It is on its way to surpassing pizza as a popular and global dish. This bite of meat between breads has passed, in recent times, from fast food icon to gourmet elaboration. And if there is a region with Hamburg passion, that is Madrid.

Here coexist names with history (such as the dean Alfredo's Barbacoa, Cafetería HD, Hamburger Nostra ...) with others already consolidated (Goiko, Burnout, Juancho's BBQ ...) and also new (Frankie Burgers, Vice, Junk Burger, Pink's, The Fiztgerald ...), of which we have reported in METRÓPOLI. Even the hamburger reigns in the proposal of renowned dining rooms (Dani Brasserie, El Jardín de Arzábal...). This Sunday, May 28, we celebrate its International Day with half a dozen burgers to try.

Wagyu burger, in Abya.

ABYA

This spectacular restaurant (four floors in the Palacio de Saldaña, in the Salamanca district) is a must stop on this hamburger route with a high bite and faithful to the gastro concept that reigns in the place: free, without corsets and with the cuisine of the world and Latin America connected. The bet? A burger made with high quality wagyu meat (A5) from the Japanese Kagoshima. Presented as a stocking, they crown it with Iberian bacon veil, smoked cheese from Pria and a personal version of the burger sauce (ketchup prepared with smoked tomato in Josper). Everything, inside a homemade bread made with a touch of tomato and oregano and toasted with butter (21 euros). And, of course, with the stamp of its renowned chef, Aurelio Morales (he achieved a Michelin star with Cebo). Ortega y Gasset, 32.

The Wellington, in the Bistroteca.

THE BISTROTECA

Legions of fans and bookings on weekends to two months. It is what, among other things, attract the creations of Vanessa San José and Álex Galvis, souls of this house specialized in burgers -in addition to other elaborations- where the star is the product. They opened seven years ago and without much fuss their matured Galician blonde beef burgers have become essential: they have sold more than 300,000 units! The menu has more than a dozen options that transport to different parts of the world, served in an artisan bread made every day from sourdough. Hit of the house is La Palma (winner of the Burger Combat 2021, the Spanish Championship of Gourmet Burgers), with mojo picón, pineapple chutney, bacon and palmero cheese (17.50 euros). Also top, La Wellington (recreation of the famous sirloin, with duxelles of mushroom, shallot, foie and Iberian dewlap matured Joselito. 18 euros). In addition, every month, off the menu, they launch a new creation as a tribute to their favorite dining rooms. Price: from 15.80 euros. Espartinas, 7 and General Pardiñas, 10.

American Burger 2.0, at Dalù Burger.

DALÙ BURGER

We are still among the winners, in this case with the best in the Community of Madrid, chosen last March in the III Spanish Hamburger Championship, held in A Coruña. This is the American Smash Burger 2.0, which they dispatch in the little place that the Italian-Venezuelan Luis La Loggia and his wife, Daniela, opened three years ago a few steps from the Glorieta de Bilbao. Its characteristics? A smash, with three steaks of meat ("100% Spanish, fresh, without preservatives or additives," explains Luis) of 90 grams each, with cheddar cheese, American sauce, sautéed onion and homemade bacon jam "that gives it a sweet touch." Very popular in the United States, where Luis had two food trucks and learned the technique (the ball of minced meat is crushed on the griddle), smashes are hallmarks of Dalù. Thus, they offer eight versions, but they also turn to the classics with a dozen options and 220 grams of meat, in addition to a vegan. And they do not do badly: between the delivery and the dining room they take out "about 4,000 or 5,000 a month. We can not do more, our kitchen is small, we are few and above all we want to control the quality of what we do, "concludes Luis. Price: from 14 euros. Hartzenbusch, 7.

Smoked Beef Burger, at New York Burger.

NEW YORK BURGER

Brand more than consolidated and with history in Madrid (for some time, it is also in Barcelona) as a reference of gourmet hamburgers in the American style. Fourteen years after its opening, they continue to create first-class recipes. Among the latter, essential is the Smoked Beef, where chef Pablo Colmenares uses two techniques brand of the house -grilling and smoking- to prepare a grilled meat burger. On it, havarti cheese, shredded smoked meat mixed with its own juices, roasted garlic aioli and pesto rosso, caramelized onion and pickles. They serve it in three sizes (14.95; 15.95 and 18.95 euros). In this creative non-stop they have just added to the menu (14 meat versions and a couple of veggies) two juicy bites with chicken: Buffalo Chicken and Smoked Chicken (13.50 euros). Price: from 12.95 euros. Paseo de la Castellana, 250 E (Torre Caleido) and seven more addresses in Madrid.

Soft Shell Crab Burger, in Gunpowder.

GUNPOWDER

Limited edition and with tempurized crab. With this unique recipe chef Sergio Sanz surprised at the last Burger Combat, held last month in Madrid, becoming the second best burger in Spain. But the Soft Shell Crab Burger was born before the fight and has been on the menu of this creative restaurant that plays mainly with the cuisines of Latin America (winks to Creole cuisine) and Asia. Every week,about 50 units of this bite of soft-shell crab come out of their stoves, which they prepare in tempura to give it a crunchy texture. They serve it inside a pretzel bread, with a touch of sweet soy, kimchi mayonnaise and a shiso leaf (16 euros). Juan Bravo, 23.

Old cow rib burger, in Prrimital.

PRRIMITAL

In this stall of the San Miguel Market, between luxury butcher shop and street stall, they do not walk with little girls. Icon of the house is the hamburger of 400 grams of old cow rib, meat that "we mature 45 days in camera and candied for 12 hours at 70 degrees with wine, spices and aromatic herbs in our central kitchen (19.50 euros). Then, we vacuum pack it in its own juice and send it to the stall, "says Alberto del Corral, owner of the brand. "When the customer asks for it, we temper it and mark it charcoal with smoked cheese. Add roasted piquillo pepper and put it in an artisan brioche bread, spread with a special homemade barbecue-bourbon sauce." The rest of its hamburger offer (Discarlux meat chopped with a knife and balled every day) is a range of first-class meats: beef, chicken, duck. Its latest addition is a smash burger with 180 grams of beef, with smoked cheese, lettuce and a gel of pickle and piparras and homemade sauce -like all in this house- bourbon on bread. Prices: from 12.50 euros. Plaza de San Miguel, s/n.

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