10 great ski town burgers

Stowe, Vt., lost a burger and beer institution when the popular Shed Restaurant and Brewery lost its lease in 2011, so we’re happy to report that Diane Bair and Pamela Wright had great things to say about the newest tenant, The Crop Bistro and Brewery, in a Globe story last season. “We even found a burger with house-made ketchup at The Crop (1859 Mountain Road, 802-253-4765, www.cropvt.com), which the beef lover in our party declared was the best he had ever tasted.’’ Sounds like a suitable replacement for the legendary Shed Burger, which was served on an English muffin, delighting thousands of skiers and riders after a day on the slopes of Mount Mansfield. Bair and Wright also found solid options at the Whip Bar and Grill (pictured), Sunset Grille and Tap Room, The Rusty Nail, and Hourglass. There is, after all, something about a hearty burger after a day on the hill, one of the most popular après meals. Here are nine other spots to find a premium burger in New England ski country. As for the Shed Burger, you can still find the recipe here.

The Bag and Kettle

Of course, any discussion about ski town burgers has to include Sugarloaf’s Bag and Kettle, which serves up what is arguably the most notable après ski burger in New England. Skiing Magazine has called the Bag Burger a “Top Five Worldwide,’’ and it has been a Sugarloaf staple for both veterans and new visitors – curious if it’s worth all the fuss – alike. The on-mountain pub also boasts a number of specialty burgers, but it’s the classic ground beef version that makes headlines. – 9004 Main St., Carrabassett Valley, Maine, www.thebagandkettle.com

Red Parka Pub

One of my personal favorite burgers is at the Red Parka Pub, in Glen, N.H., just down the road from both Wildcat Mountain and Attitash Mountain Resort. This is a classic ski bar, complete with memorabilia, old style popcorn machine (I can’t tell you how many times I savored that thing during long waits as a kid), and ski movies playing in the dining room. There are few better days than bellying up to the always-lively bar and ordering a burger here with a variety of special toppings. The Kitchen Sink (pictured) is — well, what you think it is — but I remain a big fan of adding onions and bacon and washing it down with a local Tuckerman’s Pale Ale. – 3 Station St., Glen, N.H., www.redparkapub.com

Tamarack Grill

It was an offseason of change at Burke Mountain, which the owners of Jay Peak purchased last May, but one thing not expected to waver is the apple turkey burger’s dominance on the menu at Tamarack Grill. The burger remains the No. 1 selling burger at the base restaurant, a tasty combination of ground turkey, applesauce, Vermont applewood smoked bacon, and, of course, local maple syrup. The Tamarack is indeed not your typical base lodge restaurant, priding itself on local products on a menu that is anything but cafeteria style. – 223 Sherburne Lodge Road, East Burke, Vt., www.skiburke.com/the-mountain/around-the-mountain/eats

Tom’s Loft Tavern

There are few ski bars with a more quintessential après vibe than Tom’s Loft Tavern, the no-frills environment that sits at the base of Okemo Mountain. It’s the home of warm beer and lousy food, as Tom loves to proclaim, neither of which is true, of course. That includes Tom’s everything burger, which is merely an eight-ounce beef burger topped with cheddar cheese, smoked brisket, more cheddar cheese, smoked apple bacon, even more cheddar cheese, pulled pork, and onion rings. You’d better have worked out the entire day on the bumps in order to eat this one. – 300 Mountain Road, Ludlow, Vt., www.facebook.com/pages/Toms-Loft-Tavern/129783457050894

Farmhouse Tap and Grill

I was discussing some of Vermont’s best burgers with a friend of mine last winter, and she gushed over the offerings at Farmhouse Tap and Grill, a popular Burlington spot that coincidentally took over a space that used to be a downtown McDonald’s. Like many Vermont institutions, the place prides itself on using local products to create a unique assortment of burgers including the crispy portabella white bean and feta burger. Traditionalists will likely want to stick with the house burger, with the option of adding anything from house-picked jalapenos to a sunny side up fresh egg. Wash it all down with one of a wide selection of local and national craft brews on tap. – 160 Bank St., Burlington, Vt., www.farmhousetg.com

The Shopping Bag

Meanwhile, down the road, the Shopping Bag whips up what the Food Network called the best burger in the state. You wouldn’t know it by looking at the small establishment, but people swear by the Scibec Swizzler, a $5 burger made at the simple grocery store, featuring bacon, cheddar and American cheese, and a variety of other seasonings. “What’s so hot about the famous burger?’’ asked local weekly newspaper Seven Days. “It’s cooked to order and spiced with a “secret blend’’ that tastes like salty Montréal steak seasoning. Once topped with thick slices of provolone and cheddar, the fatty, crumbly patty is placed on a Koffee Kup Bakery roll with bacon, special sauce and a salad’s worth of lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles.’’ Proof that sometimes no-frills can be the most satisfying of all. – 166 North St., Burlington, Vt., www.facebook.com/pages/The-Shopping-Bag-Inc/113074308703422

Barley House Restaurant and Tavern

OK, so Concord is not technically “ski country’’ but it’s hard to pass up a burger that has been popularly lauded as the best in the Granite State. If heading to the likes of Cannon or Ragged, a stop at the Barley House Restaurant and Tavern is a must. In 2012, both Yankee Magazine and New Hampshire Magazine dubbed the Barley House the best burger in the state. Burger selections here include the McBarley (Russian dressing, pickles, roasted red onions, house-cured bacon, and cheddar), the Hangover Burger (peppercorn charred, potato cake, house bacon, cheddar, fried egg, and buffalo sauce), and a BBQ bacon bison burger. Draft beer options include Oskar Blues, Lagunitas, and Rogue Brewery. Mouthwatering, no? – 132 North Main St., Concord, N.H., www.thebarleyhouse.com

McGrath’s Tavern

McGrath’s hasn’t been on the North Conway scene for very long, but the tavern has already carved a spot in Mount Washington Valley for its variety of burgers, including the Volcano Burger (pictured, topped with chipotle sauce and onion rings). Up for a challenge? Then you’re into Burgatory, McGrath’s 10 half-pound burger plate served with a pound of fries. Eat the whole thing in under an hour, you get the meal free of charge and your name on the tavern’s wall of fame. Luckily, Attitash, Black, Cranmore, and Wildcat are all nearby in order to work it off. – 3465 White Mountain Highway, North Conway, N.H., mcgrathstavernnh.com

Black Mountain Burger

Gordi’s Fish and Steak gets all the Loon après attention (and no problem with that), but it’s not like Black Mountain Burger serves as a last-ditch option. There are a dozen original black Angus burgers on the menu at this Lincoln establishment including the “Smitty’’ (a burger served between two grilled cheese sandwiches), the Reuben burger, and “Triple Trouble,’’ featuring sweet banana peppers, BBQ sauce, and bacon. No single burger is more than $9.50 on the menu. The spot had been known as “Hamburger Heaven,’’ but it doesn’t sound like the former name doesn’t aptly describe the joint any less. – 246 Main St., Lincoln, N.H., www.facebook.com/BlackMtnBurgerCo