There is something about biting into a burger that is unlike anything else. It’s the ultimate sandwich, a warm, ground piece of meat with toppings like cheese, vegetables, and condiments. The following are 21 of the most mouth-watering, gooey, greasy, mind-blowing burgers in Philadelphia.
1. Fountain Porter: Best Burgers in East Passayunk
Sometimes it’s better to be amazing at one thing than good at a bunch of stuff. With that being said, Fountain Porter’s burgers are what ground meat dreams are made of. A perfectly cooked patty covered in gooey cheese and nestled in between a simple bun, this no-frills cheeseburger is arguably the best in town.
Fountain Porter adds fries but this chill neighborhood tavern is a place for tasty craft beers so don’t expect much of a menu. The burger, however, is what they’re known for and after one bite, you’ll know why.
2. The Dandelion: Best Pub Burger in Rittenhouse Square
The Dandelion is another one of Philadelphia’s finest eating establishments in our eyes as it made our best bar food and best restaurants list. Aside from numerous phenomenal other dishes, the British pub’s Dandy Burger still stands out.
There are many factors as to why the Dandy Burger made the list, one being that it’s made with 8 ounces of dry-aged beef and topped with a bold slice of Vermont cheddar plus smoky bacon. The way it hits your mouth must be experienced to believe.
3. Rouge: Best Traditional Burgers in Rittenhouse Square
Rouge may be the most expensive burger on our list ($22) but you have to wonder why it makes so many “Best of…” lists. There isn’t anything new or particularly unique about the Rouge Burger, but that’s why people constantly flock there. It’s the perfect traditional cheeseburger.
The two notable differences to the usual cheeseburger that Rouge adds to the fray are gruyere cheese instead of American or cheddar and a brioche bun versus the usual hamburger bun. It makes a difference in flavor, sure, but the true star here is in Rouge’s execution of the burger.
4. SpOt Gourmet Burgers: Best Gourmet Burgers in Philly
One of the newest kids on the block, SpOt Gourmet Burgers comes from Josh Kim’s deli cart. Not all carts deserve a brick-and-mortar but this one sure as hell does with 39 different burgers to choose from (not including the build-your-own-burger in beef, chicken, or veggie option).
Some of our favorite choices at SpOt start with the aptly named SpOt Burger blanketed with sharp cheddar and topped with hickory-smoked bacon, coleslaw, and SpOt sauce. For those that don’t like coleslaw, we don’t either. We gave it a whirl and wow, we’re glad we did.
5. Charlie’s Hamburgers: The Best Old-School Burger Joint in Philly
It had to be done. Yes, an old-school burger joint that focuses on making burgers and shakes. Yeah, that kind of place. That’s Charlie’s Hamburgers for you, the blueprint of an old-fashioned hamburger stand from the ‘50s, although Charlie’s has been rocking it since 1935.
Charlie’s is straight out of a movie where guys are wearing slicked-back pompadour hairdos and the gals are wearing poodle skirts. Add Charlie’s Burgers, fries, and a shake to that and you’ve got old-fashioned hamburger tastiness that will have you tasting nostalgia in all the best ways.
6. Lucky’s Last Chance: Best Specialty Burger in Queen Village & Manayunk
Lucky’s Last Chance provides Philadelphians with fabulous specialty burgers at two locations: Queen Village and Manayunk. Any burger joint that tops their paddies with a heaping pile of mac and cheese is going to be a hit, and Lucky’s Mak Attack is their most popular burger.
Lucky’s has a wildly vibrant selection of burgers unlike anywhere else. Don’t believe us? Check out their PB & Bacon burger, which comes with creamy peanut butter, bacon, and American cheese plus a side of grape jelly. It’s a wild idea but people swear by it.
7. Hipcityveg: Best Burgers in Philly for Vegans
In this day and age, there are a large number of vegans and vegetarians that love a good burger so it’s only necessary to have a vegan burger joint here. Hipcityveg is the best vegan burger in Philadelphia and if anyone argues with you, they’re wrong, period.
When a burger takes you to the moon yet isn’t made with any meat, it deserves a spot on this list. Hipcityveg’s hamburger is on par with any meat burger in town and that’s saying a lot. Our favorite is their Smokehouse Burger, a Beyond Meat patty topped with a tart BBQ sauce, crispy onions, and smoked gouda cheese.
8. Royal Boucherie: Best Burgers in Old City
The Grass-Fed Boucherie at the Royal Boucherie is easily one of the top five burgers in Philadelphia in our opinion. It’s a simple burger but it’s eloquently put together and you’ll taste the expertise in the first bite. A bit on the pricier side at $18, it’s still worth every cent.
They spread the patty with an incredible bone marrow butter and then top it off with gruyere cheese (you can substitute cheddar too) and watercress to give it a nice, crisp snap in each bite. The properly toasted, fluffy bun only adds another delectable layer to the heavenly burger.
This is a great spot for a date if both of you are into hamburgers.
9. The Love: Best Burgers in Rittenhouse Square
From the people that brought Philadelphia one of the best restaurants in the city with Talula’s Garden comes The Love, a bistro-style establishment with two levels plus outdoor seating on a patio situated on 18th Street.
Although the Love serves dinner, the Loveburger is only offered at brunch or lunchtime. Still, the Loveburger is perhaps the juiciest burger in Philadelphia and comes with garlic aioli, caramelized onions, dilly pickled long hots, and Swiss raclette cheese, all between a sesame bun. This burger is a grand slam home run.
10. Bud & Marilyn’s: Best Burger in Midtown Village
Put simply, Bud & Marilyn’s knows how to make a kick-ass burger. It also leaves you full yet wanting more and the fancy sauce, whatever they put it in, is magical.
The burger in question is Bud’s Double Paddy Burger, a gorgeous piece of ground beef topped with applewood-smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion, fancy sauce, and yellow cheddar on a potato roll. Bud & Marilyn’s may not be a burger joint, but you’d never know from tasting one.
11. Libertine: Biggest Burgers in Midtown Village
Located in Midtown Village, Libertine is upscale American cuisine with a great twist on the hamburger. Although it’s got a handful of delightful appetizers such as its crispy Philly Cheesesteak eggrolls, be sure to leave room for their burger. Trust us.
While you’re going to pay a steeper price for Libertine’s Parker Burger at $19.95, at least you get a hefty piece of meat. One thing Libertine doesn’t do is skimp on the beef with their 10 oz patty smothered in aged cheddar and topped with crispy onions, oven-dried tomatoes, plus black truffle mayonnaise on a brioche bun. Just go and get it over with. You won’t regret it.
12. Good Dog Bar: Best Stuffed Burgers in Philadelphia
You’ll get along just fine with any dish at Good Dog Bar, a bar in the heart of Center City with wall-to-wall photos of dogs. Philadelphians, however, know Good Dog Bar has the best stuffed burger in town, perhaps on the East Coast.
About that stuffed burger. It’s a big, fat patty stuffed kindly with Roquefort cheese to go with a pile of caramelized onions on top all between a pillowy challah bun. Pushing the Good Dog Burger to another level is those marvelous fries (best fries in the city, perhaps?). Take your time with this one, folks. You’re going to need it.
13. P’unk Burger: Best Build-Your-Own-Burgersin Philadelphia
Sometimes you’re just not in the mood for beef but you still want a burger. You walk in somewhere and their selection isn’t quite what you’re in the mood for. Plus, all they have is beef. That’s exactly what P’unk Burger does best – lets you create your own burger.
P’unk Burger’s build-your-own-burger isn’t anything new but what they offer certainly is. You can choose from beef, turkey, grilled chicken breast, lamb, or ahi tuna. Oh, but there’s more, much more. They have 15 different sauces on deck and 11 different kinds of cheese to choose from. If you want to customize your burger, P’unk Burger is hands-down the best joint.
14. Prohibition Taproom: Best Pub Burger in Spring Garden
While the Prohibition Taproom utilizes a daily menu that highlights locally farmed ingredients, their Pro Tap and Smokey Swiss Burger are mainstays you can’t miss out on.
The Pro Tap hamburger is a double-patty burger with Cooper sharp American cheese, fried onions, pickles, and a charred onion aioli cooked in bacon fat. For the Smokey Swiss Burger, you get a miso-blended smash burger with smoked dijon, smoked bacon, cowboy onions, roasted mushrooms, arugula, and Swiss cheese.
15. a.kitchen+bar: Best Cheeseburgers in Rittenhouse Square
Here’s another off-kilter restaurant one may not expect to find one of the best cheeseburgers in Philadelphia. a.kitchen+bar is actually an award-winning wine restaurant but their big cheeseburger is still one of the most popular items on an intricate menu.
Why is the burger so good? Part of it is from the seasonal ingredients they use that add a distinctive freshness year-round and the other is that the patty is a combination of chuck and brisket beef that melds perfectly together in your mouth.
16. River Twice: Best High-End Burgers in Philadelphia
Let’s not beat around the bush here. River Twice is expensive. It’s not the place you go to every week for your favorite burger. That being said, it’s worth a reservation for a special evening and a taste of the popular Mother Rucker Burger.
We fell in love with their Mother Rucker Burger because of the pickled onions mixed with Cooper sharp. Add in the everything mayo and you’ve got a burger we’d fight you over.
17. Khyber Pass Pub: Best Affordable Burger in Old City
Khyber Pass Pub has an amazing array of items on its menu to choose from but their Khyber Burger is our favorite by far. The meat is made from Pennsylvania’s own Happy Valley Meat Co., and the difference is taste is immediate with your first bite.
The big stars of Khyber Burger are the pickled green tomato and the chipotle remoulade which give it a flavor we’ve never experienced in a hamburger.
18. Bar Hygge: Best Cheddar Cheeseburger in Philly
Bar Hygge makes the kind of food that wins awards yet it’s more of a bar lounge than a restaurant. Here, you can enjoy your burger on a couch, and what a burger it is.
The house-ground chuck-brisket combination is part of what makes the popular Hygge burger a winner. Well, that and the Cabot cheddar cheese. The Cabot cheddar together with the Hygge sauce, red onion, and pickles on the brioche bun is marvelous. If you want to send yourself to the moon, add a fried egg. You’ll thank us later.
19. Ripplewood Whiskey & Craft: Best Upscale Burger in West Philadelphia
Ripplewood Whiskey & Craft is Americana cuisine out of Ardmore that is great for that rare evening out with your special someone. Not only does Ripplewood’s burger compare with the best in Philadelphia, but they also give it a special twist by adding Lebanon bologna, a divine addition. Topped with gouda, the ingredients altogether put Ripplewood’s burger on top.
20. Kensington Quarters: Best Burger in Fishtown
Another marvel of simplicity, Kensington Quarters has a rocking cheeseburger that may not be packed with toppings but what’s inside of it is all top quality. You get a thick patty with a charred pepper aioli spread on top and smothered with cheddar cheese. The crispy potatoes that come with it are a godsend too.
Kensington Quarters is another place for special evenings as you’ll want to make sure it’s an unforgettable night for an unforgettable burger.
21. Village Whiskey: Our Favorite Philadelphia Burger of All
Yes, we’re sure many of you were shocked not to see Village Whiskey on the list until now but we wanted to save one of the best for last. Chef Garces’ gourmet pub hits a grand slam with their hamburgers from the Village Burger to the Turkey Smash Burger.
You can build your own at Village Whiskey but we highly recommend the Whiskey Burger, a half-pound patty topped with maple-glazed cippolini onions, Roth Moody blue cheese, applewood bacon, and foie gras. This was our favorite burger of all.
We’ve now given you the almighty list of the 21 best burgers in Philadelphia! Don’t leave your taste buds hanging dry here, folks. Any of these hamburgers will make you do backflips. Share this with a fellow burger lover and let us know if you try any of these spots. Enjoy!
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