Favalo Brothers, Syracuse NY

Cheeseburgers at the Favalo Brothers Meat Market.

The best cheeseburgers in the world come from Favalo Brothers Meat Market on North Salina Street in Syracuse NY. Unfortunately, you can’t have one.

Even more unfortunately, I can’t have one either because they closed in the late 1960’s/early 1970’s.

Favalo Brothers was a small meat market and grocery store that had a grill right behind the meat case, and they made the most amazing, hot juicy cheeseburgers in the world. They ground the beef right there, cooked it on an old cast iron grill, and served it hot and juicy on plain white bread with a slice of white cheddar. The cheese would be meted all over the burger and the bread would soak up all the juices. It was a completely singular experience, and no burger I’ve had since then has even come close.

The outside of the building was white stucco with big floor-to-ceiling windows wrapping around from the grocery store entrance on Salina Street to the Meat Market entrance on Wolf St.

Unfortunately, now it’s just a parking lot. The brothers are gone, the store is gone and the building is gone.

Favalo Brothers: Wherever you are,  thank you!