We actually tried to eat here earlier this month, but it was a Monday when we were driving thru – and they are open from Tuesday – Saturday.  Open for about 90 years, Latham’s Hamburger Inn has been in this location since 1974.  It was then that they moved from across the street, enclosing a former alley.

Yep, the interior brick walls are the exterior walls of the neighboring buildings.  We had a nice visit – and the place to ourselves, after a carry out order was picked up – with the owner.  She gave us the history of the families that had owned it down through her – she purchased it from Vicki Latham last year.  But she said that Ms. Latham still comes in on Saturday to “help out”.  She told us that the slug burger / dough burger recipe she uses had been in use there since the recipe was purchased from a man in TN nearly a century ago.

The menu centers around these burgers – a depression era amalgamation of an extender (bread dough or soybean) and ground beef that lets you stretch meat further.  The mixed patty (here the ground beef is mixed with flour) is then pan fried to a crispy brown and, typically, served with only pickles, onion and mustard.

I opted for the gloriously-melted cheeseburger version, with ketchup and mayo.  The waitress warned me that “it’s gonna be hot” and, as if I had test her, I took a bite and the cheese neatly melded to the roof of my mouth.  Once I got over the sear, this was a very good burger. 

Perfectly fried, with a crunchy crust and a moist medium well center.  One of the best examples of this type of burger that I’ve had.