Enough with the limited-edition burgers. When the chef Daniel Boulud introduced the $27 DB burger at his DB Bistro Moderne in 2001, he could not have imagined the machismo arms race he would kick off to create increasingly hard-to-get burgers, with customized, aged meat blends and esoteric toppings. Or maybe he could. Either way, there are so many more accessible and equally delicious options, some of them as classic as Coke, others not so much. Below, you’ll find a selection of 19 burgers that exhibit the very best of the city: its diversity, its attitude, its aversion to hype.

Smash burgers are a dime a dozen these days, but Milk Burger in the South Bronx may be the only spot in the city where you can get an excellent Angus beef double smash burger, a side of crispy onion rings and an icy cold Henny Colada to wash it all down. (Look for the sign on Bruckner Boulevard that says “the Best Henny Coladas” and you’ve made it.) There are more than a dozen burgers on the menu here, but the garlic smash stands out for its combination of flavorful beef and garlicky chipotle aioli. True to its name, the patty is smashed thin on the flattop grill along with some sliced onions, Oklahoma-style. It’s embellished with good old American cheese and served up in a pillowy Martin’s potato roll. MAHIRA RIVERS

148 Bruckner Boulevard (St. Ann’s Avenue), the Bronx; 718-500-3421; milkburger.com

To capture the full spectrum of burgers in New York, we needed one true-blue diner burger, and the best one in its class. The cheeseburger deluxe at Joe Jr. in Gramercy is just that: a properly burnished burger, a detail all too rare at New York diners, served open-faced to highlight its rich sear and served on a buoyant sesame bun, as the burger gods intended, American cheese melted on both sides of the bread. This burger’s only detractors are its neighbors: the perfunctory slices of pale tomato, a flap of iceberg, a dinky cup of slaw. But, in the spirit of a diner, wouldn’t you miss them if they weren’t there? BECKY HUGHES

167 Third Avenue (East 16th Street), Manhattan; 212-473-5150; joejr.site

It’s hard to put into words the delight of eating at this “part fast-food restaurant, part shrine to roadside America” on the western end of Houston. You’re instantly reminded of whatever drive-in restaurant defined your hometown. (For me, the Varsity in Atlanta.) But this is New York, so there’s no drive-in. There is, however, the warm thrill of a best-in-class fried onion burger from El Reno, Okla., passable fries and a proper Arnold Palmer — not too sweet, not too tart — seven days a week, 12 hours a day. NIKITA RICHARDSON

155 West Houston Street (MacDougal Street), Manhattan; no phone; hamburgeramerica.com

If you simply must have a 32-made-a-night-style restaurant burger, at least acknowledge that there’s always a dupe. This is that burger: a dry-aged blend of brisket, chuck and short rib with a bit of sherry with melty Gruyère and onions — and plenty available. Every toothsome, indulgent bite is a stand against limited-edition tyranny. NIKITA RICHARDSON

180 Franklin Street (Java Street), Brooklyn; no phone; baramericanonyc.com

What, pray tell, inspired a hip Lower East Side Basque spot to top its burger with Roquefort and boquerones, two pungent ingredients? “I was surprised to see so many dishes in Northern Spain pairing blue cheese with anchovies,” the chef Aaron Crowder said, before adding, “I was surprised by how much I loved it.” He uses a grass-fed beef blend, with fat from the flank and meat from the hind leg, to keep pace with the odoriferous condiments. The griddled burger is silky and rare, served on a Pain D’Avignon bun that’s soft yet sturdy. Then, you notice the briny smell of the anchovies, the mayo and onions spilling out the back end, and the sweet, stinky funk of blue cheese. Bite into a guindilla pepper to cleanse the palate, then hit the shower. RYAN SUTTON

252 Broome Street (Orchard Street), Manhattan; 646-850-0140; eelbarnyc.com

There’s been a resurgence of nouveau classic French bistros and brasseries in New York City over the past few years, but L’Express on Park Avenue has been serving steak frites and nonchalance since it opened in 1996. Hidden among the usual bistro fare is one very good, very under-the-radar lamb burger: a nine-ounce patty of Moroccan-spiced ground lamb grilled to a perfect medium-rare with pickled onion, tomato and peppery arugula in a split brioche bun. (Add the optional schmear of tangy chevre to offset the gamy char.) The burger comes with a tangle of herb-flecked skinny fries that are crisp and tender in all the right places. Best of all, L’Express is open late on the weekends, so there’s nothing standing between you and a midnight lamb burger. MAHIRA RIVERS

249 Park Ave South (20th Street), Manhattan; 212-254-5858; lexpressnyc.com

What, exactly, makes a burger … a burger? Is it the bun that separates it from a sandwich? Or the ground beef patty that lies in between? Roujiamo from China is often called a “Chinese hamburger,” even though it looks like nothing of the sort. Popularized in the northern provinces, where wheat is more common than rice, a typical roujiamo consists of spiced meats like braised pork or cumin lamb stuffed into a coin purse-size flatbread pocket. Of all the roujiamo in New York City, the fast-casual chain Xi’an Famous Foods makes an outstanding classic version: The slow-cooked pork belly is at once savory and syrupy sweet; the bread is crisply toasted yet fluffy enough to sponge up all the juices. MAHIRA RIVERS

Multiple locations, Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens; xianfoods.com

Ann Redding was born in Thailand, raised in the Philippines and moved to Maryland all before she was 10, thanks to her father’s career in the Air Force. Accordingly, McDonald’s was a through line of her itinerant childhood. “Every once in a while,” she said, “as a treat.” When Ms. Redding and her husband, Matt Danzer, opened Mommy Pai’s in 2025, they set out to pay homage to the chain’s classic cheeseburger with their Mommy Royale, using quick-brined grilled chicken, instead of beef, and sour mustard greens over dill pickles. For all the upgrades, it tastes uncannily like something from the Golden Arches. Now we wait for billions and billions to be served. LUKE FORTNEY

203 Mott Street (Spring Street), Manhattan; no phone; mommypai.com

For $6.50 at Jojo Duck, you’ll find a warm, plastic-wrapped gift: a bouncy, yeasty bun that’s pan-fried and steamed split open to host a loose mixture of rich ground lamb, heavily spiced with pepper. The chunky cubes of carrot strewed throughout are steamed just enough to give them a glossy plump, and the pieces of lettuce on either side of the bun are slick with lamb fat. It’s so good you won’t wonder: Is this even a burger? BECKY HUGHES

131 Walker Street (Baxter Street); 516-969-9919; no website

Sure, the chef Thomas Ferlesch can make a classic cheeseburger. He has one on the menu at Werkstatt with Gouda cheese and bacon onion jam. Still, each time Mr. Ferlesch went home to Austria, he wondered if he could make a burger taste like käsekrainer, the cheese-stuffed sausages found across Vienna. (He could.) Onto a pretzel bun, he piles mustard, pickles and a handsome pork patty sculpted from bratwurst that answers once and for all: Yes, the hot dog is a sandwich. LUKE FORTNEY

509 Coney Island Avenue (Turner Place), Brooklyn; 718-284-5800; werkstattbrooklyn.com

Johnny’s serves precisely what you’d expect to find at any good Chifa spot: Chinese Peruvian fare like tender pollo alla brasa, burnished spare ribs and floppy lo mein. But the Williamsburg hangout also offers a really good smash burger. Indeed, the smashed patty wouldn’t feel out of place at Hamburger America (featured above). Cooks give the burger a hard sear on the griddle before sliding it into a potato bun, where it peeks out from underneath a tart pile of shredded carrots and daikon, with sliced jalapeños and a slick of ají verde lending a stinging heat. Order a frozen and very purple chicha morada to cool things off. RYAN SUTTON

642 Lorimer Street (Jackson Street), Brooklyn; 718-535-8554; johnnysbk.com

Cousin to the Salisbury steak, the humble hamburg steak is ground, round and, crucially, served without a bun. (Otherwise, it would be a burger.) Cafe O’Te serves a textbook hamburg, light as a cloud with egg yolk and bread crumbs folded into the beef. Weigh it down with burdock root, rice and other sides, before it floats away. LUKE FORTNEY

38 Norman Avenue (Dobbin Street), Brooklyn; no phone; instagram.com/cafeote.bk

Why does Erik Ramírez sell a square-shaped burger with a square shokupan bun? Because it reminds him of a classic White Castle slider, though the similarities end there. Papa San is a Nikkei restaurant — burgers are a big deal in South America — and the chef is eager to show off his Peruvian and Japanese spices. This burger packs some heat: The patty is slathered with nutritional yeast, sansho peppercorns, black pepper and gochugaru. He griddles the lush meat, a blend of brisket, short rib and dry-aged fat, for a proper char and anoints the whole affair with a tartar sauce forged from Dijon mustard, ají amarillo and ají rocoto purée. You can taste the beef, but make no mistake: The chiles and peppercorns will jolt you. RYAN SUTTON

501 West 34th Street (10th Avenue), inside the Spiral, Manhattan; 929-822-5264; papasannyc.com

The Cuban sandwich gets quite a bit of representation in New York. The frita Cubana does not. And that’s too bad, because this staple of the South Florida culinary scene is one of the country’s most underappreciated burgers. In Miami, the patties are typically made from beef — with pork sometimes blended in — and seasoned heavily with paprika. Cooks then place them on airy Cuban rolls with piles of papas julianas, or shoestring fries. Frita Batidos, a Michigan import on the Williamsburg waterfront, is the rare local purveyor of this specialty, but it takes creative liberties. The kitchen uses thicker bistro fries and brioche buns. And it makes the chorizo patties entirely from pork (beef and vegetarian versions are also available). The burgers crumble like good pâté and smack of paprika, while a sweet chile mayo softens up the frites. Pair it all with tangy lime shakes. RYAN SUTTON

334 Kent Avenue (South Fourth Street), Brooklyn; 718-559-0161; fritabk.com

Williamsburg | Downtown Brooklyn | Midtown East

Lahori burger at BK Jani

The signature Jani burger at this Pakistani restaurant has its fair share of loyalists, but don’t miss out on the Lahori — a smoky-hot halal beef burger that gets its name from the owner Sibte Hassan’s hometown, Lahore, Pakistan, where barbecued meats are an essential part of the food culture. In this case, Mr. Hassan reinterprets the popular seekh kebab as a six-ounce grass-fed beef patty seasoned with spices like cumin and coriander, chargrilled to order and served in a brioche bun. It’s garnished with the typical kebab accouterments like thick-cut red onion, cucumber slices and a cooling mint chutney. The stubby, irresistible fries are seasoned with a secret masala of 12 spices. There’s a touch of sweetness and perhaps even a little cinnamon — try them for yourself and maybe you can guess the rest. MAHIRA RIVERS

Multiple locations; bkjani.com

Who could have guessed that Scotch bonnet chiles were what was missing from New York’s burger scene? Jonathan Pierre-Lafleur, that’s who. A former City Council candidate, Mr. Pierre-Lafleur is now the owner of this Flatbush fast-food counter where “the works” includes jerk seasoning and pikliz, a scorching Scotch bonnet slaw. His most popular invention, the Burger Créole, is a craggly edged beef patty with tomato, Cheddar and pikliz aioli. LUKE FORTNEY

801 Rogers Avenue (Martense Street), Brooklyn; 347-365-7063; instagram.com/rogersburgersnyc

BURGERS OF THE SEA

Williamsburg | East Village

Win Son Bakery’s shrimp burger is delicious in a Big Mac sort of way. There’s frilly lettuce spilling out every which way and sweet-tart pickles that plop onto the parchment-lined serving tray. This burger’s singular patty, however, is made from seasoned shrimp paste as a homage to Taiwan’s shrimp-rich cuisine. Served on a housemade milk bun sturdy enough to handle the heft of the breaded and deep-fried patty, it’s as big as a fist and springier than a jack-in-the-box toy. White American cheese melts into a gossamer layer of gooey umami, and finely sliced pickled Peppadews lift and brighten the load. MAHIRA RIVERS

Multiple locations; winsonbrooklyn.com/bakery

New Yorkers love them. Shrimp fear them. Yes, we’re talking about the deft cooks at Mariscos El Submarino, who can grill a dozen shrimp in the time it takes to say camarónes zarandeados. In less capable hands, a shrimp burger drowned in Muenster could easily be a kitchen nightmare. Here, it’s further proof we can leave it to the pros. LUKE FORTNEY

Multiple locations, Brooklyn, Queens and New Jersey; mariscoselsubmarinonyc.com

For too long, tuna burgers have been viewed as an acquiescence — the healthy choice. But the tuna burger at Greenpoint Fish and Lobster is not a downgrade. It’s as good as the beef version: smashed and slathered with special sauce and Cheddar. Even better, the fries that come with it are the kind we’ve come to associate with the best bistros. In other words, absolutely perfect. NIKITA RICHARDSON

114 Nassau Avenue (Eckford Street), Brooklyn; 718-313-1913; greenpointfish.com