Photo: MEATliquorChillionaire
A chilli cheeseburger done the diner way: two patties buried under beef chilli, American cheese, pickled jalapeños, diced onion and mustard. It is a knife-and-fork burger, heavy and gloriously sloppy. Order extra napkins before it arrives.
The story
MEATliquor’s menu borrows from American diner and dive-bar food, and the chili burger is one of its oldest ancestors. It is usually traced to Thomas “Ptomaine Tommy” DeForest, who began ladling chili over hamburgers at his all-night restaurant in Los Angeles in the 1920s; customers ordered by ladle, “size” or “oversize”. Los Angeles then built a whole tradition on it, from Original Tommy’s in 1946 onwards. The Chillionaire takes that formula and doubles it: two patties under beef chilli, American cheese, jalapeños, onion and mustard.
What’s inside
- 2 beef patties
- beef chilli
- American cheese
- pickled jalapeños
- diced white onion
- mustard
- bun
Make it at home
There is no copycat of the Chillionaire yet. Until there is, these recipes on the site come closest to it, judged by what goes into the bun.
- Shares beef, jalapeños, cheese and a double stack
Big Beef Blopper - Shares beef, jalapeños and cheese
Green Chile Cheeseburger - Shares beef, heat and cheese
Sloppy Smash Supreme - Shares beef, jalapeños and cheese
Seven Layer Sliders
Similar burgers at other chains
Built around the same things as the Chillionaire.- Burger & Beyond · beef, jalapeños, heat and cheese
Picante Deluxe - Rekas Burgers · beef, jalapeños, heat and cheese
Chili Bomb - Bobby's Burgers · beef, jalapeños, heat and cheese
Nacho Burger - Buffalo Burger · beef, jalapeños, heat and cheese
Cholo’s
More from MEATliquor
About MEATliquor
MEATliquor started life as a burger van. The MEATwagon cooked American-style burgers on the London street-food circuit, built a cult following, and in 2012 turned into a permanent restaurant near Oxford Street: dark, loud, covered in graffiti-style art and serving cocktails in jam jars.
A handful of restaurants in London and other UK cities.
Not affiliated with MEATliquor. Trademarks belong to their owners. The photo is credited under it and is used to illustrate this menu item; it comes down on request.