Hamburger day, where to taste the most original and delicious recipes
No longer just a fast food dish, the hamburger is now also available in a gourmet version: here is a selection of unusual recipes around Italia that are worth trying.
Key points
On the day dedicated to the hamburger, the Italian burger scene now tells of a clear phenomenon: the burger is no longer just street food and fast food, but a transversal dish that crosses designer kitchens, luxury hotels and urban bistros. In recent years, the burger has ceased to be a simple symbol of casual dining in Italia as well, to become one of the most dynamic casual dining options (and this does not only refer to meat). It is now worth several billion euros within the commercial catering market and continues to grow at a faster rate than the industry average. Here a selection of 'out of the ordinary' burgers that we think are worth trying.
The Slaves' Burger
In the most scenic heart of Venice, overlooking the Riva degli Schiavoni, Hotel Gabrielli Venezia (Starhotels Collezione) interprets the burger as a panoramic experience. On the terrace or in the K-Lounge Bar, chef Mirko Pistorello creates the hamburger degli Schiavoni. A rich, territorial blend of Sorana Padovana, bacon, egg, Tropea red onion, lettuce, tomato and a fig sauce with caramelised onion.
The Old Bridge with an international flavour
At the Caffè dell'Oro, inside the Portrait Firenze, overlooking the Ponte Vecchio, chef Luca Armellino signs a burger with a strong flavour, prepared with Prussian beef, smoked provola cheese, sriracha sauce, bacon and caramelised red onion: a harmonious and contemporary combination of comfort food and gastronomic research.
Three versions Cathedral view
A few steps from the Duomo, the Rosa Grand Milano hotel offers a more urban and modular vision of the burger. Between the Roses Pizza & More and the Grand Lounge & Bar, the burger is declined in three versions designed for different audiences but united by a precise approach: immediacy and recognisability. The 'La Granda' version plays on asiago, romaine lettuce, tomato and mustard (with the ever-present Chips on the side). The 'Fish' variant shifts the centre of gravity to blue fish with lime mayonnaise, while the 'Veggie' version works on vegetables, cereals and yoghurt sauce. It is an idea of the burger as a platform, rather than as a single dish: adaptable, urban, transversal.
Succulenta and the Contemporary South
In the CityLife district of Milan, the Succulenta restaurant interprets the hamburger as a natural extension of southern cuisine. The 'Succulenta' hamburger is constructed with an almost domestic logic: artisanal bread, beef, salad, coppery tomato, Tropea red onion, mozzarella di Bufala Campana Dop and fries. Chef Matteo Mottola's approach, linked between Puglia and Campania, results in a hearty, direct dish centred on recognisable raw materials. The buffalo and sweet onion build balance without complex mediations.
