Burger Quest: Burger's Priest

Whenever the topic of "Best Burger in Toronto" comes up - the most consistent recommendation is The Burger's Priest at Queen and Coxwell.  This weekend I decided to take a trip down to Leslieville to see for myself.

Burger's Priest at 1363 Queen Street East, Toronto

Legend has it, an Armenian priest opened up Burger's Priest - giving each burger a religious theme.  Most locals will cite The Burger's Priest claim to fame is its online-only "Secret Menu" that includes, among other things, a double cheeseburger sandwiched between two grill cheese sandwiches named "The Vatican City".

First thing I noticed is how BUSY this place is - I was there for about 20 minutes and there's a constant stream of people coming in and out.  As with Kinton, I took this as an indication of how good the burgers must be.

I went with "The Priest", a cheeseburger with 'The Option' with all the toppings (except for tomatoes) and fries.

The perfect burger:bun ratio

Lets start with the burger itself, made from scratch on site, stays moist and juicy in part because its round shape (kind of like how a fillet mignon maintains its juiciness because of its round rather than flat shape).  The burger is a cut above many of the other gourmet/designer burgers in the city - definitely great value at $9.99 (especially considering the starting price for a burger at a bar is usually north of $12)

What to say about "The Option" - its basically a second 'burger'.  Melted cheese sandwiched between two portobello mushrooms, coated in batter and deep fried.  It's the secret sauce that puts the burger into all-star territory.

The only thing I wish I'd done is dress it slightly differently - I skimped out on fried onions ($1.29) & bacon ($1.49) that would have made the meal epic.  A bit of bbq sauce would have also been a welcome addition.

Lastly - the fries are exceptional, but a bit hard to justify at $3.59. I would recommend taking a more expensive burger.

Repeat?  Definitely - see myself going back very soon.