This is it! The burger. From Louis’ Lunch in New Haven, CT. It is here, in 1900, Louis Lassen invented the hamburger sandwich as we know it.
Today, the place is run by the grandson of the original owner. Make a note — over the centuries, the dining experience has not changed. You are served now the same way as were those more than hundred years ago.
The original recipe and preparation also remain intact. Even the bread toaster and three cast iron grills are those that were installed here in 1885.
The burger patties are hand rolled from the signature five meat blend and cooked to the absolute perfection. There are no condiments to distract from the real taste of phenomenal beef and no buns — just two slices of toast like it used to be, tomato, and a slice of charred onion.
A side potato salad — creamy, chunky, and perfectly seasoned — comes in a styrofoam cup. It is not pictured here. I had no will power to stop eating it for a capture — a masterpiece of simplicity. And the white birch to round it up.
The place is so treasured by locals and those who know, that when it was threatened with demolition, fans from all over the world chipped in to not only lift and move the original building to a new location.
To properly restore it, people from everywhere sent matching bricks to fill in the gaps.
Inside, there’s one large table, two face-to-face ones, two bar stools, and a few side-by-side booths that you will never find anywhere today.
Lots of history is carved into these tables.
