They've Got Weird Buns And They Cannot Lie

Beyond brioche.

by Dena Levitz Apr 17, 2015, 9:15am EDT

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by Dena Levitz Apr 17, 2015, 9:15am EDT

At its core, a traditional burger is but a ground meat patty encased between two halves of a sliced bun. But what kind of bun is best?

Chefs aplenty go with brioche, known for its buttery texture. Kaiser, ciabatta, and soft hamburger-specific rolls, either with or without seeds, are popular burger-bearers as well. Many restaurants, though, venture from these standard buns in favor of a carb that's, in some cases, drastically different (or in other cases, a subtle departure). Here are ten eateries around the D.C. area with an atypical bun sandwiching their burgers.

Ambar Balkan Cuisine

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Featuring Balkan cuisine, it’s no surprise that this Capitol Hill spot’s burger skews Balkan as well. The meat itself is a combination of pork and beef, and Chef Ivan Zivkovic uses a secret recipe from his grandmother to incorporate spicy Urnebes spread and red bell peppers marinated in fresh yogurt to the patty. But the bread is especially unique — a fluffy, soft Mediterranean flatbread called Somun bread made in-house and whose recipe goes back centuries.

523 8th St SE, Washington, D.C. 20003

(202) 813-3039

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Big Buns

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Spoiler alert: the buns here are large. Though not different in ingredients persee, it’s hard not to call out a burger joint whose name and main differentiator is the size of its buns. Whether the bun is whole wheat, gluten-free or original, Sir Mix-A-Lot himself would be satisfied.

4401 Wilson Blvd, Arlington, VA 22203

(703) 276-3032

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Bistro Bohem

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In the U Street area of the city, this bistro’s burger has a Czech flair courtesy of the Pilsner beer in which the beef is marinated, and it comes served on a pretzel roll, making for a beer haus experience on one plate.

600 Florida Ave NW, Washington, D.C. 20001

(202) 506-0019

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Degrees Bistro

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Within Georgetown’s Ritz-Carlton, the Degrees lounge is using bound and lightly seared ramen noodles as the basis for the buns on sliders for diners. The menu item debuted a year and a half ago when there was a bit of a ramen-as-bun craze throughout the nation.

3100 South St NW, Washington, D.C. 20007

(202) 912-4100

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Georgetown Bagelry

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A burger on a bagel? Georgetown Bagelry is on it.

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5227 River Rd, Bethesda, MD 20816

(301) 657-4442

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Grand Trunk

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In this fast-casual Indian fusion joint, along with tikka masala and dal, there’s a naan burger on — what else — naan to contain the beef patty that’s been marinated with ginger, cumin, chilies, onions and cilantro.

641 Indiana Ave NW, Washington, D.C. 20004

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Lindy's Red Lion

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The iconic D.C. pub near George Washington University serves up its double burgers, not on standard hamburger buns but on six-inch sub rolls. No one seems to be complaining. [Photo: Russ P./Foursquare]

2040 I St NW, Washington, D.C. 20006

(202) 452-0055

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Panda Gourmet

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One of D.C.’s hidden gems for Sichuan spiced Chinese dishes also has a burger on the menu, which is advertised as a “cumin beef Chinese burger” and comes on a house-made bun that has a consistency more like a pita or English muffin than standard burger roll.

2700 New York Ave NE, Washington, D.C. 20002

(202) 636-3588

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Ted's Bulletin

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Ted’s has a whole menu of burger varieties, with guests able to select between beef, chicken breast or veggie. Two of the selections also come with special bun offerings: the Ted’s ‘Burgh (fried egg, coleslaw and American cheese) on toasted white bread and the Tzatziki Greek (feta, tzatziki sauce, pepperoncini) on grilled naan. Multiple locations.