Craigie on Main: Hamburger heaven

Craigie on Main brunch burger, topped with a fried farm-fresh egg and bacon. (Image by Szechun Leung.)

By Ling-Mei Wong

Mouth-watering food. Affable and fast service. Cozy décor. Craigie on Main delivers solid results on all three counts, making it nearly impossible to find fault with this restaurant.

The burger ($17), by far the most acclaimed item at Craigie, is not on its menu at all — except for Sunday brunch, when it’s a guaranteed menu item. James Beard award-winner Tony Maws spent a painstaking six months on crafting the perfect burger, with three cuts of grass-fed beef, beef marrow, suet and miso powder in the patty. National food magazines have swooned over it, with the burger gracing the cover of Bon Appetit. Sourced from two small farms, less than 20 burgers are available for dinner to uphold Maws’ exacting standards for quality.

The burger can be ordered with a fried egg ($3) and bacon ($3), which we both included. However, the patty was so juicy and flavorful that the add-ons aren’t necessary. It comes with homemade ketchup, and a sesame bun with the right balance between crunch and chewiness. Sides include thick-cut fries and a salad.

Craigie on Main grass-fed beef cheek, brisket and smoked beef tongue hash with onion strings and a fried egg. (Image by Ling-Mei Wong.)

Another hit was the grass-fed beef cheek, brisket and smoked beef tongue hash ($18), which came with crispy fried onions and a fried egg. The cubes of potato melt in your mouth, with rich smoky beef flavor in every bite. As much as I enjoyed the burger, the hash was more memorable for the distinct tang of each ingredient melding into a perfect whole. The burger is sinfully delicious, but a tad heavy after too many bites.

Smoked pork belly. (Image by Ling-Mei Wong.)

We enjoyed the smoked pork belly ($8), along with the house-made profiteroles with canela ice cream and rum-Valrhona chocolate sauce ($10).

Profiteroles. (Image by Ling-Mei Wong.)

If you’re craving excellent brunch, put Craigie on Main at the top of your list.

Craigie on Main

853 Main Street
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 497-5511
www.craigieonmain.com

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