PYT, Philadelphia

To some, a fresh soft pretzel is a snack in and of itself. To PYT's burger creators – whose recipes are equal parts wildly creative and exceptionally decadent – a soft pretzel is merely a new kind of bun, something that too few people embrace as a home for a freshly grilled burger. They take the pretzel, slice it half, butter it, and grill it, then squeeze it back together around an enormous beef patty topped with fried pickles and house-made spicy mustard. The pretzels join the ranks of numerous creative buns on the menu, which even include dessert staples such as donuts and waffles. These creative buns have the same sense of play and experimentation as the toppings; the menu includes burgers paired with Jameson whiskey glaze, fried chicken breasts, and even chocolate-covered bacon.

Not every architectural feat on their menu has a burger patty as a foundation, though. The eatery's signature Doh Nuts feature a glazed donut outside stuffed with all manner of fillings, from bacon mac and cheese to buffalo chicken with sprinkles of bleu cheese on top. The innovative burger makers also use innovative business strategies; they recently began to offer year-round burger passes to residents of New York City and Philadelphia. The passes grant the holder unlimited burgers for a year; one could eat a burger every day or finally realize a long-held dream of building a super burger out of a number of smaller burgers.