Can’t Get to Superiority Burger? Its Cookbook Is the Next Best Thing

I’ve never been to Superiority Burger. I always think about going when I’m in New York, but it’s simply remained another entry on the ever-expanding list of restaurants I’d like to visit one day. (I do, in fact, have such a list, and it’s humongous.) When the original Superiority Burger closed in 2021 after a successful six-year run, I was worried I may never have the chance; but Brooks Headley’s punk rock plant-forward institution—a perennial fave of vegetarians, vegans, and just regular ‘ol carnivores across the country—is back. Apparently, it’s still amazing; for more on that, read the restaurant’s great new GQ Hype feature. All of that prologue is to say: I still haven’t been.

Luckily for people like me (and for everybody else), Headley, who was previously executive pastry chef at lauded NYC restaurant Del Posto (and the drummer of legendary hardcore band Born Against), published a cookbook in 2018 that basically gives away all the restaurant’s secrets. He doesn’t mince words. The introduction is one page long, mostly describing the restaurant and its food, and the book is just over 200 pages; there are no pantry staples, favorite kitchen tools, or tips about peeling potatoes at the beginning. Like a great punk record, there’s no fat here at all (except maybe in dishes like the Cheesed Crunchy Potatoes or the Tofu-Fried Tofu). Hell, the name of the book is just Superiority Burger Cookbook; its minimalist but engaging style at times almost feels more like an alt lit story than a cookbook. On that note, there are few top-tier cookbooks I can think of that are immediately this accessible—you can pick it up, turn to any page, and go forth into elevated fast casual burger bliss.

The Superiority Burger itself is clearly a highlight of the book. It’s the first recipe; it’s “London Calling.” I’ve made dozens if not hundreds of batches of veggie burgers, and there’s something special about this one. There’s no salsa, mushy black beans, or brown rice here (OK—in this one it’s garbanzo beans and red quinoa, LOL); you are, however, asked to dice and roast fresh carrots, toast and grind fennel seeds, and make a potato starch slurry. It’s a quietly sophisticated veggie burger obviously created by someone with a serious fine dining background. It’s extremely good.

There are so many recipes I want to make out of this book. The Hammered Mushroom Sandwich with fresh tomatoes is a majestic way of showcasing farmers’ market produce; the Saturated Party Sub, loaded with veggies, peppers, olives, and oregano vinaigrette, is an Italian veggie dream; the Burnt Broccoli Salad, despite its underwhelming name, is a favorite of the original restaurant that’s known for being mind-blowingly flavorful, imbued with smoky eggplant purée, candied cashews, Fresno chilies, and bright sprigs of cilantro. 

I made the basic crunchy potatoes recipe with my burger and they were great—sort of the ideal non-fussy par-boil-then-bake crunchy potatoes recipe, like a lite but just as excellent version of The Food Lab’s roasted potatoes (which, if you haven’t made these, what are you doing with your life?). Holy shit I love roasted potatoes, and there are at least six recipes with crunchy potatoes here. Next on my to-make list from this cookbook: the Barbecue Baked Gigante Beans with polenta and coleslaw (which somehow has espresso and Frank’s RedHot in it). This is the highly creative cooking insanity I crave.

TL;DR: The Superiority Burger Cookbook is a super fun, uncomplicated kitchen-shelf banger, perfect for anybody who wants elevated vegetarian cooking, messy and flavorful sandwiches, and tasty, fresh, produce-forward sides (like salads, veggies, soups and stews, and desserts). Interested in Superiority Burger but haven’t been (yet)? Already eaten there eight times since they reopened? Went there one time four years ago and found it OK? Superiority Burger Cookbook is for you. 

Pick up Superiority Burger Cookbook on Amazon.

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