Top 3 Burgers in VT....so far!

It's time to talk about one of my most favorite things to eat....that's right, it's burgers!  I know, it's not very sophisticated.  I can't help it though, I just LOVE a good burger.....actually I love all burgers, from fast food to fancy and everything in between.   From regular cheese burgers to the exotic.....love to try new combinations and/or toppings.  Here are my top 3 favorite burgers in Vermont and where to get them:

1. Black and Blue Burger at the Rusty Nail in Stowe, VT.  It was hard to decide between this one and my #2 choice, however the Duck Fat Fries are what sent it over the top for me.  First the burger - it has blackening spices, artisan blue cheese butter, bacon and it's topped with onion ringlet's.  Let's start by saying that I am not a huge fan of blackened anything nor I am I a huge fan of blue cheese.  So why did I even order this do you ask?  Because the bartender raved about it so much that I just had to try it!  I was so surprised by this burger - it had just the right amount of blackening spices (it did not overpower, but did enhanced the flavor of the meat), the blue cheese butter was AMAZING (really, it was in no way overpowering with blue cheese flavor and it totally brought the burger to the next level), and you just can't go wrong when you add bacon and onion ringlet's to any burger! Now let's talk about those Duck Fat Fries.....who knew they would be so good???  I was curious and suspicious - would cooking fries in duck fat make any difference at all?  Of course I had to try them and my less adventurous  husband got the regular fries and was willing to let me have one so I could compare the two.  The Duck Fat Fries were so much better than the regular fries.  It's hard to explain how exactly they were better, so all I can say is they had a distinctly richer flavor to them.  Alas, go to the Rusty Nail in Stowe and try this burger and make sure to try the Duck Fat Fries!!!
2.  VT Highland Burger at the Upper Deck Pub in Burlington, VT.  
   Grass fed Highland beef (from Laughing Wolf Farm, Fletcher, VT) topped with VT Alehouse cheddar, pickled onion, Roma tomatoes and artisan greens.  Honestly, I don't even know why this burger is soooooo good, but it is!  I do think it has a lot to do with the fact that it's local fresh meat.  This makes a big difference when it comes to the flavor of the burger.  If you have never had local fresh ground burger, you really should try it sometime - I guarantee you will be amazed at how good it tastes compared to what you get from the grocery store.  The difference in flavor is so night and day that it's worth every penny in the extra cost!  Anyway, this burger was so delicious that it has been stuck in my head for a long time now!  Next time I will try their pork burger - it was highly recommended, and so of course I gotta try it!
3. Sky Burger in Burlington, VT.  I love this place!  I love the fact that they grind the meat fresh every day, I love that there are soooo many different hamburgers to choose from that I get overwhelmed and can never decide which one to choose, I love that you can choose what size burger you want, I love the fact that they have milk shakes and I love the decor!!  Have I mentioned how much I love this place???  Never been?  You gotta try it!

Honorable Mention - the Moog Burger at Moog's Place in Morrisville, VT.  Topped with mushrooms and onions.....it's delicious.....I've ordered it several times and will order it several more times I'm sure!