SOUTHEASTERN N.C. — Area chefs have put on their creative toques to tempt diners with the tastiest concoctions to the all-American handheld, in preparation for Port City Taste’s Burger Week.
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By the numbers, that means roughly 25 restaurants are offering 30 various burgers as part of the annual fall event, presented by Local Daily Media partners — Port City Daily, Penguin 98.3 and The Dude 93.7.
The event kicks off Monday, Sept. 16, and lasts through Sunday, Sept. 22.
Green hatch chili, kimchi, applewood smoked bacon, doughnuts, bacon onion jam, bourbon glaze, mac and cheese, and jalapeño-blackberry jam are only a few interesting toppings found to flip the traditional all-beef patty on its head.
Port City Cheesesteak is new to this year’s lineup and while the downtown eatery is best known for the handheld in its name, according to owner Chap Wallace, their burgers also have become a hot item.
“Over the years it has become our hidden gem,” he said. “So when our regulars would branch out and try the variety of burgers we’ve had over the years, it became fun to be known as the ‘sleeper spot’ for burgers.”
The restaurant is beefing up their offer for Burger Week by homing in on the local factor; they’re bringing it items from other Wilmington mainstays, Wake n Bake Doughnuts and Wilmington Brewing Company to create the Wake City Burger. The bun consists of two glazed doughnuts, cradling a 6-ounceAngus burger patty, topped with Wilmington Brewing Tropical Lightning IPA Beer Cheese, bacon, sautéed jalapenos and onion, lettuce and Sriracha mayo.
“The obvious sweetness from the doughnut goes great with hoppiness the beer provides in the cheese,” Wallace said. “Mixed with the subtle spice the jalapeño and sriracha add, it is shockingly delicious.”
Better yet, the offering is only $11.99 for the week.
Nearby at downtown’s Fork n Cork — whose premise is to always be creative with burgers — owner Dustin Smith is pairing two all-American favorites into one bite: apple pie and burgers.
The Market Street eatery is offering Ma’s New York Apple Pie Burger for $16. It comes with an 8-ounce beef patty, topped with savory apple pie filling, diced pancetta, grilled onions, thyme, and infused with fresh lemons, and topped with sharp New York cheddar cheese.
“I think sweet and savory go so well together and the fats and acids really work nicely together,” Fork N Cork owner Dustin Smith said.
Admittedly, he has never put apple pie on a burger but said he loves both items and thought: “Why not?”
“No one else is venturing down this road and I love the path least traveled,” he said.
This approach has enveloped the Fork N Cork menu for years, since Dustin’s brother James Smith, who passed away unexpectedly in 2023, started the restaurant more than a decade ago. Burgers have been topped with the unexpected: ravioli, bone-in beef short ribs, Italian sausage mac and cheese.
There are other restaurants transforming the normal meat-based handheld to fit all palates; seafood burgers are also a part of Solstice Kitchen + Cocktails menu in Wrightsville Beach. It has a coastal favorite, the fried shrimp burger, and also welcomes vegetarians to try their portobello burger.
The mushroom caps act as the bun, stuffed with mozzarella, spinach, pesto, red onion, roasted red peppers, tomatoes, and pickled mini sweet peppers.
Over in Carolina Beach, the new Seaworthy Kitchen and Bar, also is leaning into seafood, with one of its three sliders offered being a crab-stuffed burger, served with romaine and its homemade Louie sauce. The other two consist of a standard bacon cheeseburger and pimiento cheese burger with crispy onion straws.
Seaworthy owner Joel Hartzler’s previous restaurant, The Vault, in Asheville won best burger numerous times throughout local Best Ofs held by publications such as Mountain Xpress. However, he took the burger to Las Vegas for the World Food Championship.
“So I have a legitimate claim as the 15th best burger in the world,” Hartzler told PCD.
Three different burgers are also available at True Blue Butcher and Barrel in the South Front District: au poivre, Hatchchilismash, and Ssam I Am Burger.
The latter includes a Japanese A-5 Wagyu blend, kimchi-kewpie, furikake, daikon pickles, ginger scallion, and ssamjang, a Korean dipping sauce.
The three items were popular on a previous menu Chef Bobby Zimmerman did for his other nearby eatery, Ellipsis. It focuses on culinary events and transforms its 1502 S. 3rd St. into pop restaurants for 12 weeks at a time.
“The menu was called Burger Shakedown,” True Blue spokesperson Tori Gatanis said. “Bobby felt that the burgers deserved more time in the spotlight.”
Burger Week participants are spread throughout southeastern North Carolina, from Oak Island (49th Street Grill Bar and Patio) to Leland (Bridgwater Wines + Dines) to Snead’s Ferry (All American Sports Bar and Grill), so diners can choose accordingly by location. But, of course, with seven days to enjoy all the week has to offer, it’s also a good time to try new-to-you eateries that perhaps wouldn’t normally be on your dining radar.
“It’s neat to see what the other spots around town are doing,” Wallace said. “We have so many top-notch restaurants in the area. It’s just a really cool thing to be part of.”
Diners will be able to vote on their favorites as a new element to Burger Week. According to Local Daily Media VP of sales, Brandon Fanney, it’s been a long time coming.
“Feedback from restaurant partners over the last few years,” he said, indicated it “would make it more fun.”
Diners can text their choices to 910-332-0983 by Sunday, Sept. 22nd. Winners will be announced on Port City Daily, The Dude and Penguin sites on Monday, Sept. 23.
Click blue burger names to access linked menus.
DOWNTOWN WILMINGTON
Anne Bonny’s Bar and Grill
Banana Pepper Burger, $12
Pirate Patty Melt, $12
Bonny Burger, $13
The Basics
Basics Burger, $17.95
Chef’s Choice, price varies
Elijah’s Oyster and Fish Camp
Frank’s Burger, $16
Fork N Cork
Ma’s New York Apple Pie Burger, $16
The Husk
Triple Threat, $15
Prost
Willkomen, $16
Port City Cheesesteak
Wake City Burger, $11.99
STEAM
STEAM Burger, $15
Chavo Guerrero, $16
MIDTOWN WILMINGTON
JohnnyLuke’s KitchenBar
Bourbon Gouda Burger, $14.50
Mess Hall
Krabby Patty, $19
Whiskey Trail
Tar Heel Burger, $18
SOUTH WILMINGTON
Dram Tree Tavern
Lamb of Dram, $14.95
Loosey Chop Cheese Burger, $14.95
Double Dram SmashBurger, $14.95
South Front Tavern
Texas Chili Burger, $16.50
True Blue Butcher and Barrel
Ssam I Am, $17
Hatchchilismash Burger, $17
Au Poivre Burger, $17
Winnie’s Tavern
Station Wagon Burger, $12.95
NORTH WILMINGTON
Bridgewater Wines + Dines
Brisket Burger, $17
Crabcake Burger, $17
Black and Blue, $17
Cornelia’s Restaurant
Maple Bourbon Burger, $10
WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH
Platypus and Gnome
Curry on Wayward Son, $26
Poe’s Tavern
Poblano Mac and Cheese Burger, $19
Solstice Kitchen + Cocktails
Smokehouse Sliders, $16
Reuben Burger, $16
Fried Shrimp Burger, $18
Portabello Burger, $15
CAROLINA BEACH
Pop’s Diner
Spicy Mac Attack Burger, $14.50
Seaworthy
Three Burger Sliders, $14.99
Stoked
Beer and Bacon-Onion Jam Burger, $14.60
LELAND
Bridgewater Wines + Dines
Brisket Burger, $17
Crabcake Burger, $17
Black and Blue, $17
OAK ISLAND
49th Street Grill Bar and Patio
Texas Burger, $12.99
SNEAD’S FERRY
All American Sports Bar and Grill
Cat 5 Burger, $12.99
Firecracker Burger, $12.99
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