‘Best burgers’ list likes Fort Worth’s Bearded Lady’s ‘L.U.S.T.’

The 50 best burgers in Texas include many of Fort Worth’s familiar winners.

Plus a couple of surprises.

The newest ranking by the gastronomic gods at Texas Monthly magazine already spurred business at the Bearded Lady, ranked No. 3 statewide for its L.U.S.T. burger, a poblano-feta-stuffed burger with avocado and Gouda.

The L.U.S.T. Burger was a collaboration between owners Eric Clayton and Shannon Osbakken and original staff members at the West Magnolia Avenue beer pub, Osbakken said in an email.

“We were all fans of the famous ‘Juicy Lucy’ [a cheese-stuffed burger] but we wanted our own spin,” Osbakken wrote.

The name came from a server because “everyone was lusting for that burger,” Osbakken wrote.

Four other Fort Worth restaurants made the TM Top 50, plus an honorable mention and another dislocated Top 50:

▪ Dutch’s Hamburgers’ “Vaquero Burger”: Grill boss Juan Cervantes topped the Vaquero with jalapeño and onion strings, bacon, shredded cheddar and the unusual combination of both barbecue sauce and chipotle mayo.

Texans who would never have ordered barbecue sauce and mayo together took to the spicy version. It’s $8.95, or $6.95 on Tuesdays after 4 p.m.; lunch and dinner daily, 3009 S. University Drive, 817-927-5522, dutchshamburgers.com.

▪ Fred’s Texas Cafe’s “Fred Burger”: When the Fred Burger first made Eats Beat in 1999, I consdered it a big risk: “If a lot of readers storm Fred’s and don’t understand the Austin-like, laid-back otra cerveza mindset, I may not be welcomed back.”

It worked out. Almost 30 years after J.D. Chandler took over Fred’s and added a half-pound burger with hand-cut fries, the Fred has carried the cafe to regional fame. It’s open from 10:30 a.m.: 915 Currie St. in the West 7th neighborhood (closed Monday), 3509 Bluebonnet Circle near TCU or 2730 Western Center Blvd.; fredstexascafe.com.

▪ Press Cafe’s “Cafe Burger”: One of Felipe Armenta’s four restaurants had to make the list, and Press Cafe earned it.

The Cafe Burger has fresh-ground beef with watercress, pickles, caramelized onions and Huntsman cheese. (If TM ranked a Top 50 turkey or veggie burgers, Press would make that list, too.) It’s open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner at 4801 Edwards Ranch Road, off the Chisholm Trail Parkway; 817-570-6002, presscafeftworth.com.

▪ Reata’s “CF Burger” made the Top 50, but only at the Alpine location.

The Fort Worth Reata has been serving a bison burger instead, but the original CF cheddar burger will come back by the weekend. Open daily for lunch or brunch and dinner; 310 Houston St., 817-336-1009, reata.net.

▪ Rodeo Goat’s “The Telluride”: The real upset might be that Rodeo Goat didn’t make the top five. Maybe the 20 artisan burgers overwhelmed judges.

The Telluride has Hatch green chiles, green-chile chutney and a roast poblano-goat cheese spread. That enough pepper for you? Rodeo Goat is open daily for lunch and dinner; 2836 Bledsoe St., 817-877-4628, rodeogoat.com.

▪ Also making honorable mention: the barbecue burger at Charley’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers, open at 10 a.m. weekdays and Saturdays (11 a.m. Sundays) at 4616 Granbury Road, 817-924-8611; facebook.com/CharleysOldFashionedHamburgers.

Mash’d ♥ the blue

If you’ve never tried the burger or “bootleg ribs” at Mash’d, a moonshine-themed Fort Worth restaurant, go Friday.

Mash’d will donate all profits after 4 p.m. Friday to the family of late Dallas police officer Patrick Zamarripa. .

Mash’d also will accept donations all day Friday for the Zamarripas; 2948 Crockett St., 817-882-6723, mashd.com.

This story was originally published July 20, 2016 at 8:04 AM with the headline "‘Best burgers’ list likes Fort Worth’s Bearded Lady’s ‘L.U.S.T.’."