Category: Burger Beat

Story & Photos by Mark Shaffer  Every time I walk into Luther’s I half expect to find Norm Peterson and Cliff Clavin at the bar arguing over “Final Jeopardy.” Every time. It’s no accident that Luther’s has a serious Cheers vibe to it. But instead of a dingy subterranean grotto, here patrons get a panoramic view of the waterfront park and the river.

The search for the Lowcountry’s best handmade burgers continues…   Story & photos by Mark Shaffer “Man who invented the hamburger was smart; man who invented the cheeseburger was a genius.” – Matthew McConaughey, Oscar-winning actor & cheeseburger aficionado    

The search for the Lowcountry’s best handmade burgers continues… Story & photos by Mark Shaffer   “You can find your way across this country using burger joints the way a navigator uses stars.”  – Charles Kuralt

The search for the Lowcountry’s best handmade burgers continues. But first, a recap…   Story and photos by Mark Shaffer Jules: You know what they call a Quarter Pounder with cheese in France? Brett: No. Jules: Tell ’em, Vincent. Vincent: A Royale with cheese. Jules: A Royale with cheese! You know why they call it that? Brett: Because of the metric system? Jules: Check out the big brain on Brett!   – from Quentin Tarentino’s “Pulp Fiction”

  The Burger Beat at Rosie O’Grady’s   Story & photos by Mark ShafferLong ago in a misty age known as “The 80s” a visionary reporter named Jim Atkinson set out on a quest to document the great American institution of the Dive Bar, or in Atkinson’s terminology the “bar bar.” It was a risky and often thankless task, but Atkinson stuck to it and eventually published a book of his findings in 1987.

A Classy Spin on an American Classic Story and Photos by Mark Shaffer Editor’s Note: This column is about finding the best local, made-from-scratch hamburgers the Lowcountry has to offer. No chains allowed. We eat local and fresh and urge you do the same. And we prefer an adult beverage with our burger. And another thing, what you see is what you get. No food stylists were harmed or otherwise engaged in the making of this Burger Beat. We snap the food as it comes to the table, occasionally throwing an elbow in the process. And yes, the tomatoes really were that red…

Why Habersham hops on Wednesday nights . . . Story and photos by Mark Shaffer LET’S DO THE TIME WARP Wednesday night in Habersham, the award-winning New Urban community on the banks of the Broad River, just outside of Beaufort. There is a time warp vibe to the place with its lush parks and greenways, sprawling oaks and front porches. Without the cars, the golf carts and a few modern amenities, it’s easy to imagine oneself in the hometown idyll of post World War II America.

The Burger Beat returns, with a visit to the Old Bull Tavern.Story & Photos by Mark Shaffer There is an old world sensibility to this short block of downtown Beaufort. This narrow piece of West Street was only recently a series of vacant storefronts. Today it is an eclectic collection of shops, galleries, studios and single pub that feels as if it’s watched the years drive by in everything from Edsels to Smart Cars.      (Mark Shaffer with fellow Burger Beater & Everyday Gourmet columnist Debbi Covington at the Old Bull Tavern)

Burger Beat represents an ongoing search for the Lowcountry’s best local handmade burgers.   The Delicious Conundrum Nick Borregine could have called his wildly popular Shell Point eatery Plan “B” Burgers. That’s kind of how Fat Patties happened.

Islands Meat Market is the real deal… Just beyond the glass storefront the late summer downpour drowns the parking lot, discouraging all but the most intrepid or determined shopper. I’m hanging out with the man who’s been cutting my steaks since we landed in Beaufort, Julian Johnson.

Over the Moon… at Moondoggies Cafe and Grill BEFORE WE BEGIN The English eccentric, gambler and former clergyman, Charles Caleb Colton (1780-1832) once famously observed that, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” Shortly after the folks at Moondoggies came up with the idea of Burger Night some years back it seemed like Burger-themed evenings suddenly became ubiquitous.

Our quest for the Lowcountry’s best handmade burgers takes us to Plums… “Anybody who doesn’t think that the best hamburger place in the world is in his hometown is a sissy.” – Calvin Trillin, The New Yorker   When I was a kid the concept of “fast food” was still barely in its infancy – in fact, it wasn’t even out of the cradle. The Golden Arches had yet to lead the fast food conquest of America (much less the rest of the globe). Towering corporate logos were still years away from gathering in ubiquitous clusters at every interstate exit. The American Hamburger was still something we ordered at hometown diners.

Our search for The Lowcountry’s best handmade burgers continues… at Wren.    Jules: You know what they call a Quarter Pounder with cheese in France? Brett: No. Jules: Tell ’em, Vincent. Vincent: A Royale with cheese. Jules: A Royale with cheese! You know why they call it that? Brett: Because of the metric system? Jules: Check out the big brain on Brett! – from Quentin Tarentino’s “Pulp Fiction”

The search for The Lowcountry’s best handmade burgers continues…   Lowcountry Produce Market & Cafe 302 Carteret St. downtown Beaufort 843-322-1900

NEW FEATURE! (Wherein an elite corps of aficionados roll up their sleeves and get good and greasy in search of The Lowcountry’s best burgers) First Up… ROSIE O’GRADY’S Boundary Street, in Beaufort Town Center 843.379.7676