Is This Austin's Best Burger?

The Daily Meal recently published our 101 Best Burgers in America for 2014, and in order to compile our ranking, we assembled a list of nearly 200 burgers from all across the country, from Spruce Pine, North Carolina to Hillsboro, Oregon. We then divided these burgers by region, and compiled a survey that was taken by a panel of 50 noted food writers, journalists, bloggers, and culinary authorities from across the country, asking them to vote for their favorites; limited, of course, to the ones that they'd tried. We tallied the results, and published the 101 stellar American burgers with the most votes.

Homer "Hut" Hutson opened the original Hut's Hamburgers in Austin in 1939, and though it's now in a different location with different owners, the spirit of the place hasn't changed a whole lot since then. As it happens, the vaguely déco style building it now occupies also opened as a restaurant — Sammie's Drive-In — in 1939. Fresh Texas-raised beef is at the heart of Hut's burgers (though, this being the 21st century, they're also all available in buffalo, grass-fed longhorn beef, boneless chicken, or vegan-friendly form). There are versions named for Ritchie Valens, Wolfman Jack, Fats Domino, and other personalities, but the classic here is Hut's Favorite, with lettuce, tomato, mayo, American cheese, and bacon. It's a little retro, but it sure is good.

Hut's Favorite came in at #42, beating out The Classic Burger at Hopdoddy Burger Bar (#77), and the Double Chili Cheeseburger at The Varsity (#64).

Kate Kolenda is the Restaurant and City Guide Editor at The Daily Meal. Follow her on Twitter @BeefWerky and @theconversant.