Megan Sanchez didn’t intend to open Portland’s most popular torta shop—she wanted to be a cheesemaker. But while fine-tuning her curds and whey in Vermont, she and a partner launched what would become Güero as a bike-delivery taco shop. Eventually, she moved it to Portland, soon swapping the bicycles for a food truck (and then a second one) and, after a time, the tacos for tortas. But it wasn’t until the final move to a brick-and-mortar on NE 28th Avenue that she added the hamburguesa. Stacked with guacamole, chopped tamarind tomatoes, and slaw, it didn’t hook diners originally—Sanchez says that local legends Peter Cho and Gabriel Rucker were among the few early fans—but after some iterations it ended up a smash hit. Today, Güero goes through 200 to 300 burgers a week.  

Potato bun: At first, local baker Felipe Cabrera Hernandez made the burger buns. While he still bakes the telera rolls for the tortas, as he has since Güero was a cart, the team has switched to Martin’s Famous Potato Rolls for the burger, toasting both sides with butter. 

Morita chile mayo: The team makes a spice blend of morita chiles and garlic, then folds it into mayonnaise for a smoky, tangy sauce that’s generously dolloped on both buns.

Avocado: An early version of the hamburguesa included guacamole, but nowadays it’s simply sliced avocado for a (marginally) less messy dining experience. (Trust us, it’s still plenty messy.)

Red onions and jalapeño: To ensure plenty of sweet heat to cut through the richness of the meat and cheeses, the cooks add a layer of grilled jalapeños and red onions, reminiscent of the ones found at salsa bars. 

Queso Botanero: One type of cheese isn’t enough. The middle layer starts with a mild, crumbly white cheese mixed with finely chopped cilantro and jalapeños for a bright, vegetal kick. It melts into gooey oblivion from the heat of the burger and grilled veggies above it. 

Grilled ham: In Mexico, Sanchez explains, hamburguesas are often served with deli ham or hot dogs. At Güero, it’s the former: Thinly sliced ham gets some color and heat from the flattop before it hits the patty.

American cheese: Leave the cheese biases at the door: American is the ideal style for a burger, thanks to how beautifully it melts. On the hamburguesa it drapes over the chopped peppers and burger patty and oozes out the sides with each glorious bite. 

Pickled peppers: After flipping the patty, the cooks adorn it with pickled jalapeños, blended into a chunky sauce. 

Burger patty: For a while, the Güero hamburguesa was a double smash patty, but Sanchez says the resulting burger was “simply too big.” Now it’s a three-and-a-half-ounce patty of Painted Hills ground chuck, sprinkled with salt, pepper, and chile powder before being pressed onto a searing hot grill. 

Iceberg lettuce: The proper lettuce for a good burger—shredded iceberg provides some protection for the bottom bun against the juicy patty and melting cheeses.