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Louis' Lunch

Louis' Lunch

Founded in 1895
New Haven

In 1900, according to lore, a customer ran into this small luncheonette and asked for a fast meal he could take on the run. Owner Louis Lassen threw a broiled beef patty between two slices of bread and voila, America had its first hamburger. To this day, Louis' remains famous for hamburgers made of ground fresh steak, hand-molded and slow-cooked, broiled vertically, and served between two slices of toast with cheese, tomato, or onion. (Ketchup and mustard are prohibited). Although the heritage of the first hamburger remains bitterly disputed, the Library of Congress named Louis' Lunch a "Connecticut Legacy." Today, Lassen's grandson Ken runs the business.