biggest regrets. It goes without saying, that at the price point of over $20 a pop this burger only uses the best ingredients. That is not why it tops the list. It tops the list because the patty is stuffed with, drumroll please, braised short-rib, foie gras and black truffle. Bam! Everything about that combo works in perfect harmony. Just like a gambling addict, you will be looking forward to dropping your next Jackson on another as soon as you finish the first even though you know your piggy bank disagrees.

2. Fergburger – This bad boy hails from the distant land of Queenstown, New Zealand. The ultimate way to close out an adventure packed day of either Bungy (invented there) or Canyonning in this extreme activity town. You won’t be alone either, it feels like 90% of tourist stop in for one or more of the namesake Fergburgs. The locals regularly frequent the Ferg as well. The secret ingredient of this burger delight is a sweet tomato relish. It plays perfectly with the seasoning of the locally grow meat patty and red onions which accompany your expected lettuce and tomatoe. A symphony of tastes and textures and it goes without saying that Kiwi’s know how to raise a cow.

3. Shake Shack – Hard to place a burger which can easily have an hour long line to buy one, in spite of having an online webcam system so you can spy on the status of the queue before endeavoring to buy one, in the #3 spot. I am certain many NYC loyalists are very upset. The SS burger is the ultimate burgers burger. You can’t do the primary ingredients of a burger – the combination of meat, cheese and bun – any better then Shake Shack does it. This burger is best described as creamy and the signature Shack Sauce is nothing short of the perfect condiment. The burger purist in me calls for the SS burger to be #1, but the foodie in me had to slot it in behind the DB and the Ferg as I find there tastes to be more unique and overwhelming to the taste buds.

4. Houstons/Hillstones – Proven by the first three on the list, ingredients count and no restaurant chain acknowledges this simple credo better than Houstons. Ignoring the fact that at present the chain are going through an identity crisis of sort, rebranding as Hillstones in some cities, the burger is always done right with the consistent cook and self assembly. In one word – delicious. For me it is the combination of a premium meat patty perfectly complimented by a fresh slice of tomatoe, a crisp plump pickle and a healthy patch of freshly shredded lettuce. It is one of the most affordable meal selections on the menu and at the same time the biggest burger on the list – when measuring diameter while not neglecting thickness. I have literally eaten a hundred of these and they just dont get old. Since many of you have likely not tasted this commercial success but likely have one down the street, I say don’t knock it till you have tried it!

5. The Big Mac – No I am not going insane. This burger hits the top 5 for its international reach. You can get a Big Mac in every country in the civilized world. Read that sentence again if you are hating this pick, this burger is so good that it sells in EVERY country around the world. There is no other product in the world that can have that tag line, let alone a burger. As for the credentials of the burger itself, it is a double decker done right with that toasted middle harmonizing the bread to burger ratio. Additionally, who can forget its marquee Big Mac Sauce. I dont know what is in it, but I do know it works well and plays particularly nice with the shredded lettuce. Topping it all off is the unabashed use of yellow american cheese. Not the most prestigous of cheeses, but as a red blooded american it is perfect for my tastes. Lastly. this burger is affordable to all, unless you are buying in France where Le Big Mac can run you the same price as any of the above except the DB.