12 JULY 2-8, 2026 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | NEWS | LETTERS | CONTENTS | years, thanks to his laser-focused dedication to perfect execution of a simple product. For starters, he stores his burger buns in a small holding oven to keep them warm until ready to plate. The smashburgers are pressed im- possibly fl at as they’re cooked, making them intricately laced, crispy and meaty. Until re- cently, Twansburger was operating out of the Finn’s Manor courtyard; Villaume has since moved his operation to the alleyway behind La Diabla, where he offers a a three-item menu of burger, fries and fried chicken. BURGER ADJACENT COUNTERS AND SHOPS Counter-service eateries where the burger is one of many options. Odie B’s 2651 W. 38th Ave. 1350 40th St. Type: Smash-ish Cost: $15.50 The burgers at both the Sunnyside and RiNo lo- cations are sandwiched (pun intended) on the menu between the breakfast sandwiches that put this counter-service hot spot on the map, as well as more adventurous fare like green chile falafel and fried chicken chilaquiles. Although there’s just one burger option available, it’s all you need: It stands large with a double patty, a mix of both American and cheddar jack cheese, and dill-pickled onions. The “fancy sauce” is a Colorado version of Thousand Island dressing that includes green chile among the 25 other ingredients to give it a sweet/spicy kick. Right Cream 2423 S. Downing St. Type: Smash Cost: $9.75 Right Cream is an ice cream shop that got its start in the home kitchen of David Right during the pandemic, eventually moving to a small space in Rosedale and then adding smashburgers on Thursday nights. But the burgers proved too good to limit to just one night, and are now available daily in all their greasy, cheesy glory. Don’t taste and drive! Not only are these burgers next to impossible to put down, but your hands will get too slip- pery to grip the wheel. Give your cardiologist a heart attack and pick up some ice cream, too, while you’re there. Tessa Delicatessen 5724 E. Colfax Ave. Type: Patty Cost: $17 (fries included) Amid the sea of cold-cut sandwiches and pastas available at this funky space smack dab in the middle of ongoing BRT construction on Colfax Avenue are a line of burgers worth seeking out. The Tessa Cheeseburger is a straightforward combination of angus beef, lettuce, tomato and pickles with a welcome swab of scallion mayo that provides an allium bite without the often harsh invasiveness of a raw onion. Another nice touch is the shredded lettuce rather than thick, slippery leaves. But it’s the housemade bun, a version of a Japanese milk bread, that really brings this burger together. LIMITED-TIME BURGERS King of Wings fi rst added burgers to the menu after a fi re paused its wing-making operations. But the popularity of the Sni- peburger understudy proved too strong, and now the burger – featuring the tangy gold wing sauce – is a regular Wednesday special at the Golden outpost. Rosenberg Bagels is now in its third year of hosting its Rosenburgers popup on Fridays and Satur- days from 5 p.m. until 2 a.m. until Labor Day. And Marczyk’s Fine Foods hosts a similar tradition every summer in the form of Burger Night: a charcoal-grilled burger party held at its Colfax location, offering 7-ounce Niman Ranch beef patties cooked to order. BAR/RESTAURANT BURGERS Table-service restaurants where you take a seat, place an order, and shouldn’t have to ask the server for ketchup when the plate arrives. Briar Patch 1222 Madison St. Type: Patty Price: $16 (fries included) What happens when a chef trained in Mi- chelin-starred kitchens takes over the back of the house at a restaurant looking to simplify its menu? You get the nuanced balance of the Royale with Cheese. It doesn’t look fancy, but it doesn’t have to, with a restrained balance that delivers all the needed fl avor without gussy- ing it up with bells and whistles that other places use to mask mediocrity. Looking for something with more fl ash? The Apple & On- ion burger layers on green apple, caramelized onion with garlic aioli, cheddar and arugula. Bud’s Cafe & Bar 5453 Manhart Ave., Sedalia Type: Patty Cost: $5.25 / $7.95 double The burgers at this no-frills, cash-only pit stop in Sedalia put the sexy back up on the shelf and replaced it with blue-collar modesty. The burger is just a steamed bun and patty with pickles and onions, ketchup and mustard, along with a bag of chips. (“No French fries, damnit” reads the tabletop menu.) Want something more? Too bad. Bull & Bush 4700 Cherry Creek S. Drive Type: PattyCost: $18 (fries included) It may seem a little ironic to celebrate Amer- ica’s dish in a bar decked out like a rustic English hunting lodge, but the burgers here have been consistently satisfying customers since the 1970s. The practiced execution shows on every plate, where thick, half- pound steakhouse burgers boast perfect crust surrounding a pink interior so juicy you have to make sure you’re leaning over the plate to keep the drippings from ruin- ing your clothes. Wednesdays are Burger Night, where you get a free beer with any burger order. Candlelight Tavern 383 S. Pearl St. Type: Patty Cost: $9.50 (chips included) Meat. Cheese. Bun. That’s it, and that’s all you need at this crunchy, old-school Denver bar still kicking on South Pearl Street. You’ll get a little side cup of pickles and raw onions, a condiment caddy and a bag of chips, too, but the star is the burger patty that’s hand- shaped and cooked like your dad grilled in the backyard. It’s a time capsule on a plate. The Castle Sports Bar & Grill 6657 S. Broadway, Littleton Type: PattyCost: $17 (fries included) Yes, the exterior of this Littleton bar does indeed look like a castle. And you’ll eat like a king here: The burgers are thick, perfectly cooked, and come with respectable fries. Choose your cheese and your preferred topping (from BBQ sauce to green chile and beyond) and belly up to the horseshoe bar where patrons are eating burgers elbow to elbow – particularly on Tuesdays, when burgers are buy-one-get-one-half-off. Cherry Cricket Multiple Locations Type: Patty Cost: $12.25 For 80 years, the Cherry Cricket has nour- ished Denver with a never-ending stream of award-winning burgers. From specialty items (like the best-selling Cricket Royal, with Swiss cheese, mushroom duxelles, caramelized onions, roasted garlic and onion jam, garlic aioli, and crispy onion strings) to the straightforward Cricket Burger, there are numerous reasons why Denver diners come back to this homegrown champion again and again. It never disappoints, and we hope the Cricket never stops chirping, either. My Brother’s Bar 2376 15th St. Type: Patty Cost: $11.75 Maybe it’s the ghost of beat-generation muse Neal Cassady, or the classical music con- stantly streamed through the speakers, or just the refreshing lack of TVs in the space, but My Brother’s Bar has some kind of magic touch with the burgers it serves at this his- toric location. While the cream cheese-based options (our favorite is the JCB) might give the uninitiated pause, taking that leap is worth it every time. Served simply wrapped in wax paper (no plate), but with a massive toppings and condiment caddy, the burger is both basic in presentation and customiz- able in practice. Cafe continued from page 11 The Bull & Bush has perfected the steakhouse burger to an art form. ANTONY BRUNO Odie B’s burger, with a hint of green chile in the “fancy sauce.” ANTONY BRUNO
