JV's favorite burger
Justin Verlander shouts out his favorite Houston burger on national TV
If a person isn't a real Houstonian until they have favorite places for staple foods like burgers and Tex-Mex, then Astros pitcher Justin Verlander has officially embraced his new home.
In an interview that occurred during the Thursday, August 11 broadcast of the Astros game against the Texas Rangers, YouTube announcer Scott Braun asked Verlander if he found any food in Houston that he couldn't get in Detroit.
"I like Nancy's Hustle's burger," the pitching ace replied.
Indeed, what's not to like? The Nancy's burger — a double patty cheeseburger with chopped onions, pickles, and aioli on a housemade brioche English muffin — has been a staple since the restaurant opened in late 2017. Here it is, as captured by Houston food influencer Abbas Dhanani.
Beyond its deliciousness, Verlander's affection for the burger makes a certain amount of logistical sense. The EaDo restaurant is only about a mile from Minute Maid Park, and it stays open until 11 pm, making it a perfect post-game treat.
Nancy's co-owner Sean Jensen tells CultureMap that he and chef-owner Jason Vaughan consider Verlander and his wife, supermodel Kate Upton, to be regulars. "They have always been supporters and super nice when they visit," he writes in an email.
Asked about the secret of the burger's success, Jensen cites the signature bun.
"We make a buttery brioche dough and then turn it into an English muffin. It is buttery and flavorful but also has the structure to hold the burger," he writes. "We also lean into the idea that American cheese belongs on a burger. We have thought about changing it, but if it's not broken...."
Upton also mentioned the bun when she gave the burger a shout out in the New York Times.
"My friend Bailey McCarthy introduced me to it, and it is the best burger I have ever had," she told the Times in 2019. "They use an English muffin instead of a bun, and it really just enhances the flavors."
Maybe the burger is one of the secret's of Verlander's successful recovery from Tommy John surgery. At the age of 39, he leads the American League in ERA, wins, and opponents OPS, per a tweet by Astros writer Michael Schwab. The future Hall of Famer is also the overwhelming favorite to win his third Cy Young award, according to Vegas Insider, at -155 odds.
Those who haven't had the pleasure of devouring a Nancy's burger may want to act sooner than later. The restaurant will be closed for a summer break from Monday, August 22 through Thursday, September 1.
