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G’s Burgers
If the idea of paying $15-plus for a burger topped with kimchi or gochujang has you rolling your eyes at the state of the world, you’re going to love the downhome prices and selection at G’s Burgers in Cornville. Located in a strip mall adjacent to a gas station, this come-as-you-are joint features tractor seats as bar stools, a bar faced with corrugated metal and industrial-style lighting that would make a hipster jump for joy. There’s also a full bar with an impressive selection of whiskey.
The burgers here are some of the best, and we like to try something different on each visit. So far, our favorite is the Steakhouse. It’s topped with bacon, blue cheese, tomato, arugula, onion twigs (think smaller, lighter onion rings) and a special steakhouse mayo. The burgers are served a la carte, so you’ll have to fork over $2.29 for a side of fries or $2.99 for sweet-potato fries, but the most expensive burger on the menu is $7.99, so no complaining about ordering sides.
G’s Burgers, 1220 S. Eastern Drive in Cornville (928-634-2867)
Order This: Steakhouse Burger, $7.99
Wash it Down With: A Peanut Butter and Cherry Milkshake
Hog Wild BBQ
There’s a reason why Hog Wild BBQ in Old Town Cottonwood is packed every time we visit: No matter what you order, you know it’s going to be good. Take the Mingus Mountain Burger for example. This baby is big – a half-pound Angus patty comes topped with melty cheddar cheese, mild green chilies, crisp strips of bacon, lettuce, pickle and tomato. The bun is slathered in mayo, ketchup and mustard. The burgers are cooked to order and some of the juiciest to be had in the Verde Valley – you’re going to need extra napkins, trust us. The burger comes with your choice of coleslaw, potato salad, baked beans or French fries.
Though Hog Wild might look like a fast-food joint, it’s not. Everything here is cooked to order, so be prepared to be patient – it’s going to be worth it. Enjoy your burger indoors surrounded by a plethora of pig paraphernalia or sit on the front patio where you’ll be able to smell the pecan-wood smoker, which is located in the parking lot.
Hog Wild BBQ, 705 N. Main St. in Old Town Cottonwood (928-639-3232)
Order This: Mingus Mountain Burger, $9.49
Wash it Down With: A glass of Mug Root Beer
HP Cafe
This restaurant has a long history in Uptown – once known as The Hitching Post, it had a role in the 1965 movie The Rounders – but these days, judging by the enthusiastic diners in the gorgeously renovated contemporary dining room, the HP in the name could just as easily stand for “Happy Patrons.” Count us among them.
Deciding to forgo the beef and try something new during our most recent visit, we ordered the Foul Play Vegetarian Burger. Boy, are we glad we expanded our horizons. The grilled, black-bean-and-beet patty (made right on the premises) is a revelation garnished with fresh tomato slices, lettuce, red onion, melted Gruyère cheese and, of course, the ever-beloved pickle. Absolutely delicious, this burger has a creamier density than the traditional beef version and is without the crumbly texture of its vegetarian cousin. Tasting mostly like black bean with just a smattering of beet flavor, this sandwich has a uniqueness that even dedicated meat-and-potatoes people like us can appreciate. Siding it with sweet-potato fries over the choice of Napa cabbage coleslaw and shoestring fries, our experiment in satisfaction was a complete success. – Joe McNeill
HP Cafe, 269 N. AZ-89A (928-282-7761)
Order This: Foul Play Vegetarian Burger, $13.55
Wash it Down With: A bottle of Oak Creek Amber Ale
Senor Bob’s
When we started telling friends we were writing about the best burgers in Sedona, they kept whispering one restaurant to us: Senor Bob’s. We’ve been fans of Bob’s hot dogs for years, but we didn’t realize that owner Craig Nimtz had added cheeseburgers and veggie burgers to his menu. We were absolutely missing out. Craig bakes all of his fluffy egg buns from scratch, and his veggie burgers are a combination of fresh-cut vegetables, parmesan cheese, eggs and homemade bread. We love the 7-ounce ground-chuck cheeseburger, which arrives with cheddar cheese, thousand island dressing and lettuce – sort of like an upscale Big Mac. If you want more toppings, head to the condiment bar where you will find all your favorites along with a mayo-wasabi sauce called Freddy Frankel that you owe it to yourself to try.
The burgers are available à la carte or as a combination that includes a drink and a mound of salty, skin-on fries that are hand cut in house. (Note: The Freddy Frankel sauce is delish on the fries.) Senor Bob’s is small and tucked in the back of a timeshare sales office, so you have to seek it out. Order at the counter and grab a barstool at one of the tall tables – each one was handcrafted by Craig from alligator-juniper wood.
Senor Bob’s, 2015 W. AZ-89A in West Sedona (928-204-2627)
Order This: Cheeseburger Combo, $9
Wash it Down With: A can of A&W Root Beer
