Readers' Picks: Best Burgers

By Food & Wine
Updated June 15, 2016
Credit: Photo © Cameron Stone
F&W polled readers across this burger-loving nation to find the restaurants with the most passionate devotees.—Christine Quinlan
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The Breslin, New York City

Credit: Photo © Myriam Babin

Star chef April Bloomfield makes a rich, gamey, Mediterranean-inspired lamb burger topped with feta and cumin mayonnaise, which she serves on a ciabatta roll. thebreslin.com.

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J.G. Melon, New York City

Credit: Photo © Millie Kerr / milliekerr.com

An Upper East Side institution, this dark, old-timey bar has been serving perfectly cooked griddle burgers—crusty outside, juicy inside—for more than 40 years. 212-744-0585.

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Plan B Burger Bar; West Hartford, CT

Credit: Photo © Rachel Hurvitz and Jim Demicco

Thick, beefy, whole-chuck burgers come in 13 different combinations at these Connecticut beer-and-bourbon-focused spots. planbburger.com.

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Husk, Charleston

Credit: Photo courtesy of the Neighborhood Dining Group

Chef Sean Brock grinds Benton’s bacon into his stellar double cheeseburger. huskrestaurant.com.

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Holeman & Finch, Atlanta

Credit: Photo © Beall and Thomas

Each night, starting at 10 p.m., chef Linton Hopkins serves just 24 of his thin, house-ground, brisket-and-chuck double cheeseburgers with house-made pickles and ketchup. holeman-finch.com.

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The Company Burger, New Orleans

Credit: Photo © Rush Jagoe

From Holeman & Finch alum Adam Biderman come two loosely packed, juicy patties topped with American cheese, house-made pickles and red onion. thecompanyburger.com.

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B Spot Burgers; Woodmere, OH

Credit: Photo courtesy of B Spot

Star chef and competitive burger champ Michael Symon serves a juicy, beefy custom blend from cult-status butcher Pat LaFreida. bspotburgers.com.

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The Thurman Cafe, Columbus, OH

Credit: Photo © George Motz/Hamburger America

The huge, “fully dressed” three-quarter-pound burger is topped with lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion and mayonnaise; customers can also choose from 22 topping combinations. thethurmancafe.com.

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Au Cheval, Chicago

Credit: Photo courtesy of Au Cheval

Chefs come after-hours for the two thin, griddled beef patties with cheddar, pickles and a mustard-mayonnaise blend on a lightly toasted bun. auchevalchicago.com.

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Kuma's Corner, Chicago

Credit: Photo courtesy of Kuma's Corner

The charity-minded, heavy-metal-music-loving beer-and-burger bar in the Avondale neighborhood offers 18 different burgers served on pretzel rolls, including a signature version with bacon, cheddar cheese and a fried egg. kumascorner.com.

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Rockit Bar & Grill, Chicago

Credit: Photo © Rockit Ranch Productions

The Kobe beef and Black Angus burgers at this River North restaurant have so many followers that the owners opened a dedicated burger restaurant in Lakeview. rockitbarandgrill.com.

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Matt's Bar, Minneapolis

Credit: Photo © George Motz/Hamburger America

The iconic Jucy Lucy burger at this dimly lit dive bar in the Powderhorn neighborhood is stuffed with American cheese to create a gooey, molten center. mattsbar.com.

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Casper's & Runyon's Nook; St. Paul, MN

Credit: Photo courtesy of Twin Cities Restaurant Blog

This small neighborhood bar serves lots of different burgers, but the stuffed versions are the stars—the centers are packed with cheese and vegetables. crnook.com.

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The Cherry Cricket, Denver

Credit: Photo courtesy of the Cherry Cricket

The Cherry Creek North bar offers loads of toppings, from peanut butter to provolone, for its thin but substantial half-pound beef patty. cherrycricket.com.

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Hopdoddy Burger Bar, Austin

Credit: Photo © Sean Johnson

There’s an impressive list of local craft beers to accompany the juicy Angus beef burgers. The ahi tuna, lamb and bison burgers are fantastic, too. hopdoddy.com.

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Slater's 50/50; Anaheim Hills, CA

Credit: Photo courtesy of Slater's 50/50

These Southern California restaurants get their name from their unique burger blend of 50 percent beef and 50 percent bacon. slaters5050.com.

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Father's Office; Santa Monica, CA

Credit: Photo courtesy of Father's Office

Inspired by French onion soup, the dry-aged burger from gastropub pioneer Sang Yoon comes topped with a caramelized-onion-and-bacon compote, Gruyère, blue cheese and arugula. Do not ask for ketchup. fathersoffice.com.

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Gott's Roadside; St. Helena, CA

Credit: Photo © Briana Marie Forgie

The retro burger stand from winemaker Joel Gott uses top-notch ingredients for burgers like the Wisconsin Sourdough, topped with mushrooms, bacon, cheddar cheese, mayonnaise and barbecue sauce and served on toasted sourdough. gotts.com.

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Dick's Drive-In, Seattle

Credit: Photo courtesy of Dick's Drive-In Restaurants

Thin, griddled, fast food-style burgers start at just $1.25. ddir.com.

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Red Mill Burgers, Seattle

Credit: Photo © Cameron Stone

The quarter-pound burgers get a nice smoky flavor from the mayonnaise-based Mill sauce at this small, diner-like restaurant. redmillburgers.com.

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