Budget Burger

Honkin’ burgers worth seeking out at Zippy’s

The Zip Royale ($6.50) at Zippy’s Giant Burgers is what every Big Mac wishes it could be: two patties of freshly ground beef formed by hand, then charbroiled and heaped with cheddar, special sauce, smoky bacon, fresh tomatoes, sliced onions and just enough pickle slices to add a tart little zing to every messy bite. For originality, though, it’s hard to beat the No. 11 ($5.25), a charbroiled patty perked up with pickled, hot goat horn peppers, chipotle mayo and jack cheese. The neighborhood has already discovered the compact, ketchup-and-mustard-toned joint, which opened in Highland Park in May. On any given day, you’ll find construction workers and dads with kids packing the two long, tall tables, sipping thick shakes ($3.50) and gazing at owners Blaine and Rahel Cook’s collection of retro-burger-joint memorabilia while waiting for burgers, fries and onion rings (everything’s cooked to order). An especially nice touch? The Little Zip ($2.25), a kid-sized slider topped with special sauce and pickles that’s perfect for tots who don’t like to share.

West Seattle, 1513 SW Holden; 206.763.1347; myspace.com/zippysgiantburgers. ¢