Louis' Lunch
Hamburger restaurant · New Haven ·
Historic eatery serving original hamburger on toast since 1895
Historic eatery serving original hamburger on toast since 1895
"I appreciate the strict, historic approach here: The Original Burger is made from a proprietary blend of five fresh-ground beef cuts, cooked vertically in original cast-iron grills dating to 1898 and served on toasted white bread with tomato, onion, and a cheese spread as the only acceptable garnish—the Lassen family-run shop enforces simple rules (no ketchup, no custom orders) and pairs the unchanged sandwich with a local Foxon Park soda." - Stephanie Gravalese
"In East Nashville, louis is turning four and kicking off a new Sunday roast dining series featuring a half or whole buttermilk spring chicken brined in preserved lemon with roasted root vegetables, local soft greens, green salsa fresca, and tomato sugo; seasonal desserts include a dark chocolate hazelnut cake as well as an almond basil ice cream and cantaloupe sorbet. Reservations are available with seatings from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m." - Jackie Gutierrez-Jones
"Louis’ Lunch may or may not have invented the hamburger — it’s a claim that has been both certified by the Library of Congress and invalidated by evidence. Either way, the fact is the patties at this tiny brick-walled restaurant are ground fresh and cooked to order in vertical cast-iron grills dating to the late 1800s. Don’t ask for ketchup; burgers come on white toast with your choice of cheese spread, grilled onion, and fresh tomato. You can eat your burger with potato salad or a local Foxon Park birch beer in a small wooden booth etched with decades of graffiti, or consume it as originally intended: on the go." - Stasia Brewczynski
"I note that the patty melt reflects how a burger was served at Louis’ Lunch in New Haven before the hamburger bun was invented." - Robert Sietsema
"An iconic, historic spot often credited as America's first restaurant to serve a hamburger, known for its storied legacy and classic burger offerings." - Taylor Tobin
