Last summer, when the skies of New York were turned a biohazardous shade of mustard, one man had his all-time favorite burger in New York City.
Jeremy Strong, known for his on-set intensity and zeal brought the same spirit with him to dine solo at Leo, a Williamsburg spot known more for their sourdough pizzas than their red meat. Even so, he ordered and ate the burger, declared it the best in New York, and disappeared back into the hazy cadmium night.
Hearing about this Emmy-winner and one-time co star’s experience not only put this burger on my to-try list but it made me aware of its existence in the first place, as a previous Leo diner.
I popped in with my friends Brooke and Frenchie to split a big meal before heading over to catch our friend Peru’s show at Joe’s Pub, which I’d also be photographing. It’s true, I do things other than wax poetic about burgers! We dined mostly family style but I had my eyes on the patty prize.
We ordered the focaccia, butter beans, marinated greens, cacio e pepe and the caesar for the table, alongside a white pie for Frenchie and Brooke and a red pie sans cheese for Brooke and me. Once the burger hit the table, I channeled Strong and engrossed myself in the meal.
The Leo burger has a thick 5 ounce patty topped with full leaf lettuce (bibb, I think) dill pickle chips, sliced white onions and a special sauce (and American cheese if you so please).
The cut varies week to week but the kitchen always sticks to an 80/20 blend. The beef had considerable depth and richness, especially compared to my more recent bites that focused more on the crust and salt of the patty. The profile of the burger was a hybrid of Blue Collar and Red Hook Tavern - fresh toppings with crunchy and high acid alongside a heavier, borderline creamy patty.
The burger created a heavy drip but minimal mess, due in part to the sturdy but nondescript bun keeping everything together. I wish the sauce was more of a presence - it didn’t detract but it didn’t add anything in terms of flavor or texture.
Overall, this really was a great burger! And at $20 for a burger and fries, it’s a solid deal on a nice night out. Is it my favorite? No, but it’s one I’ll absolutely return to. As for my personal ranking, my gut has it at 7: under Ingas and above Blue Collar.
We’re getting into tricky territory as BD continues. I think Leo and Blue Collar are both great burgers but they’re so different: a burger for a second or third date vs. a burger you grab on the go before a night of bar hopping.
After Thanksgiving, I’ll be fleshing out the official Burger Diva Burger Tracker ™™™ to include details like occasion, price and “vibe,” available to my paid subscriber tier - be on the lookout!