Charlotteans love a good burger almost as much as we love our barbecue. That being said, all burgers are not created equal. Nor are any of them the same.What once started out as a simple American staple of ground beef on a white bread bun and a few toppings, the burger has evolved thanks to the creativity of chefs from around the globe taking cues from many different cultures and influences. Nowadays youll see a slew of different proteins and vegetables being used in place of ground beef like lamb, portabella mushrooms, sirloin, black beans, or even edamame being served on a variety of different buns like pretzels, Kaisers, and giant pretzels. With so many options and versions of burgers out there its hard to know where to go. So we decided to do the legwork for you and spent the last few months on a mission to find the best burgers in Charlotte. We ate at over 75 different restaurants on our journey and ventured into both gourmet restaurants and some of the most notorious hole in the wall and greasy spoons in the city. As everyone’s tastes vary; there is no way to declare a clear-cut winner. But what we were able to do is narrow it down to 32 of our favorites ranging from $20 gourmet burgers to $3.95 all American diner classics. Yes, we risked heart failure and some serious clogging of our arteries, but its a small price to pay for our loyal readers. We hope you enjoy it and if we left any off the list that you think need to be included, please let us know. These are Charlotte’s Best Burgers.
Harry’s Tavern
HARRY’S BLACK LABEL BURGER
The Black Label is a Porterhouse, short rib and beef burger with bacon and cheddar on a pretzel bun. It has great texture and quality protein that melts in your mouth.
MEDITERRANEAN LAMB BURGER
Grilled lamb burger topped with tzatziki sauce, fried capers and flash fried feta cheese. Served on brioche with lettuce, tomato and crisp cucumbers. Like a good gyro? Youll love this burger.
Firebirds
DURANGO BURGER
The chile spiced burger is topped with pepper jack cheese, pickles, fried onion straws, and roasted garlic-ranch dressing giving it a great kick with a savory garlic finish.
WICKED BURGER
An old-fashioned cheeseburger seared on a flat top with American cheese served on a butter toasted bun Firebirds secret sauce. This sauce is totally…boss!
Nan & Byrons
NAN’S BURGER
From the creators of 5Church, Nan & Byrons is coming to Southend at the end of the summer and with it their Nan Burger served with American cheese, smoked bacon, lettuce, pickles, and secret sauce and is as expected….simply delicious.
Bricktops
CHEESEBURGER
Ground fresh daily and made to order, this classic flame grilled taste comes with no frills but always satisfies.
BLUE CHEESE BURGER
Dont miss Bricktops daily burger specials, especially when they serve their blue cheese burger, a moist, juicy, burger with a full body bite.
Cowbell
GFY
Beef patty, onion kaiser roll, foie gras, arugula, prosciutto, apricot marmalade, creole mustard. Super rich flavor with just enough sweet and bitterness to make it a perfectly balanced and life changing burger.
BIG WILL’S BREAKFAST
This burger features a beef patty topped with an over easy egg, praline smoked bacon, honey mustard, shredded lettuce, and red onions, served on a croissant roll.
Bad Daddys
BACON CHEESEBURGER
ON STEROIDS
Basic burger seasoned with bacon salt, 3 pieces of jalapeno bacon, 3 pieces of applewood smoked bacon, topped with Monterey Jack cheese, housemade bacon mayo, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, onion & pickles served on a bun. This =s Bacon lovers heaven.
CLASSIC SOUTHERN BURGER
Burger topped with chili, American cheese, relish, mustard and slaw. Really hearty burger with chili so good you may need to order more.
WESTSIDE BURGER
Mustard, chili, slaw, and onions done the right way, the Carolina Way. Looking for the Classic Carolina Burger? Look no further.
The Peculiar Rabbit
THE PECULIAR BURGER CAB
Pimento cheese, bacon, bib lettuce, tomato, and a sunny side up egg make for great texture and a ton of personality.
Sullivans
CLASSIC CHEESEBURGER
Cheddar cheese, lettuce, red onion, pickle chips on a toasted sesame brioche bun. A simple burger with gourmet taste.
Zada Janes
FRANZ KAFKA VEGGIE BURGER
Zada Janes doesnt serve up your standard premade veggie burger. No. Instead, they make their own with julienne veggies and mushrooms that are lightly bound with egg and breadcrumbs, and served on a croissant with a side of creamy almond sauce. A truly delicate and delectable burger.
The Liberty
MONTANA RANCH TRUFFLE BURGER
Swiss cheese, jalapeno bacon, truffle mayo. So many layers of flavor with this burger that gets better with each bite.
Char-Grill
DOUBLE CHAR BURGER
Voted by USA Today as a top 50 burger joint in America, the franchise out of Raleigh has been serving up some of the best burgers in the state for over fifty years. The Davidson locations Double Char Burger features two patties stacked high and served with your choice of toppings and American or Provolone cheese. At under five dollars it doesn’t get much tastier.
STEAKHOUSE
Grilled Onions, portabello mushrooms, swiss, lettuce, tomato, and horseradish cream sauce. The horseradish cream sauce and grilled onions take this burger to a whole new level.
Kickstand
THE CROSS COUNTRY
Basted with citrus-barbecue sauce topped with pico, guacamole pepper jack cheese, and jalapeno cilantro spread. Really unique flavor combinations with a good amount of heat.
Harvest Moon Grille
GRATEFUL GROWERS PORK BURGER
Pork burger topped with Ashe County Cheddar Cheese, served on a homemade yeast roll, dijon-mayo, tomato, lettuce, and okra pickles. The pork is big on flavor but not heavy while the bun, toppings and sauce work in perfect harmony.
