Town Topic opened its doors in 1937, but the locations hamburger heritage is even older than that—the turrets on the corners of the little shack on Broadway betray the fact that it was once a White Castle. And the hamburgers they serve there, more than 70 years later, are a cultural relic from that era: Small pucks of beef are pressed in to a searing griddle with onions, while the bun is steamed on top. More

My friend Jeff Ruby just had his Top 10 U.S. Burger List published in Playboy. No word on whether he dined with any of the Bunnies while researching this piece. Here's some of the ground he covered: Ann's Snack Bar,... More