Best Burgers in St. Petersburg FL 2024

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Best Burgers in St. Petersburg FL 2024

Best Hamburgers / Cheeseburgers in St. Petersburg FL 2024

Hamburgers! Who doesn’t get excited by hamburgers? I used to wonder why they were named this when there was no ham involved. It’s because they get they their name from Hamburg, Germany, home of a dish called the Hamburg steak that eventually evolved into what we now consider hamburgers.

“The Hamburg steak was served raw or lightly cooked and was accompanied by a raw egg… A variant of Hamburg steak is Salisbury steak, which is usually served with a gravy similar in texture to brown sauce …” – Wikipedia

It is actually disputed whether the hamburger was invented in Germany or the U.S.A. One thing that is not disputed is that they are definitely thought of as the quintessential “American food”.

They almost always have cheese on them, so it’s safe to say that a hamburger / cheeseburger is the epitome of almost everyone’s favorite American food.

Smashburgers

There are some smashburgers on the list, and obviously if they’re on the list that means that they are really good.

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When I posted one of these smashburgers in our Facebook group, a discussion ensued with some saying that it was not a true smashburger.

So I did some research on smashburgers. The original smashburger is 2.5 – 3 oz of meat. It is rolled into a meatball and then smashed flat with a metal press. It is smashed so flat that it is thin enough to get very crispy edges and is about a quarter of an inch thick or less.

Then, there is the restaurant chain with the name Smashburger.

They DO smash their burgers, and they do get caramelized, but their “Classic Smashburger” is 5 ounces of meat and looks like they are about a half inch thick instead of a quarter inch or less.

It’s a different style that provides the customer with more meat. That is the style of the smashburgers from the local, independently owned restaurants that we review and include on this list.

As with all of our lists, and unlike most other publishers, we personally went to all of these places, and ate all of these burgers, and took all of these photos.

For ALL of these – the burgers were moist, juicy, fresh and flavorful… so I don’t have to repeat it a dozen times.

“It’s really a lot like writing porn. After you’ve used the same adjectives over and over again, it’s like the Penthouse Letters…”
– Anthony Bourdain, Parts Unknown, Budapest – Aired June 14, 2015

Here’s our Dozen Best Burgers (in no particular order) in St. Petersburg Florida for 2024.

Engine No. 9
56 Dr M.L.K. Jr St N
St. Petersburg, FL 33705
(727) 623-0938
Engine No.9 Website

Engine No.9 Borderline Burger
Engine No.9 Borderline Burger

If you ask ten people where to get the best burgers in St. Pete at least eight of them, if not all ten, will say Engine No.9. They’ve been a local’s favorite since they opened in 2012 with their over-the-top, super creative burger creations. Be sure to go hungry as all of their burgers are a half pound.

A little known fact is that Engine No.9 owner, Jason Esposito is the son of the late Tony Esposito, who along with his brother (Jason’s uncle) Phil Esposito founded the Tampa Bay Lightning hockey team in the 1980s.

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Noble Crust Smash Burger
Noble Crust Smash Burger

One of the things I love about Noble Crust is that they have such a great variety, and wide range of items. You could go there with a party of 25, and include all of the special diets, such as vegetarian, gluten-free, low-fat, or my special diet since I’m into fitness … uh, I mean “fitness this whole pizza in my mouth”. They have great soups and salads, and lighter fare, but I love them for their excellent execution of comfort food, like the Smashburger. Lori said the Smashburger was the star of the show when we last went to family dinner at Noble Crust. I got one the next time and loved it too.

Noble Crust Smash Burger – Buttered brioche bun, American cheese, shaved iceberg, dill pickle, caramelized onion, tomato and noble sauce. There is an option for a single or double patty. The single is pictured.

 

V9 Eats
5800 9th Ave N
St. Petersburg, FL 33710
(727) 256-9723
V9 Eats Website

V9 Eats Double Smashburger
V9 Eats Double Smashburger

A perfect classic double smashburger with housemade pickles. The buns are from Bruno’s Bakery, another local family run business. The fries are like McDonald’s in a good way. The fried okra is the best I ever had, and Lori said it reminded her of her grandmother’s fried okra.

You can choose your toppings and I went with the smashburger classics – lettuce, tomato, onion and pickles. This burger is so flavor-packed that it is craveable. All of the flavors and textures form a perfect creation of a burger.

 

Wild Child
2710 Central Ave
St. Petersburg, FL 33712
(727) 954-7425
Wild Child Website

Wild Child Cheeseburger add Bacon
Wild Child Cheeseburger add Bacon

Wild Child, helmed by Chef Rob Reinsmith, is one of the best and most creative restaurants in St. Pete. Their bacon cheeseburger is the perfect example of how any great chef should be able to make a great burger. It has American cheese, special sauce, caramelized onions, bibb lettuce, kumato tomato, and house dill pickles on a brioche bun and comes with fries.

 

The Bier Boutique
465 7th Ave North
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
(727) 827-2691
The Bier Boutique Website

Lumbergh Burger
Lumbergh Burger

The Bier Boutique became a locals favorite immediately after they opened in 2019, and have remained so ever since. They continually turn out amazing dishes. All of the burgers are made with bison and bacon cooked into the meat patty. There are always four burgers on the menu that change out 2-3 times a year. Of the current selection the Lumbergh is my favorite – housemade pimento cheese, pickled fresno peppers & green leaf lettuce on a brioche bun.

 

The Avenue
330 1st Ave S
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
(727) 851-9531
The Avenue Website

DTSP Burger
DTSP Burger

The DTSP Burger at The Avenue – yellow American, bourbon bacon onion jam, peppered bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles. Huge, delicious, and perfectly cooked.

 

Brick & Mortar Kitchen & Wine Bar
539 Central Ave
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
(727) 822-6540
Brick & Mortar Facebook

Brick & Mortar Burger
Brick & Mortar Burger

Brick & Mortar Burger – house ground tenderloin filet & short rib, bacon onion jam, aged white cheddar, arugula, roasted garlic aioli.

There is nothing like this burger anywhere. It’s magical. They grind their meat fresh in house everyday. Everyone raves about this one.

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The Burg Bar & Grill
1752 Central Ave
St. Petersburg, FL 33712
(727) 894-2874
The Burg Bar & Grill Website

The Burg Gyro Burger
The Burg Gyro Feta Burger

The Burg Gyro Feta Burger – topped with gyro meat, house-made tzatziki & grilled feta, along with lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles. Who doesn’t love gyro meat?!? Right? That along with the other ingredients on a burger are genius. This is a real palate pleaser.

 

El Cap Restaurant
3500 4th St. N
St Petersburg, Florida 33704
(727) 521-1314
El Cap Restaurant Facebook Page

The World Champ Burger from El Cap
The World Champ Burger from El Cap (Photo: Abby Allen)

Speaking of icons, El Cap has been serving down-to-earth, delicious, no-fuss cuisine to hungry St. Pete patrons since 1964.

From Abby’s review: “If you mention El Cap to most anyone who is familiar with it, odds are, you’ll receive a rave review about everything, from the service and overall vibe of the restaurant, to the food- specifically, their burger. El Cap’s burgers are a favorite among both frequent flyers and newbies, alike. Their World Champ Burger, which has been named by some as the best burger in town, is comprised of just the simple things- Lettuce, Tomato, Pickle and Onion (add cheese and bacon for an extra delicious rendition), which proves that in some cases, less is more.”

The historic El Cap was in danger of being bought by a real estate development company with the bulldozers not far behind, when St. Pete natives Ryan Griffin, Bill Griffin, and Blake Thompson of Feed & Seed Hospitality stepped in and took over 50% ownership to help keep this St. Pete icon running. Feed & Seed also owns Trophy Fish, The Mandarin Hide, Mandarin Heights, and the newly announced restaurant Perry’s Porch at the St. Petersburg Museum of History. You can find more details at The Tampa Bay Times.

 

Ford’s Garage St. Pete
200 1st Ave S
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
(727) 295-3673
Ford’s Garage Website

American Standard Burger at Ford's Garage
American Standard Burger
American Standard Burger
American Standard Burger without red onion for Lori

American Standard Burger at Ford’s Garage – black angus with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, and dill pickle planks on a brioche bun. So delicious and satisfying. My other favorite burger here is the Mushroom Swiss Burger.

 

The Library
600 5th St S
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
(727) 369-9969
The Library Website

The Library Burger
The Library Burger

Burger – double patty, sliced white American cheese, lettuce, tomato, library sauce.

This one has been on the list since they opened in 2018. It was outstanding then, and it is even better now having evolved to be just a bit heartier. It is just damn good, old school comfort food.

 

Mary Margaret’s Olde Irish Tavern
29 3rd St North
St. Petersburg, FL 33701
(727) 873-6764
Mary Margaret’s Website

Arthur’s Guinness Burger
Guinness Burger

The Guinness Burger – Guinness infused black angus beef, with grilled shrooms, Irish cheddar, romaine lettuce & tomato on a flaky roll.

Mary Margaret’s Guinness Burger has a unique richness and depth of flavor that interestingly reminds me of French Onion Soup, even though there are no onions here. I’ll give this one the Umami Bomb Award.

I’m sure there are some readers’ favorite burgers that are not on the list. Please comment with them below so other readers can see them and check them out too.

Just for fun, check out my article on Burger Stacking too!

Best Burgers in St. Petersburg FL 2024

Everyone loves hamburgers! A cheese burger is the epitome of American food, and here are some of the best local eateries with great burgers.

DISCLAIMER: Kevin, Lori, Abby, Haley, Lindsey & Mahika do not dine anonymously (this would be impossible) and we sometimes get free food (though never expected). However, we dine with the locals and we support our own. You will always get honesty in a respectful manner. We do not include any large national or regional chains in our ratings and reviews. We focus on independent locally owned eateries exclusively.

PLEASE NOTE: Reviews reflect a certain moment in time. Some restaurants stay extremely consistent over many years, and some change for the better or worse. Some things that may change are: chefs, recipes, food suppliers, ingredients, philosophies, ownership, etc. We always hope that you have the same good, or great experience we had.
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5 Responses

  • How could this list not include the Chattaburger from the iconic Chattaway!? I plan to have one tonight and I will transmit my enjoyment to you via brainwaves!

    • It was one of the most bland burgers I ever had. Zero seasoning, and over cooked.

  • Have you tried The Joint in west St Pete? The Big Gooey is a delicious burger topped with melted Velveeta cheese! Come on! Who wouldn’t like that?

    • It’s on my list, but I haven’t got to it yet. Thanks for the recommendation.

  • I saw some people hating on El Cap on a Facebook page last week or so and I was wondering if there was something wrong with me? I’ve been there 3 times since I moved to St. Petersburg exactly one year ago and I’ve enjoyed it every time. [Only thing I ever ordered was cheeseburger and fries.] Thanks for backing me up on this Kevin!

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