Hamburgers are delicious all year round, but there’s something extra special about having a great burger in the summertime. Whether you prefer thin smashburgers or thick patties piled high with toppings, there’s guaranteed to be a Charlotte restaurant to satisfy your burger craving.
SouthPark & Myer’s Park
Reid’s Fine Foods
4331 Barclay Downs Dr (SouthPark)
2823 Selwyn Avenue (Myer’s Park)
135 Levine Avenue of the Arts, Suite 120 (Uptown)
Sink your teeth into this juicy burger from Reid’s Fine Foods. This steakburger is made from a combination of ribeye and sirloin, then topped with cheese, lettuce, tomato and onion. You can also choose two additional toppings — avocado, caramelized onions, mushrooms or bacon. Pro tip: if you visit on a Tuesday your burger is half-off!
Ace No. 3
829 Providence Rd (Myer’s Park)
1001 Belmont Ave (Belmont)
8520 Pit Stop Ct NW #10 (Concord)
At Ace No.3 you can try the signature Ace burger made with two 1/4 lb. chuck blend patties, American cheese, grilled onions, pickles and house comeback sauce. Or, build your burger exactly how you like it, choosing between a single or double patty, cheese or no cheese, and a variety of sauces and toppings. And don’t forget to pair your burger with crispy fries and an Ace shake.
The Fox and Falcon
4905 Ashley Park Ln
Visit The Fox and Falcon on Tuesdays for $10 burgers and half-priced beer, or any night of the week for whenever you’re craving a delicious burger. The DB Prime Cheeseburger is a juicy patty topped with lettuce, tomato, onion and DB aioli on a toasted English muffin. Add bacon jam or fried egg to take your burger to the next level, and enjoy the side of french fries, which can be upgraded to truffle fries.
The Cowfish
4310 Sharon Rd
Craving a burger with a side of sushi? Head to The Cowfish in SouthPark for the best of both worlds. If you have burgers on the mind when you visit try something like the Texas Crunch, which is a half-pound beef burger with house-made chili, cheddar cheese, applewood bacon, pico de gallo, Fritos and lettuce. Or, get the restaurant’s signature “burgushi” combo, where you can choose a bento box that includes both sliders and sushi, or a dish that combines the two into one.
Park Road Soda Shoppe
4121 Park Rd
For a classic, diner-style burger head to Park Road Soda Shoppe located in the Park Road shopping center. The menu here is no-frills but delicious. Get a hamburger or cheeseburger and add extra toppings like bacon, mushrooms and jalapeños if you’re feeling fancy. Or, order your burger “all the way” which adds chili, slaw, mustard and onions to your patty.
Plaza Midwood & Elizabeth
Moo & Brew
1300 Central Ave
For beer, burgers and good times head to Moo & Brew in Plaza Midwood. The tried and true burgers are all delicious and are customizable — each can be made a double if you choose and you get to pick your bun. The classic Moo & Brew burger with brew-braised onions, brew chili, brew cheese and yellow mustard is a standout on this menu, especially when paired with the rosemary truffle and sea salt fries.
Rosemont
1942 E 7th St #101-H
You’ll find Rosemont’s burger titled as THE BURGER on the menu. It has two smashed patties, griddled onions, American cheese, pickles and black pepper mayo squished between a toasted potato bun. Plus, it’s served with house fries. We’re drooling just thinking about it.
Catalina Kitchen + Bar
1942 E 7th St #106
The Ditka Burger at Catalina Kitchen + Bar is the real deal. A half pound steakhouse blend patty is topped with aged cheddar, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, mustard and mayo. Served with fries, slaw, or a salad, this burger is exactly what you picture when you think of the classic. Pro tip: if you visit during the social hour (345PM — 5PM, Monday — Friday) you can score mini cheeseburger sliders for just $8.
The Crunkleton
1957 E 7th St
Appropriately named a “Really Good Burger” this Crunkleton menu item comes with American cheese, lettuce, red onions and sauce all atop a hamburger patty on a brioche bun. If you want to get a bit fancier, try the Wagyu burger which is a 1/2 lb. wagyu patty with aged cheddar, caramelized onions and truffle aioli on a brioche bun. Both burgers are served with parmesan garlic and herb fries.
NoDa
Harriet’s Hamburgers
1115 N Brevard St, Stall #6 (Optimist Hall)
Harriet’s Hamburgers serves up gourmet smashburgers inside of Optimist Hall. The menu is simple with just one burger — the OG — that comes with a double patty, white American cheese, house-made pickles, red onions and simple sauce served on a buttery bun. There’s also golden fries and a few more sauce options to pair with your burger. Above all else Harriet’s cares about quality of ingredients, ensuring you’ll get a perfectly fresh burger every time.
Billy Jack’s Shack
3220 N Davidson St
Billy Jack’s Shack serves sliders and “napkin burgers” which are messy burgers that you’re all but guaranteed to need a napkin while eating. If you’re going for sliders you have to try the Greg Brady, which is grass-fed Angus beef topped with mac n’ cheese, American cheese and BBQ chips. For napkin burgers, order the B-Real with Monterey Jack cheese, guacamole, smoked bacon, shredded lettuce, tomato and sriracha mayo.
The Goodyear House
3032 N Davidson St
During your next visit to The Goodyear House in NoDa, you have to try the signature Goopy Burger. This burger is true to its name. On it you’ll find Krenz ranch beef, cheddar, pickles, onion and goopy lettuce. It’s served with fries and the restaurant will add bacon or make it a double at the customer’s request.
Brooks Sandwich House
2710 N Brevard St
Brooks Sandwich House keeps it simple. You can order a hamburger or cheeseburger, either single or double, and add bacon if you want. The restaurant suggests on the menu to upgrade your burger to “all the way” which adds Brooks’ beef chili, mustard and onions atop your burger. Keep in mind, this restaurant is only open Monday — Friday from 10AM to 3PM and is cash only. While it may require some planning to visit, the burger is well worth the coordination.
Uptown
Duckworth’s
330 N. Tryon St (Uptown)
4625 Piedmont Row Dr Suite 115A (SouthPark)
14015 Conlan Circle, Suite C1 (Ballantyne)
Dine on delicious burgers in a fun environment at any of the Duckworth’s locations. Duckworth’s makes its burgers in-house using a custom blend of fresh short rib and brisket. Try the Duckworth’s burger, also known as the 1/2 lb. cheeseburger, which has two 1/4 lb. house-blend patties that are hand-pressed thin and cooked on a flat top grill, then topped with lettuce, tomato, mayo, onion, pickles and choice of cheese. Plus, you can add jalapeño or bacon to any burger.
Cowbell Burger & Whisky Bar
201 N Tryon St
Pair your burger with a whisky drink or a spiked milkshake at Cowbell in Uptown. The menu has a selection of smashburgers as well as regular patties and you can’t go wrong with either. For a smashed option try The Melt, which is a smashed beef patty, American and Swiss cheese, caramelized onion and Cowbell sauce on toasted sourdough bread. For something a bit more classic go for the Big Bell which is two beef patties, Cowbell sauce, lettuce, American cheese, pickles and red onion on a sesame bun. Yum!
The Asbury
235 N Tryon St
Visit The Asbury located in the Dunhill Hotel for a delicious burger. It boasts house ground, pickled tomato mayo, caramelized onion, mushroom and griddled cheddar for an extra crunch. Trust us, it’ll be love at first bite.
South End & Dilworth
VINYL
1440 South Tryon St
VINYL, the go-to music-themed bar and kitchen in South End knows a thing or two about great hits. And the VINYL Burger happens to be one of them. A permanent staple on the menu, the VINYL Burger is crafted with two smashed Creekstone Farms patties, pickle chips, red onion, white american cheese and VINYL’s signature “Biggie” sauce between a Golden Grains brioche bun. Pair it with a signature cocktail made by one of VINYL’s talented bartenders and let the good times roll.
STIR
1422 S Tryon St Suite 130
STIR has two great burger options — the Tillamook cheeseburger and the STIR steakhouse burger. The cheeseburger has two 5 oz beef patties, Tillamook cheddar, tomato, lettuce, onion, mayo, and pickles. The STIR steakhouse burger is made of fresh filet & sirloin ground blend, then topped with sharp white cheddar cheese, spiced pickle aioli, shredded lettuce, house pickles and a small iceberg wedge. Plus, if you visit for brunch you can try a brunch burger, too!
Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar
1626 East Blvd (Dilworth)
15105 John J Delaney Dr (Ballantyne)
8625-A Lindholm Dr (Birkdale Village)
At Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar the options are plentiful and the burgers are piled high. Choose a traditional option like the All-American — a burger with ketchup, yellow mustard, shredded lettuce, tomato, red onion, and pickles. Or, try something a bit more unconventional like the Smokehouse — an angus burger topped with pulled pork, pepper jack cheese, onion straws, lettuce, tomato & BBQ sauce. Regardless of what you choose, you won’t leave Bad Daddy’s hungry.
Comet Grill
2224 Park Rd
A Charlotte staple since 1996, the Comet Grill feels like you’re taking a step back in time when you visit to eat a burger and listen to live music. The menu has a few different burgers to choose from, all of which are thick patties cooked to order and served with a side. Try the Carolina burger with chili, mustard, onion and slaw, or go for the Steakhouse burger with Swiss cheese, mushroom, grilled onions, lettuce, tomato and horseradish sauce.
State of Confusion
3500 Dewitt Ln
At State of Confusion sit outside on the patio or rooftop and try the House Burger with house ground beef, Swiss-American cheese, sharp cheddar, peppercorn mayo, lettuce, house pickles and tomato. Or, opt for the Over-Easy Burger with house-ground beef, fried egg, bacon, sharp cheddar, Swiss-American cheese and peppercorn mayo. And you can swap either patty out for a Bison burger as another delicious option.
Bang Bang Burgers
235 W. Tremont Ave, Suite 101 (South End)
2001 E 7th St, Suite D (Elizabeth)
At Bang Bang burgers, you’ll find high-quality, scratch-made burgers. Sides and sauces are intentionally served separate from the burger to honor its flavor and integrity. Any burger can be served as a single or a double and choices range from the Cowboy with sharp cheddar, bacon and BBQ sauce to the K-Pop with kimchi, mixed greens, smoked pork belly and gochujang mayo.
South Charlotte & More
The Garrison
314 Main St, Pineville
The Garrison has three traditional burger and one chicken burger on the menu and you can’t go wrong with any of them. For something classic try The Garrison burger with Applewood bacon, a fried egg, American cheese, LTOP and burger sauce. Spice lovers have to order the Firehouse #73 with pickled jalapeños, habanero cheddar, lettuce, tomato and #73 sauce. And for a true Southern classic go with the Tarheel with pimento cheese, bacon and fried green tomatoes.
Burger 21
14825 Ballantyne Village Way #160
Choose from a variety of beef burgers, chicken burgers and even seafood burgers at Burger 21. While all the options are great, you can’t go wrong with the classic “Cheesy” burger that has an angus beef patty, 21 sauce, lettuce, tomato, and your choice of cheese on a toasted brioche bun. Plus, if you visit on a Wednesday you’ll be able to snag a combo of a cheesy burger and cheesy fries for just $9.99.
Romeo’s Vegan Burgers
5518 South Blvd
Vegans can enjoy burgers too and one of the best places to get a vegan burger is at Romeo’s. From the traditional “Where Art Thou Romeo” burger, to the mac burger, BBQ bacon burger and Mexican burger, Romeo’s has no shortage of delicious options. These burgers are so good that even meat eaters will love them.
South 21 Drive In
3101 E Independence Blvd
For a drive in burger that’s local to Charlotte, check out South 21 Drive In. The restaurant has been serving Charlotte since 1995 and one of its specialties is the made-to-order burgers. You can get a classic hamburger or cheeseburger that comes with lettuce, tomatoes, mustard and onions. Or, upgrade to a Super Boy, which is a double hamburger or a Jumbo Cheeseburger, which is a double cheeseburger.
Barcelona Burger and Beer Garden
500 S Main St, Mooresville
If you’re in Mooresville, NC stop by Barcelona Burger and Beer Garden for a drink and burger. Try the Barcelona Classic with American cheese, lettuce, pickle, tomato, onion and house sauce. Pair your burger with a side like truffle fries, sweet potato fries, mac and cheese or roasted veggies.
Jack’s Corner Tap
8301 Magnolia Estates Dr, Cornelius
For a great burger in Cornelius, head to Jack’s Corner Tap. The Goat Cheese Burger is a unique and delicious option — a hand pattied beef stuffed with goat cheese and topped with bacon jam. For something a bit more classic, try the Cheddar Bacon Burger with crispy bacon and aged cheddar. Plus, if you visit on a Thursday after 5PM, you can score a $6 build-your-own burger.
SEND US THE SCOOP: Did we miss your favorite? Please send us that info by filling out this form here. We love hearing from you! Thanks 🙂
Author’s Note: This article was written by Alex Maloney. You can find more of her Charlotte-related content on Instagram, @slicesandsushi.
