10 Splurge-Worthy Burgers Across the South | Listen

Some burgers you just can’t re-create at home. Worth their weight in both calorie and price, these restaurant whoppers deliver pure joy, bite-for-bite.

Félix’s Raclette Burger | Charleston

It’s the raclette that stops you in your tracks—the creamy, oozing blanket of cheese is a thing to admire. But that never stops us from devouring this double-patty, short rib-and-brisket beauty. Besides the cheese, which offers its own galaxy of flavor, there’s caramelized onion, made from owner FélixLandrum’s grandmother’s recipe for French onion soup, and the tang of dijonnaise, all delivered on a sesame bun. The crispy pommes frites are built for dunking straight into the cheesy puddle.

Rado Market’s Oxtail Smashburger | Houston

Chef Chris Williams has put his heart and soul into the Third Ward community, and this burger shows the neighborhood his love. By shredding oxtail meat to mix in with the ground beef, the burger gets a boost of glistening fat and an unmatched depth of flavor; add to that a garlic aïoli, tomato jam, pickled onions, and arugula and provolone on top for the ultimate love letter.

The Bar at Willett’s (Off-Menu) Cheeseburger | Bardstown, Kentucky

Tasting the fan-favorite Kentucky bourbon might be your reason for visiting the Willett Distillery in Bardstown, but what you ought to be after is chef John Sleasman’s super-limited, off-menu cheeseburger. He only makes about a dozen and they’re only available on Saturdays—so get your reservation tab ready. It’s made up of two patties, melty cheese, pickles on the bottom, and the domed, bronzed lid of a seeded bun. They also have a pretty smashing cocktail program, in case you’d like something to wash it all down.

Forgotten Tonic’s FT Burger | St. Augustine, Florida

We can’t resist a warm pretzel bun, and the FT burger uses it as a vehicle to deliver a straight-up solid burger. Melted havarti and caramelized onion amp up the cheese-pull factor, while the bacon and pickles offer salt and zing. Binding it all together is a tangy, signature FT sauce. Don’t miss their indulgent cocktails, too.

Little Sparrow’s Dry-Aged Burger | Atlanta

At Ford Fry’s Atlanta brasserie, you might get sticker shock ogling the dry-aged burger. The ode to a bustling Paris brasserie does not shy away from the $34 price tag, though. The dry-aged patty is perched on a buttered brioche bun with American cheese, thickly sliced sauteed onions, and aïoli. The double-fister is served with cornichon and a pile of frites, which are nonnegotiable—they’re fried three times for an uber-crispy exterior.

Redheaded Stranger’s Green Chile Cheeseburger | Nashville

For the price ($12), this is the best two-patty deal on this list. It starts with ground beef from one of the region’s most thoughtful purveyors, Bear Creek Farm. The beef is then loaded up with chopped hatch green chiles (chef Bryan Lee Weaver sings a love song to Southwestern fare here), a few thick slices of Gifford’s bacon, a slather of American cheese, and ranch dressing smashed inside a Martin’s potato roll. Eat it straight from its warm foil packaging for the full, glorious effect.

Helen’s Double with Cheese | Birmingham, Alabama

The wood-fired grill at Helen does most of the work on this hand-pressed double-patty burger, available only at lunch. Chef Rob McDaniel and team let the smokiness shine, but they don’t skimp on the toppings, using both Duke’s mayonnaise and mustard, as well as a pile of shredded lettuce and pickles, American cheese, and—the clincher—plenty of minced onion.

Joia’s Triple Patty Wagyu Burger | Washington, DC

Chef Patrice Cleary gave her popular Filipino spot Purple Patch a younger sister, Joia, in 2024. The menu is tight—wagyu burgers in single, double, or triple patty options. These sauce-slathered smashburgers are topped with gooey American cheese,but the best part is the slaw-like mix of lettuce, tomato, and pickle.

Brenner Pass Burger | Richmond, Virginia

This one’s for the gourmets out there: The Brenner Pass burger boasts one indulgent ingredient after the next. Bacon has nothing on the strips of crispy speck used here; a veal demi-glace androasted mushrooms provide umami and tang; and for a kickerthey add a dollop of fondue. Yup. The frites served alongside make a nice vehicle for the fondue, while two cornichon speared on top make it feel fancy. You’ll need a fork and knife for this one.

Baby Bull’s Burger Monday Combo | Asheville

When Asheville’s The Bull and Beggar opened the casual spin-off Baby Bull, it was in part to make their usual Monday-night double smashburger special a more regular thing; Baby Bull serves them up every day it’s open. But the Monday tradition lives on with Baby Bull’s Monday combo, which can be that juicy double cheeseburger with fries and aïoli for dipping and either a cold beer or a chilled glass of lambrusco. 

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