One of the 10 best burgers in the country is . . . here in Charlotte

Sometimes those “best in the country” poll stories can be a little lame. (As in, “we checked to see which ones got searched the most.”)

Kevin Alexander’s project for Thrillist was different. Alexander put in the miles, visited 30 cities and ate 330 burgers for stories he’s been posting for months. Asheville got a look, and so did Charlotte. Even better: He included places you wouldn’t expect, instead of just rounding up the usual suspects.

Now Thrillist has rounded up Alexander’s picks for the 100 best burgers out of all of those. And coming in at No. 8:

Charlotte’s Brooks Sandwich House. From Alexander’s review on eating a Brooks cheeseburger “all the way”:

“Did you make weird audible groans of ecstasy as you bit into a burger with some of the best char you've ever seen mixed with the rich meaty flavor of a thick, subtly smoky chili, the crisp tang of diced white onions, and the acid from yellow mustard? Did you raise your hands in victory after you finished the burger and proclaim to yourself in your rental car that this was definitely the best burger in Carolina, and maybe one of the best in country?”

Also in Charlotte: Zack’s came in at No. 32, and Bang Bang Burger made the list at No. 80.

Other Carolinas burgers that made the list: Tattooed Moose and Little Jack’s Tavern in Charleston, The Vault Burger at Rankin Vault Cocktail Lounge and Tastee Diner in Asheville, and H.& R. Sweet Shop burger in Mount Pleasant, S.C.

For the No. 1 burger, you’ll have to go to Portland, Ore., for Nick’s Burger With Grilled Onions at Stanich’s.

This story was originally published May 24, 2017 at 8:50 AM with the headline "One of the 10 best burgers in the country is . . . here in Charlotte."