Grub StreetSan Francisco

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While tourists flock from all around the country and the globe to sample the food of San Francisco, they rarely come with visions of hamburgers in their minds. But however humble it is, the ubiquitous and simple sandwich has a place on probably more menus in town than any other item (608 by our last count). From the top-notch workaday patties of Joe's Cable Car to the $25 disk of ground Kobe at Epic Roasthouse, San Franciscans love their burgers.

Hot dogs may be the craze this year, but burgers hold the line. They find their place at the centerpiece of ground-beef palaces like Barneys or Burgermeister, or as a once-a-week special at the tiny Bar Jules. It's worth celebrating the fact that neighborhood stalwarts like the Richmond's Q can be mentioned in the same breath as superstars like Zuni Café when it comes to their burgers. To that end, we've rounded up some of our favorites into the following slideshow, which we hope will tide you over until the next destination patty sweeps into town.

When you're done drooling, check out our Burger Registers for New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia and Boston.