Is NYC Big Enough for Two Smoked Meat Burgers?

The smoked meat burger at Mile End Sandwich

Recently, Mile End Sandwich introduced a smoked meat burger as a special, and Fork in the Road had to try it. Priced at $14, the burger must be unique in town, we figured — but then remembered the Bowery Special at Bowery Diner (also $14).

Before we took a bite, we pushed back the lid to admire the pickles.

The Mile End version is made with a 50-50 mixture of house-smoked smoked meat, loosely packed together so that when you take a bite, little hints of smoked meat rise up as you chew. But the ground beef wins out with its minerally taste, so the thing still seems like a burger, and the impression is confirmed by bun, pickle topping, and mayo dressing. It’s really quite delectable.

The Bowery Diner take involves putting a plank of smoked meat on top of the patty, for a sort of double-decker burger. Here, the two distinct tastes are at war with each other, a tiff that gets amicably sorted out in your mouth.

The quality of the ground beef and smoked meat is comparable at both places, which are just a couple of blocks apart. Why not grab a friend and try both?

The Bowery Diner’s version also comes with fries.