Here's the deal - the cheeseburger is the quintessential American food. A couple of years back, after reading a review in the Wall Street Journal about the best burgers in the country, only to find that three of the top five were in my own back yard, I decided that I needed to see for myself. With the help of George Motz's "Hamburger America", several lists, recommendations from friends and asking everyone about burgers from "their" town, this is the result...

If you're curious about my thoughts on foods other than burgers, check out my other blog Eat to Live? Or Live to Eat?

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Bill's Hamburgers, Amory, MS (July, 2011)

So we were heading to Memphis and, lo and behold, along the future I-22 corridor between Birmingham and the birthplace of rock 'n roll, lay two burger joints on "the list".  The first was Bill's Hamburgers in Amory, MS, just across the Alabama line. 

As the sign says, it was founded in 1929.  It started as Bob's and became Bill's when it was sold to an employee in the 50s.  Inside, it is simple, a long counter and a few tables.  They open at 7:30 and start serving burgers then.  The burgers are straightforward - mustard, onion, beef and bun.  There is no lettuce or tomato available.   There also is very little tableware.   We ordered at the counter and took a seat at a table.  The waitress arrived a few minutes later with two sheets of wax paper, a bag of fries and a bag of onion rings.  A minute later she was back with a burger in each plastic-gloved hand.  No frills, for sure.
Sadly, the food didn't even approach good.  Even the apple pie was bad.   

I walked out of the restaurant with two things on my mind: how cool Paul Newman was and a ride to the next burger. *


* (this is a thinly veiled homage to the opening line of one of the favorite novels from my youth.  Guesses?

1 comment:

  1. That's so sad but I completely agree with you. I grew up in Amory where Bill's Hamburgers is located and it used to be something great. I have a lot of great memories with my great grandparents and grandparents at this establishment.It changed owners about 6 or so years ago and it went down from there.

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