Best burger: Perfect Burger at Victory 44 - Best of MN 2016

Victory 44 might be presumptuous to call this the Perfect Burger, but it is one excellent burger. For starters, beef and pork belly are ground together in roughly a four-to-one ratio, infusing each two-handed bite with richness. The sublimely juicy patty is thick and jagged-edged, with a dark, flavorful char. From there, chef Erick Harcey keeps it surprisingly simple: golden potato-enriched bun from Patisserie 46, toasted and swiped with a gentle Dijonnaise. The bottom half is neatly covered in a layer of tangy icebox pickles, and it's topped with a pair of crisp bacon slices and two melted slices of American cheese. Take a single bite, and you'll agree: The name fits. 2203 44th Av. N., Mpls., 612-588-2228, victory-44.com

Best of Minnesota 2016