Moist, juicy, grilled burgers make up some of the summer's very best eating. But where burgers were once synonymous with ground beef, nowadays that bun can hold beef, pork, lamb, venison, buffalo, salmon, shrimp, tuna, beans or whole grains. The burger world has flung open its doors, and anything that can form a patty is fair game. And then you have a world of seasonings to explore. In short, there's a burger to satisfy every craving.

For the past several years the burger wars have waged on in the restaurant community. In 2001, Daniel Boulud made headlines with his short rib-, foie gras-, and truffle-stuffed burger, which still resides on the menu at Bistro DB in New York City for $32. This was followed by dozens of other high-ticket burgers around the world. Chefs realized that they could turn the humble burger into a gastronomic tour de force, and charge accordingly. Here are some of the most pricey burgers on the planet - sure hope that they come with fries.

The Burger: A beef hamburger topped with Portobello mushroom, wasabi mayonnaise and foie gras.
The Price: $96
The Restaurant: The Four Seasons Hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia

The Burger: 'Devil Hug' burger: a giant, 2 pound plus beef patty with foie gras and gruyere cheese.
The Price: $141
The Restaurant: Hong Kong’s Steak House

The Burger: Kobe beef patty, lots of black truffles, seared foie gras, aged Gruyere cheese, wild mushrooms and flecks of gold leaf on a brioche bun.
The Price: $175
The Restaurant: Wall Street Burger Shoppe, New York

The Burger: Kobe beef and Maine lobster burger, topped with caramelized onion, brie cheese and prosciutto, served with a glass of Dom Perignon champagne.
The Price: $777 The Restaurant: Le Burger Brasserie in Las Vegas

The Burger: The foie gras and black truffle-stuffed Kobe burger is served on a brioche truffle bun and garnished with Chef Hubert Keller's special sauce, which also has truffles. Accompanying this burger is a bottle of Chateau Petrus 1995.
The Price: $5,000
The Restaurant: Fleur de Lys at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas

Here are some much more affordable burgers to cook up at home:

The Big Beef Burger Stuffed with Blue Cheese by Diane Morgan
http://www.cookstr.com/recipes/the-big-beef-burger-stuffed-with-blue-cheese
A grill book, especially one geared toward weeknight meals, wouldn’t be complete without burger recipes, For blue cheese lovers, nothing beats a beef burger seared on the outside, with a warm nugget of melting cheese in the center, Use a tangy, full-flavored blue cheese with lots of blue veining and a hint of salt. I’ve kept these burgers simple, with the addition of just lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise, but add whatever condiments you like, including bacon strips or grilled onions.

Memphis Blues Burgers with Mustard Sauce
http://www.cookstr.com/recipes/memphis-blues-burgers-with-mustard-sauce
You can shape these burgers into four ¼-pound patties, but in Memphis, we shape them into mini-burgers so each person gets to eat two (and kids love the easy-to-eat size). Drizzled with a spicy mustard sauce and topped with ripe tomatoes, pickles, and fresh lettuce, these juicy, satisfying burgers fly off the plate every time. Run out of these and you’ll be singing the Memphis blues.

Spanish Burgers with Romesco and Manchego Cheese
http://www.cookstr.com/recipes/spanish-burgers-with-romesco-and-manchego-cheese
It’s pretty difficult to go through summer without at least one cookout with sizzling burgers hot from the grill. There’s nothing wrong with the all-American version and all the fixings, but I am very partial to these pared-down, Spanish-inspired burgers. Romesco, a roasted red pepper pesto, goes perfectly with the beef, and sharp Manchego cheese may just usurp Cheddar as the ultimate cheeseburger topping. Add sliced tomatoes and lettuce if you wish, but frankly, less is more here to appreciate the flavors better.

Spicy Chipotle Turkey Burgers
http://www.cookstr.com/recipes/spicy-chipotle-turkey-burgers
Wrinkled and dark brown in color, canned chipotles are readily available in adobo sauce: a thick liquid of tomato, vinegar and spice. They are surprisingly versatile and impart a smoky sweet and warm flavor.

Lamb Burgers with Yogurt Cucumber Sauce
http://www.cookstr.com/recipes/lamb-burgers-with-yogurt-cucumber-sauce
Grilled ground meat patties are a constant on the world’s barbecue trail. The type of meat varies from region to region. Greek grill masters use ground lamb instead of beef, as do those in the Balkans, Asia Minor, the Middle East, and central Asia. These lamb burgers buzz with Greek flavors—garlic, oregano, and mint. A refreshing tzatziki—yogurt cucumber dip—is the sauce. To complete the Greek theme, the burgers are served on pita bread instead of buns.

In keeping with the widespread popularity of the lamb burger, I offer an equally widespread and popular condiment—a garlic-cucumber yogurt sauce known as tzatziki in Greece, cajik in Turkey, and raita in India. For the best results, use whole-milk yogurt. If you can’t find it in the supermarket, it’s available at natural foods stores or Middle Eastern or Greek grocery stores.