Time for a foodie question, Massachusetts residents: Do you have a favorite spot to grab a delicious cheeseburger? I'm not talking about fast-food joints. Is there a local eatery that you feel serves the best burgers, bar none?

I've lived all over the country but I was too young to make informed opinions until I moved to Berkshire County in 1982. I always loved the burgers at the old Bonanza Steakhouse that used to be in the Coltsville section of Pittsfield (where Aldi and Tractor Supply are now).

Other restaurants in Berkshire County where I've had some amazing burgers include The Well in Great Barrington, the Bounti Fare in Adams, the Freight Yard Pub in North Adams, Patrick's Pub in Pittsfield, and two spots in Lee, 51 Park Restaurant & Tavern and Joe's Diner.

If I had to pick a favorite local burger/cheeseburger joint (and I realize nostalgia probably plays a huge factor here), it would have to be The Lantern on North Street. Those burgers were incredible! Even if I wasn't in the mood for a burger when I walked in the place, you can bet I was ready as soon as the smell assailed my nostrils. Yummy!

You may not be surprised by this (he DID move to Massachusetts at a very early age after all and spent most of his childhood and formative years in Cambridge) but this guy right here:

Ben Affleck
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That's right, Ben Affleck once confided to Oprah Winfrey where the greatest cheeseburger in America could be found--right here in Massachusetts! He might even be joking about it here with his good friend and fellow actor, Matt Damon:

Ben Affleck & Matt Damon
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What Eatery Serves Up The Greatest Cheeseburger In America, According To Ben Affleck?

That would be this place right here:

Leo's Place Diner opened in 1949 and was a mainstay in Ben Affleck's neighborhood in Cambridge for over 6 decades. Sadly, due to a leasing issue, Leo's was forced to close. Good news, though. They moved their popular restaurant to Waltham, Massachusetts in 2015, where it remains to this day!   So if you're ever in the neighborhood of downtown Waltham, take Ben Affleck's advice and order up what he considers to be the greatest cheeseburger in the country at Leo's Place Diner! By the way, I also heard that Leo's dishes out one heck of a breakfast, too!

 

 

 

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