Two Louisiana Joints Earn Spots on ‘South’s Beloved Burger’ List

Louisiana loves its Cajun food its Creole food and its seafood but every now and then just keep our palates pure in Lafayette, Shreveport, Lake Charles, and other Louisiana towns we've got to have something a little different. For a lot of us, that something a little different is a hamburger. And, while a piece of meat between two slices of bread might seem ordinary, if you know where to look and what Louisiana towns to look in you can find some of the South's Best Burgers.

Southern Living Magazine, a regular staple on the coffee table at my mom's house growing up in Mississippi has released a list of what they are calling The South's Most Beloved Burger Joints, and author Tara Massouleh McCay certainly included some of my favorites from Mississippi, Alabama, and of course my current stomping grounds, here in Louisiana.

And, while I love the list Southern Living has put together, I am taken aback just a bit that only two Louisiana burger joints made the cut? Now, I don't disagree with the inclusion of Dyer's Burgers in Memphis Tennessee. I always eat there when I travel to Memphis for work with St. Jude Hospital. Dyer's is the place with grease that's more than 100 years old. Don't worry they strain it every day and the burgers are wonderful.

The Southern Living list also included a couple of places from Mississippi, the burger at Borroum's Drug Store and Soda Fountain in Corinth is legendary. In fact, Borroum's is the oldest drugstore in Mississippi and the same family still runs it. Southern Living also gave a nod to Phillips Drive-In in Laurel Mississippi. That's the burger place where you might run into Ben and Erin Napier of the HomeTown TV show.

Where Can You Find the Most Beloved Burgers in Louisiana?

According to Southern Living, you can only find those in New Orleans and Lafayette. The choice highlighted out of the Crescent City was Port of Call. If you've been to the New Orleans French Quarter you might know these burgers quite well. The toppings are served on the side and include onion, tomato, pickles, and lettuce. Port of Call has been creating its big beef magic for hungry patrons since 1963 but a word to the wise, if you can't unhinge your bottom jaw like a snake, you might have trouble getting that first bite into your pie hole.

The Southern Living choice from Lafayette is the iconic Judice Inn on Johnston Street. The Judice Inn was first opened in 1947 and their one-of-a-kind burgers include a special sauce that just makes the burger better. Of course, we might be a little biased since Judice Inn is one of our hometown favorites in the Hub City.

The Shocking Similarity These Two Beloved Louisiana Burger Places Share

You can forget about the french fries. You can't get them at the Judice Inn. Although we locals love to make visitors approach the counter and request fries just to see the look of confusion on their faces. And at Port of Call in New Orleans they serve their burgers with a baked potato. You can get that potato loaded up with butter, sour cream, bacon bits, and green onions. But, you can't get it julianned and fried into crispy strips, so there.

The One Burger Joint That Shouldn't Be on the List?

I have eaten at this place in Atlanta probably 50 times. When my kid was attending Georgia Tech, I would always stop in at The Varsity. It's right across from GT but I have never gotten a hamburger there. The reason? The chili dogs are too darn good to pass up. So, when the counterman at The Varsity yells "What'll ya have, what'll ya have" I see no reason to say hamburger. By the way, The Varsity has its own language so make sure you learn it before you go or else you'll hold up the line.

If you'd like to peruse the Southern Living complete list, you can do that here. I think it's a great collaboration of places I would love to try. And if I may cast one more vote for a local and personal favorite burger in Lafayette/Youngsville/Broussard I'd have to say Morvant's does a nice burger too. 

That's our two cents on burgers, what's your choice when it comes to a "beloved burger"?