[Photographs: Ed Levine]

Yup, Alaina and I were at Bonnaroo last weekend, as guests of the festivals' founders. And yes, I was probably the oldest person there. But as far as having a great time my age didn't matter. I got to hear tons of good music (Trombone Shorty, Temper Trap, and the Punch Brothers were probably my faves; Alaina stayed another day to hear the National, Stevie Wonder, and Jay-Z), the vibe was great, and I don't think I've ever seen a more together music festival operation.

But we're food bloggers and music lovers here at Serious Eats World HQ, so I want to tell you about the Bonnaroo burger served at Jiffy Burger, the local burger joint in Manchester, Tennessee, that's owned and operated by the mayor of the town the festival takes place in.

Jiffy Burger is a classic, timeless burger joint, complete with full curbside service. We tried both single and double hamburgers and cheeseburgers in different configurations, and the grilled bacon cheeseburger (essentially a patty melt with bacon) was mighty tasty, but the Bonnaroo burger, which was created specifically for the food-loving founders of the festival, was definitely the way to go at Jiffy Burger. What's on it and in it? Two quarter pound patties that needed more fat in them, cheese, bacon, an onion ring, and—this is the inspired touch—a fried egg on top. The egg lent the entire sandwich some much-needed moisture and juiciness.

So if you do head down to Bonnaroo next year, make a point of stopping at Jiffy Burger, eat curbside, and have the festival's namesake burger. It's almost as cool and eclectic as the music we heard.

Jiffy Burger

1001 Hillsboro Boulevard, Manchester, TN 37355 (map)
931-728-4452

Bonus: Video of Ed Eating the Burger

You can see more videos at bonnaroo.com.