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Once I heard about Village Whiskey I knew it would become one of my favorite spots in Philly. I wasn’t disappointed one bit and in the back of my head I am always scheming my next visit. I love the ambiance of this place. It’s warm and cozy. I imagine grabbing a table and spending a snowy evening there sipping on whiskey and eating a burger. Mmm bring on the snow. Wait, I hate snow. I could enjoy snow at Village Whiskey. That is saying a lot.

I am obsessed with their place setting.

So I actually skipped the whiskey because I’ve been having some serious love for Ommengang’s Hennepin and they have it on tap at Village Whiskey. I don’t claim to know anything about beer, that’s why we have the Beerlass, but I really enjoy this beer. It also makes me think of Sandy Berman. Look at me dropping a little bit of library science on you. I’m not just a pretty burger loving face, I’m also a card carrying librarian.

Where is this post going?  To the food! While you are waiting for your burger there are plenty of things to keep you satisfied. If I wasn’t so in love with the burger (foreshadowing?), I would be more than satisfied with all the snacks they have available. So far I have enjoyed the tater tots, deviled eggs and a couple of their pickled veggies. I also love that all the snacks are very affordable so you can try a little bit of everything.

The pickled section of the menu is definitely where it’s at. Both in value and tasty delight. The beets were beautiful and I really enjoyed the presentation. I couldn’t help but think of Marisa and her love of jars. I’m not sure if they are still using the jars because when I went there the other night they were not using them. Also after hearing several rave reviews of the herb cherry tomatoes, I tried them myself and they are worth the hype. The pickled items come with whipped ricotta, black olive tapenade and toasted sourdough.

One last stop before the burger. FRENCH FRIES! On my first visit I couldn’t resist ordering the french fries with cheddar AND shortrib. If you are looking for crispy crunchy french fries you will not find them in this dish. But that is ok because they are smothered in cheddar cheese and the most heavenly tender shortrib your belly will ever meet. The fact that they are served in a cast iron skillet makes it into this awesome meat and potato casserole. At least that is how I like to think of it. It is a very comforting way to start your meal.

Everything I have tasted at Village Whiskey has been amazing but nothing beats the burger. I wanted to meet this burger the minute I heard Jose Garces was opening a burger joint. I have a serious crush on Mr. Iron Chef and the fact that he can create such fantastic burger only makes my crush stronger. Le swoon.

You might be tempted to pick one or two of the many toppings to add to your burger but first try it plain. It is anything but plain. This is the kind of burger that is great as is. I did get it with the Jasper Hill cheddar and while that was very good, I liked it better without. This has got to be the juiciest burger in Philly. The patty has such an amazing flavor. Like wow. It was almost buttery. That is some fine meat.

In this picture it looks like the bun will overwhelm the burger, don’t let it fool you. This is hands down my favorite burger bun in the city. It is amazing because it is very easy to squish the bun in your hands to shove that burger in your face and yet still hold together the juicy burger. Light and airy but so substantial. I love that they make this bun in-house, it definitely pays to make your own.

In addition to the perfect patty and beautiful bun, the burger is also given a light spread of house-made thousand island dressing. I won’t mention for the 1,458th time how much this pleases me. Oops.

Village Whiskey definitely has a little something for everyone.  I didn’t even get into their great drink menu but if you’re a cocktail nerd you will enjoy watching the bartenders shake it like a Polaroid picture (gotta use that reference before the end of the decade). But you don’t have to take my word for it, see what Adam Erace has to say in his review. Spoiler alert: he even lists the burger as his #1 dish for 2009.