Illinois Joint Lands On Global List Of 50 Best Burgers On Earth

Gourmet or simply slapped together on a backyard grill, burgers remain one of the world's favorite things to eat.

And whether you prefer yours with all the fancy toppings or just ketchup and mustard, there's some pretty good news for Illinois burger lovers: You don't have to leave the state to find one of the world's best burgers.

Big 7 Travel recently released its list of the 50 greatest burgers on the planet, featuring restaurants from places like Tokyo, Dublin, London, Sydney, and New Zealand. And tucked in among those international heavyweights is Chicago's own Au Cheval, which landed at #35 on the list.

That's pretty impressive considering it's one of only a handful of American restaurants to make the worldwide ranking at all.

burger skewered with knife near black textile

So What Makes This Chicago Burger So Special?

Au Cheval's signature "single" burger is actually made with two thin smashburger patties, American and cheddar cheese, pickles and dijonnaise (a mayonnaise-based sauce with Dijon mustard). You can also add bacon or a fried egg if you're feeling particularly adventurous.

The restaurant's philosophy is apparently that sometimes less really is more, with an emphasis on quality ingredients and getting the basics right.

Big 7 Travel evaluated the burgers based on everything from meat quality and flavor combinations to customer reviews, atmosphere and overall value.

A person holding a large, juicy cheeseburger with bacon

Here's Where To Go For The Number-One Ranked Burger In The Entire World

The top spot went to Hamburger America in New York City, with an Irish burger joint called Bunsen Burger in Dublin taking second place. Au Cheval was the highest-ranked Chicago restaurant on this particular list.

Of course, you don't need an international ranking to tell you where to find a good burger. Some of the best ones are still found at neighborhood diners, local taverns and backyard cookouts.

But it's certainly nice knowing that one of the world's most celebrated burgers is just a road trip away for Northern Illinois residents, and the burger voted the world's best is only a two-hour flight away.