Some of the best food trips start at a building you'd drive past without slowing down. Krug's Tavern in Newark is one of those places, an old-school corner bar near the Ironbound that Family Destinations Guide just highlighted for a burger people are crossing the state to eat.

First, what Krug's isn't. It's not a gastropub. There's no aioli, no brioche with a trademark, no menu item described as "deconstructed" anything. It's a tavern, the no-frills kind, and you walk in, you sit down, you order the burger, and at some point a basket arrives with a big juicy patty on it that has no business being this good in a room this unpretentious.

That's kind of the whole trick, though. I've eaten enough burgers on the road to have a working theory, and the theory is this: places that only need to do a few things right tend to do them very right. The burger is thick, hand-formed, and simply dressed, so the beef actually gets to taste like beef. Regulars will tell you not to overthink the toppings. The meat is the argument.

The crowds back that up. This isn't a hidden spot anymore, and it probably hasn't been for years. People are coming from across New Jersey for this burger, and I'd guess the room is a mix of locals and day-trippers who finally made the drive after hearing about it from somebody, though I'm speculating there since I haven't been back recently enough to take a proper census. What I can tell you is that Newark is having a genuine food moment right now, and Krug's sits at the edge of the Ironbound, which if you don't know is one of the great underrated eating neighborhoods on the East Coast. Spanish, Portuguese, Brazilian, all within walking distance. You could build an entire Saturday around this part of the city and never spend much money.

Practical bits: since people are literally crossing the state for this thing, don't show up assuming you'll waltz right in. Time your visit with some flexibility and you'll be fine. It's bar food pricing, which these days feels almost rude in a good way. And if you're coming from far, make a day of it, hit the Ironbound after for coffee or dessert because you're already there and it would be a small tragedy not to.

Every place has something, and Newark's something happens to include a tavern burger people treat like a destination. I've driven further for worse. Would you cross the state for one? Because plenty of people already are.