Burlington is not a steakhouse town. Farm-to-table restaurants? Check. Brewpubs? Check. Artisanal pizza joints? Check, check, check. But if you seek a classic steakhouse with aged, Midwest-raised, corn-fed, certified prime beef, EB Strong’s Prime Steakhouse owns the Queen City game.
Not much of a steakhouse-goer myself, I have eaten there only a few times over its 13-year tenure at the top of Church Street. But recently a friend mentioned that a restaurant-industry pal raves about EB Strong’s burger. “I hear it’s excellent with the house martini,” she texted. The endorsement went beyond the food, she added: “We were talking resto vibes, too.”
The unexpected pairing at a classy downtown steakhouse appealed instantly. I gradually have come to appreciate martinis as my younger self always yearned to, seeking to appear a sophisticate. I’m always up for a great burger, and, according to EB Strong’s online menu, theirs is made with local beef and served with hand-cut fries.
My martini’s cool, sharp edge played beautiful counterpoint to all the richness.
When I dug into the Seven Days archives and found a glowing 2013 review for what sounded like the same burger for $16, I was further intrigued. In 12 years, the price has increased only $3.
On a Tuesday night, my friend and I settled at a high-top table at the back end of the bar. It offered a close-up view of bartenders in neat black shirts and ties mixing and garnishing drinks with expert moves. Cue those promised steakhouse vibes.
Our well-balanced martinis ($16 including a $1 up-charge for Tanqueray, as preferred by my friend) arrived so full that we couldn’t raise them for a toast — though that might have appeared unsophisticated.
As we sipped, a group of heavily cologned men walked past, heading to the private dining room. I later learned it features a large framed portrait of president Richard Nixon. EB Strong’s co-owner Tim Halvorson, 65, said he bought the poster for 99 cents and hung it with irony. “I thought it might be fodder for conversation,” he said.
EB Strong’s has always been serious about the burger, though, and it shows. The fat, juicy and perfectly cooked patty is stacked with Shelburne Farms cheddar, fried pickles, bacon aioli, lettuce and tomato in a glossy, sturdy bun that cradles all the juicy, crunchy, lushly savory deliciousness without falling apart. Slender, herb-scattered fries come with a craveable black garlic steak sauce. My martini’s cool, sharp edge played beautiful counterpoint to all the richness.
Being able to order a wholly satisfying, beefy main dish for $19 at a steakhouse feels like discovering a secret. The burger’s purpose is “to let people feel that there’s a casual side” to the steakhouse and offer something a little lighter on the wallet, Halvorson said.
The burger has remained essentially the same since the restaurant opened, Halvorson said, starting with the decision to feature beef from the Japanese Wagyu breed known for its luxurious fat marbling and buttery flavor. After years of sourcing Wagyu from out of state, Halvorson and his wife, Kristin, were delighted to find Full Moon Wagyu in Panton about a year ago and brought their burger home.
Farmer Nancy Zylstra has been raising a small herd of 100 percent full-blood Wagyu on hay, pasture and corn silage since 2012. “It’s a half-time living,” she joked, noting that she works as a bookkeeper, too. Zylstra sends about 10 animals to slaughter annually and sells high-end cuts to specialty markets on Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. Locally, Shelburne Meat & Fish Market stocks her steaks, mostly during grilling season. Some midrange cuts and ground beef go to the Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op and Montpelier’s Hunger Mountain Co-op.
Zylstra said she was thrilled to get into a restaurant, a market she has found tough to crack, though she has yet to try the EB Strong’s burger. Like many livestock farmers, she stays close to home to tend her herd.
“I don’t get out of Panton much,” Zylstra admitted.
“One Dish” is a series that samples a single menu item — new, classic or fleeting — at a Vermont restaurant or other food venue. Know of a great plate we should feature? Drop us a line: food@sevendaysvt.com.
The original print version of this article was headlined “Steakhouse Secret | An unexpected pairing of a local Wagyu burger and martini at EB Strong’s in Burlington”
This article appears in Apr 30 – May 6, 2025.
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