Where to Eat for National Cheeseburger Day, September 18

Andersonville

• Minyoli

Just in time for National Cheeseburger Day, Minyoli Taiwanese Noodles in Andersonville is launching a new cheeseburger and house-made cola inspired by Taiwanese food culture and Chef Rich Wang’s own family history.

In Taiwan, hamburger patties have a history that goes beyond the bun. A legacy of Japanese colonial-era food culture, seasoned hamburger patties have long been prepared by Taiwanese home cooks and served as a kind of steak. By the 1980s and ’90s, those same patties began appearing in sandwiches, particularly at Taiwanese breakfast shops.

Minyoli’s cheeseburger brings that piece of Taiwanese food culture to Chicago. Based on Chef Rich’s grandmother’s recipe, which was traditionally made with pork, Minyoli’s version features ground beef, shredded onion, carrot and potato seasoned with soy sauce, five-spice and white pepper. The patty is smashed on a cast-iron pan to create a crispy, lacy edge while keeping the inside tender and juicy — a texture that is uniquely Taiwanese.

The burger is served on a toasted brioche bun with house-made Taiwanese-style mayo, Minyoli’s house haishan sauce — a savory-sweet Taiwanese sauce made with tomato, soy sauce and miso — smoked Gouda, house-made Taiwanese heigua pickle and fried shallots. It is served with sweet potato fries.

Developed by Minyoli mixologist Robert, the new house cola takes the familiar American diner soda and gives it a Taiwanese pantry makeover. Traditional Chinese herbs and spices, including star anise, Sichuan peppercorn and jujube, meet Taiwanese ingredients such as black sugar, oolong tea, longan and Taiwanese rice vinegar. The result is dark, aromatic, gently spiced and refreshing, with more depth than an average cola. For the ultimate Taiwanese-American gastropub experience, guests can also add a shot of Taiwanese whisky.

Wicker Park

• Dove's Luncheonette

A burger with roots in the 1920s feels right at home at Dove’s Luncheonette, the Wicker Park neighborhood diner from One Off Hospitality. The OK Onion Burger takes inspiration from the Oklahoma onion burger, a regional style that became popular during the Great Depression as cooks used onions to stretch ground beef. Chef Thomas Hollensed puts his own spin on the classic with Kilgus Farm beef, griddled alongside plenty of onions and topped with melty American cheese, bread-and-butter pickles and tangy comeback sauce, all tucked into a toasted sesame seed bun.

Multiple Locations

• Big Star

This National Cheeseburger Day, the taqueria from One Off Hospitality, Big Star, is giving its tacos some competition with a Smash Burger. The double-patty burger is piled with lettuce, onion, tomato and special sauce, with a layer of crisp, golden, Chihuahua cheese, adding a cheesy crunch to every bite.

• Schneider Deli

At Schneider Deli, owner Jake Schneider is known for putting a Midwestern twist on tradition. For National Cheeseburger Day, he’s giving the classic a deli-inspired spin with the comforting Patty Melt. The sandwich swaps the traditional beef patty for a ground corned beef patty, layered with melted Swiss, pickled onions and deli mustard between two slices of griddled rye. 

Suburbs

• The Greggory (South Barrington)

Go beyond city limits this National Cheeseburger Day with a stacked bite at The Greggory in South Barrington. Chef José Sosa gives the American classic a steakhouse-worthy upgrade with the Wagyu Double Smash Burger, layering two 5-ounce Wagyu patties with melted Gruyère, sweet caramelized onions and rich burnt onion aioli. The nutty, gooey cheese melts into the crisp-edged Wagyu patties, while the double dose of onion adds layers of savory sweetness to every bite.