5 Star Burgers, Clayton

USA Today ranks it in their list of "50 Best Burgers in America" and their tally of "51 Great Burger Joints." Noted restaurant critic Ian Froeb insists the Green Chile Cheeseburger is his favorite burger in St. Louis in his annual STL 100 list. There are plenty of reasons why critics—and a rapidly expanding fanbase of loyal diners in Missouri—pine for 5 Star Burgers. They do things differently. Take the beef itself—a marvel of humanely pasture-raised Creekstone Farms black angus goodness that's grain-finished (hence, the outstanding marbling and flavor) and entirely free of hormones or antibiotics. They even grind their own meat daily. Add ingredients and produce sourced from organic farmers to enhance the already superior freshness of the burgers, plus savory sides such as natural-cut fries and crispy cheese curds, and you get delicious results, including favorites such as:

• 5 Star Burger: natural Creekstone Farms black angus burger served with a garnish of lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickle
• Dad's Green Chile Cheeseburger: with crispy New Mexico hatch chilies, pepper jack cheese, green chile mayonnaise
• Blue Ribbon Burger: with crisp smoked bacon, port-braised onions, creamy gorgonzola cheese
• Bison Burger: from the North American Bison Co-op with espresso-black pepper rub and caramelized onions
• Breakfast of Champions: sunny-up egg, american cheese, roasted tomato-bacon jam, and hollandaise sauce
• 5 Star Turkey Burger: seasoned with fresh sage and served with a cranberry-peach chutney

Atop of their top-tier tastes, 5 Star Burgers maintains an A+ rating when it comes to also environmental commitment by recycling their frying oils for bio diesel fuels, running their kitchens solely on energy efficient equipment, and using carryout packaging made from recycled sugar cane fibers.