CT's Best Fast Food Spot May Surprise You

MERIDEN, CT — Most people think of McDonald's or Subway or other national chains when they think of fast food. But there are plenty of local, more distinctive spots serving up delicious food done quick.

Food & Wine Magazine has crowned Ted's Restaurant in Meriden as the best fast food in Connecticut. The restaurant was named in a recent article deeming the best fast food restaurant in every state around the country.

The article opens praising a popular California burger chain: "In-N-Out is far from the only fast food chain linked tightly with its home territory—all over the United States, scores of lower-profile, but equally worthy gems, some generously shared with other parts of the country, others tightly-held by their respective microregions, add up to one of the most iconic, sometimes under-appreciated dining sub-cultures in the world."

Ted's Restaurant has served up steamed hamburgers since 1959, dispelling the myth that it's an Albany expression. While this delicacy is served elsewhere, this "bite-sized counter joint certainly remains at the heart of the culture."

"There’s regional, and then there’s the how-does-this-still-exist steamed cheeseburger, still very much a part of life in a very specific part of an already small state," the article reads. "Said to have been invented back in the 1920s, when steamed hams came into fashion as a healthy alternative to frying them on the grill, Ted’s in Meriden is roughly as old as the steamed cheeseburger itself."

Food & Wine appears to be a big fan of Ted's, which also showed up on a list of "The Best Burgers in the U.S." last year.

Ted's was also recognized by Only In Your State earlier this year. "The freshly ground beef patties are steamed to perfection," the site raved. "No fry oils or grill char to cover up the great flavors of this burger!"