eat + drink

There are plenty of fantastic burgers to be had in the City of Lakes. Some are made with beef, while others spotlight lamb, turkey, tuna or black beans. Whether jumbo half-pounders and diminutive two-biters, nouvelle or old-fashioned, here are 13 that could definitely land on a "best" list.

TRYG'S A mini-burger classic in the making. Patties of loose-formed Black Angus chuck, nicely charred on the grill, are wedged into chewy ciabatta buns and garnished with a pert sweet pickle garnish, three to a plate ($7). Get 'em with a basket of onion rings.

3118 W. Lake St., 612-920-7777, www.trygs.com

BULLDOG NE. RESTAURANT & BAR

When it comes to burgers, the kitchen at this hot new Northeast joint knows what's what, curing and twice-grinding highly seasoned Kobe-style chuck ($8 to $10) before letting the garnishes fly, including stinky Stilton, smoky Minnesota-raised ham and bacon, truffle oil and a cheeky horseradish-laced mustard. Don't miss the sea salt-dusted fries.

401 E. Hennepin Av., 612-378-2855, www.thebulldogmpls.com

LA BELLE VIE Even James Beard Award nominees can't resist the burger's proletarian format. In the ultra-swanky lounge of his sublime fine-dining palace, chef Tim McKee fashions a pair of mini-burgers ($9) with savory lamb, then enhances them with a mint-yogurt sauce and roasted peppers.

510 Groveland Av., 612-874-6440, www.labellevie.us

MY BURGER

This cute fast-fooder offers an unbeatable skyway box lunch: a lavishly buttered grilled bun stuffed with a thick beef patty, grilled onions and tangy sweet pickles and served with a generous fistful of long, slender fries, all for just $4.95. Toss in a hand-mixed malt for $2.25.

601 Marquette Av. S., 612-436-0330, www.myburgerusa.com

BRYANT-LAKE BOWL

The BLB's California-style burger ($7.75), a paragon of pure beef flavor, is a thick grilled-to-order patty of grass-fed, naturally raised beef sourced from a century-old family farm in Montevideo, Minn. Wash it down with a glass of Minnesota-brewed 1919 Root Beer.

810 W. Lake St., 612-825-3737, www.bryantlakebowl.com

BIRCHWOOD CAFE

No Boca Burgers for the B'wood, huh-uh. Black beans, currants and sunflower seeds stand in for meat; pert pickled onions, golden roasted beets and a snappy aioli add color and flavor ($8). The topper is a marvelous house-baked, sesame-studded buttermilk bun.

3311 E. 25th St., 612-722-4474, www.birchwoodcafe.com

5-8 CLUB