OK, maybe there was a touch of nostalgia ground into my burger. But the best burgers anywhere are at Mr. Bartley’s Burger Cottage in Cambridge, Mass. New York burger palaces don’t come close.

Yes, I ate Bartley burgers like crazy when I was in college and grad school. My hubby courted me over a Mr. Bartley’s burger. But sorry, even without this stroll down memory lane, the burgers would be memorable.

First the beef burgers. They’re juicy and cooked perfectly. Next, the turkey burgers. Instead of the usual hockey puck that ordinarily passes for this dish, the one that Mr. Bartley’s put before me was succulent and juicy.

And the fries and fried onion rings are ethereal. And if you’ve never had a vanilla frappe (Bostonese for milk shake), this is the place to get this intensely rich and vanillay concoction.

Oh, and for those of us who frequented Mr. Bartley’s back in the day, the curmuddgeonly owner is still there barking out orders and giving customers a hard time. Many of the burgers are named after politicians. I chose a Ted Kennedy with cheddar cheese and fried onions.

“Well, Ted Kennedy is a turkey,” said Mr. Bartley’s owner, smiling ever so slyly.

Mr. Bartley’s Burger Cottage
1246 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge, MA 02138

(617) 354-6559

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