Melrose is cheeseburger heaven

Published October 11, 2019

The following is another in a series of “Around Town” articles.

MELROSE — Melrose has been buzzing about it all year. No, not the mayor’s race, but the first-ever pursuit of an equally important topic: Where can you get a decent cheeseburger in Melrose? Around Town can now confirm that the verdict is in.

With no reservations or call-ahead necessary, our intrepid man-about-town took on this assignment with an empty stomach and eyes wide open. With the assistance of his friend Kevin, who also has a good appetite, the mission began. Kevin’s enthusiasm increased when he learned that the Weekly News was picking up the tab. Kevin was all-in.

Around Town has never been afraid to take on any subject. Controversy is our middle name. It was a tough job, but somebody had to do it. Cancelling summer vacation and that one last trip to Suffolk Downs was worth it as our historic odyssey of seeking cheeseburger excellence commenced.

First of all, it’s cheeseburger, not cheeseberder. Sorry Mr. President, no fake news here.

There are really only three rules when it comes to cheeseburgers.

Rule No. 1: We only considered burgers made with beef. Not chicken or turkey or plant-based protein burgers. We’re talking beef: steers, cattle or heifers. If you don’t believe me just ask any bovineologist.

Rule No. 2: Ingredients must be F.R.E.S.H. Meat must be juicy. Cheese must be melted. Roll must be recently baked. Any decent 4-Star cheeseburger should “meat” the following conditions:

• Never, and we mean never, a frozen patty

• A more modern and substantial roll is nice. But a traditional bun often works well, too. Again, the key is fresh.

• Lettuce, tomato and onion. Pickles are good but optional.

• This is a critical point. Cheese must, repeat must, be properly melted. As in dripping down the side of the burger and roll, all over your face and hands.

• A 4-star burger should require multiple napkins.

Rule Number 3: How the burger is cooked is optional. Kevin likes his burger “hammered” (well-done), others prefer “blue” (extra-rare). Around Town prefers a medium-rare burger (pink in the middle). No juice or grease means your burger experience is limited. No one should accept a dry cheeseburger.

What about condiments? Mustard, ketchup, relish, mayo – and other variations are all fine. But some people like to show off and order their burger “All-The-Way.” Which means with all possible toppings. To me they are just showing off. I say, give your burger room to breathe.

So, where to begin our important work?

Around Town prefers the positive, so if a specific shop or lunch counter disappointed we just moved on to the next place. No negativity here. We did make one exception because it was so unexpected and disappointing.

We started with a joint which we expected to serve up a pretty decent burger. Our mistake. We hoped it would be a good bet that if a burger place says it serves up great food at reasonable prices you should expect a respectable cheeseburger. That’s not necessarily so.

So what went wrong? Oh, where to begin. The beef patty placed on the grill frozen, a big no-no. That was followed by limp tomato and lettuce. And cold cheese – not melted! The roll, not grilled and damp from condensation in the bag, was an unforced error.

Did we mention the cheese was not melted? Compared to one of those foil-wrapped cheeseburgers at the drive-in, this wasn’t much better.

Onward and upward to the Melrose Diner, next to the Wyoming Commuter Rail Station. My pal and I each ordered a cheeseburger that comes with a bag of chips. Cost: only $5.50. How good could it be?

As a matter of fact, it could be excellent.

Owner Thoma Zoto and his wife, Anthulla, serve up a fresh and juicy six ounce burger grilled to perfection and with proper cheese meltage. Placed on a fresh-grilled sesame seed roll by a cook who wears food preparation gloves was a plus. With fresh beef, melted cheese and a roll substantial enough to hold that six ounce patty, what more could one want? How about the burger topped off with a thick slice of native tomato from the Zoto’s backyard garden, a fresh bed of lettuce and fresh cut onions?

If you’re on the go and prefer take-out, a burger “On-Wheels,” from Melrose Diner is a solid choice.

Two weeks later, we ventured out again. We knew Turner’s Seafood Grill and Market serves up outstanding seafood. But what about that cheeseburger on their lunch menu? It’s listed right across from Portuguese Fish Stew and the New England Crab Cake.

A good sear separates the best from average and Turner’s Char-Grilled Burger is simply outstanding. It has a fresh eight ounce beef patty with the right amount of char, served on an in-house baked Brioche roll.

Turner’s offers various cheese choices, with bacon or caramelized onion options extra. This is really a meal. as you get two sides. Kevin chose the coleslaw and French fries. And I went for a double order of broccoli florets. At least that’s what I told my wife.

We washed down Turner’s burger with their house ale, “Turner’s Brew,” exclusively brewed for them by Cape Ann Brewing. A great burger deserves a great beverage.

The following week, we decided to break it up and go Italian for lunch, so off to Bobby C’s we went. Bobby C’s recently signed an extended lease so we can expect to enjoy their great Italian food well into the future. What we didn’t expect to see on the lunch menu was the humble cheeseburger. Should we take the plunge?

We recklessly tossed aside our plans for Chicken Marsala and Seafood Risotto. Instead, two burgers with American Cheese, lettuce, tomato & onion. What arrived was an unexpected surprise.

It was a huge, hand-formed 10 ounce Black Angus burger, charred and grilled to perfection. The cheeseburger was juicy, the flavor outstanding. While the cheese was slightly under-melted, the vegetables were fresh and plentiful . It was served on a fresh-baked sesame seed scalli bread roll. What a combination.

This was one fantastic cheeseburger. Yup, it came with fries that were very good. The cheese could have been melted a tad more, but this burger and roll, it’s flavor and juiciness, just overwhelmed the plate and our palates. It was that good.

If you’re looking for that thick and juicy classic East Coast burger so common to New England, then Bobby C’s is a smart play.

As with Turner’s, Bobby C’s offers a full bar. But we recommend you explore their wide variety of seasonal craft beer which goes down oh so well when you have a cheeseburger of this caliber in front of you. In my case, the Summer Shandy worked well while Kevin opted for a local IPA.

Bobby C’s owner Julie Crowley’s passion is serving up the best quality Italian food possible. And that commitment extends to their lunch menu and specifically, their cheeseburger.

As the summer passed from hot nights to cool September evenings, Around Town felt the urge to further explore the Melrose food scene – specifically the cheeseburger food scene. It was off to Liberty Bell Roast Beef and Seafood, which first opened its doors in 1976; they must be doing something right.

Known for their broiled and fried fish dinners, lobster rolls, salads and outstanding roast beef sandwiches, we noticed once again, tucked in the middle of the menu, were several burger options. The Cheeseburger Sub, Cheeseburger Club, Cheeseburger Wrap and the good ‘ole All-American Cheeseburger.

Well, fair is fair, and in order to honestly score and compare, Kevin and I chose the regular cheeseburger. There was no disappointment.

Co-owner Arsen Sheraj takes pride in only using fresh, top grade, Black Angus beef which is ground daily. A local bakery provides fresh rolls. And let’s face it, Liberty Bell knows how to cook beef.

According to Arsen, the secret to a great burger is “fresh beef, seared on a griddle to hold in the juices. And then char broiled. And the roll has to be fresh.”

Liberty Bell hits every mark you want in a great burger. At $5.25, the Liberty Bell cheeseburger does not disappoint. It is no surprise that the master of roast beef sandwiches in Melrose has mastered the art of the perfect cheeseburger.

Our final stop on the Melrose cheeseburger trail brought us to Wood & Fire. As with their authentic Italian food and artisan pizza, the variety of choices on their “Panini” menu is to die for. This menu has some fantastic choices; Grilled Chicken Caprese, Prosciutto di Parma and Italian Tuna. But wait, they offer the humble cheeseburger too.

Wood & Fire’s Giancarlo Mantia served up a perfect eight ounce Black Angus burger on a freshly grilled roll. Huge portions of tomato, lettuce, red onion and a generous amount of melted cheddar cheese amounted to one incredible burger.

Both Melrose Diner and Liberty Bell Roast Beef provide an excellent opportunity to enjoy the all-American cheeseburger for around $5 bucks (sides cost extra). These are really good burgers.

Or, you can pursue the gourmet cheeseburger options that Turner Seafood, Bobby C’s and Wood and Fire offer for around $15 (sides included).

So whether you like your burger with American or cheddar, bacon or fried egg on top, Hammered, Blue, or “All-The-Way” – Melrose has a cheeseburger just waiting for you.

*Around Town advises that eating raw or undercooked meat, poultry or seafood poses a risk to your health. Steak Tartar anyone?