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From juicy single-patty burgers to double-stacked cheeseburgers layered with toppings, Philly restaurants offer something for every mood
In the city of cheesesteaks, restaurants all over town also offer another carnivore classic: the hamburger. Juicy, salty, and satisfying — sometimes nothing but a burger will do. And maybe fries. And a beer. Here are 17 burgers to try in Philly right now.
Read MoreThe over-the-top burgers at Lucky’s come with a wide variety of add-ons, including fried pickles, peanut butter and jelly, pierogies, and so much more. Toasted and buttered Liscio’s rolls make for a great delivery system for these messy, oversize burgers.
In Brewerytown, Josh Kim is serving his sirloin burgers with a wide variety of topping combos, like the Billy burger with goat cheese, spinach, fire-roasted red peppers, and truffle balsamic. Chicken burgers, veggie burgers, cheesesteaks, and sloppy Joes are also options.
Like almost everything at Middle Child Clubhouse, customizations on the MCC cheeseburger are not permitted. (“This is not Burger King please try it our way.”) But who needs to customize a classic cheeseburger made with American cheese, pickles, onions, and Russian dressing anyway?
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The JB Burger at Johnny Brenda’s in Fishtown comes with a prime sirloin patty on a brioche bun topped with cheddar, sauteed onions, dill pickles, and spicy harissa mayo. A veg option is available with the same set up.
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Open since 1999, this Northern Liberties bar was a pioneer of the gastropub trend in Philly. The signature cheeseburger tops a flavorful patty of locally raised beef with red onions and Cabot cheddar on top of a Merzbacher’s bun.
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This carnivore’s paradise pays homage to the Tarantino classic: the Royale with Cheese. Butcher Bar’s take involves two beef patties with American cheese, lettuce, pickles, onions, and special sauce on a buttered, toasted potato roll.
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Burgers at this Jose Garces restaurant are tall, proud, and almost a little daunting. In a city where truly pricy splurge burgers are a rare sight, the notorious Whiskey King stands out: Topped with blue cheese, bacon, maple-bourbon glazed onions, and foie gras, it carries a $27 price tag and has accumulated no small number of ardent fans.
Those who have avoided this Sansom Street seafood house when looking for a meatier option, listen up. Oyster House does a bang up job with their burger that’s finished off with Cooper cheddar and a tart red onion jam.
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Royal Boucherie’s burger doesn’t mess around. The grass-fed patty is finished off with a tangle of watercress, nutty gruyere and — wait for it — a dollop of bone marrow for good measure.
Monk’s is not only an award-winner for its beer selection: The Belgian bar has also won a number of contests thanks to its burger, made with Primal Supply beef. It comes with a generous side of frites and toppings with international flair include caramelized leeks, sauteed mushrooms and Gruyere, and broccoli rabe.
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When the night calls for a messy, cheesy burger, Pub & Kitchen is just the ticket. The P&K burger’s rich double patties are cut nicely with pickled onion and Noble cheddar, while the smash burger goes the route of a backyard standby with American cheese, pickles, and secret sauce.
Sauteed kimchi gives SouthGate’s burger signature flair. Here a bulgogi spiced patty is finished off with aromatic perilla leaves, bacon, cheese, and Kewpie mayo. A paired down bulgogi burger is served with a gochugaru-spiked aioli.
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You can’t go wrong with a French tavern burger — and the Good King Tavern does it right, with juicy and melty Raclette cheese, bibb lettuce, house-made aioli, and frites.
Brooklyn import Emmy Squared, now in Queen Village, is known for its burger, which layers two patties, American cheese, pickles, and sambal mayo on a pretzel bun, served with a side of waffle fries.
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The delicious $6 burger at Fountain Porter is a burger for purists, with a juicy and well-charred patty and a no-frills presentation — just American cheese and a potato roll. The perfectly easy side-snack while you grab a few pints.
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Venture out to Delco to get a taste of one of the region’s most historic burger institutions. While the 2.0 location on MacDade Boulevard might not have the same retro appeal as its previous address, Charlie’s is still turning out the same skinny patty, greasy-in-a-great-way burgers that they’ve been griddling since 1935.
With “burger” right in the name, Burgertime in Audobon, NJ is a pretty great option for anyone seeking a beef patty between a bun. The options at Burgertime are seemingly endless, from the Pepperjawni Pizza Burger (with pepperoni, of course) to the Backyard BBQ burger made with baked beans and a hot dog on top. For real.
The over-the-top burgers at Lucky’s come with a wide variety of add-ons, including fried pickles, peanut butter and jelly, pierogies, and so much more. Toasted and buttered Liscio’s rolls make for a great delivery system for these messy, oversize burgers.
In Brewerytown, Josh Kim is serving his sirloin burgers with a wide variety of topping combos, like the Billy burger with goat cheese, spinach, fire-roasted red peppers, and truffle balsamic. Chicken burgers, veggie burgers, cheesesteaks, and sloppy Joes are also options.
Like almost everything at Middle Child Clubhouse, customizations on the MCC cheeseburger are not permitted. (“This is not Burger King please try it our way.”) But who needs to customize a classic cheeseburger made with American cheese, pickles, onions, and Russian dressing anyway?
The JB Burger at Johnny Brenda’s in Fishtown comes with a prime sirloin patty on a brioche bun topped with cheddar, sauteed onions, dill pickles, and spicy harissa mayo. A veg option is available with the same set up.
Open since 1999, this Northern Liberties bar was a pioneer of the gastropub trend in Philly. The signature cheeseburger tops a flavorful patty of locally raised beef with red onions and Cabot cheddar on top of a Merzbacher’s bun.
This carnivore’s paradise pays homage to the Tarantino classic: the Royale with Cheese. Butcher Bar’s take involves two beef patties with American cheese, lettuce, pickles, onions, and special sauce on a buttered, toasted potato roll.
Burgers at this Jose Garces restaurant are tall, proud, and almost a little daunting. In a city where truly pricy splurge burgers are a rare sight, the notorious Whiskey King stands out: Topped with blue cheese, bacon, maple-bourbon glazed onions, and foie gras, it carries a $27 price tag and has accumulated no small number of ardent fans.
Those who have avoided this Sansom Street seafood house when looking for a meatier option, listen up. Oyster House does a bang up job with their burger that’s finished off with Cooper cheddar and a tart red onion jam.
Royal Boucherie’s burger doesn’t mess around. The grass-fed patty is finished off with a tangle of watercress, nutty gruyere and — wait for it — a dollop of bone marrow for good measure.
Monk’s is not only an award-winner for its beer selection: The Belgian bar has also won a number of contests thanks to its burger, made with Primal Supply beef. It comes with a generous side of frites and toppings with international flair include caramelized leeks, sauteed mushrooms and Gruyere, and broccoli rabe.
When the night calls for a messy, cheesy burger, Pub & Kitchen is just the ticket. The P&K burger’s rich double patties are cut nicely with pickled onion and Noble cheddar, while the smash burger goes the route of a backyard standby with American cheese, pickles, and secret sauce.
Sauteed kimchi gives SouthGate’s burger signature flair. Here a bulgogi spiced patty is finished off with aromatic perilla leaves, bacon, cheese, and Kewpie mayo. A paired down bulgogi burger is served with a gochugaru-spiked aioli.
You can’t go wrong with a French tavern burger — and the Good King Tavern does it right, with juicy and melty Raclette cheese, bibb lettuce, house-made aioli, and frites.
Brooklyn import Emmy Squared, now in Queen Village, is known for its burger, which layers two patties, American cheese, pickles, and sambal mayo on a pretzel bun, served with a side of waffle fries.
The delicious $6 burger at Fountain Porter is a burger for purists, with a juicy and well-charred patty and a no-frills presentation — just American cheese and a potato roll. The perfectly easy side-snack while you grab a few pints.
Venture out to Delco to get a taste of one of the region’s most historic burger institutions. While the 2.0 location on MacDade Boulevard might not have the same retro appeal as its previous address, Charlie’s is still turning out the same skinny patty, greasy-in-a-great-way burgers that they’ve been griddling since 1935.
With “burger” right in the name, Burgertime in Audobon, NJ is a pretty great option for anyone seeking a beef patty between a bun. The options at Burgertime are seemingly endless, from the Pepperjawni Pizza Burger (with pepperoni, of course) to the Backyard BBQ burger made with baked beans and a hot dog on top. For real.
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