Austin’s 10 Best Burgers

This farm-to-table restaurant takes its burgers seriously. Every month during the first Monday to Wednesday, Swift’s Attic offers a brand-new “Big Ass Burger” that captures the signature Swift’s Attic whimsy. Past offerings have included the Flaming Dr. Pepper burger — a beef patty treated with a sweet Dr. Pepper glaze, Dr. Pepper caramelized onions and griddled jalapeños, and Dr. Pepper ketchup on a habañero bun — and the Mary Had A Little Lamburger with a ground lamb patty, mint chimichurri, mint jelly, cilantro yogurt, and caramelized onion on a curds and whey bun.

Seafood restaurant and oyster bar Café Blue slings a bacon-and-brie burger with fried oysters on top: The bacon is smoked, the brie is decadent, the Louis sauce offers a creamy kick, and if fried oysters don’t provide enough crunch, the crispy onion strings should do the trick. The menu also offers two more burger options, a black and blue burger (the blue part is blue cheese, and the burger is black because it’s blackened) and a classic cheeseburger with cheddar. All burgers are freshly ground in-house and served on brioche buns with a side of fries.

Ask an Austinite for their favorite burger, and there’s a good chance you’ll hear about the bacon cheeseburger at Parkside. A beloved gastropub that emphasizes sustainable fare, Parkside grills up a burger that manages to be simultaneously top-shelf and unpretentious. The beef is high-quality, the bun is made in-house, and the fixings are the classics — lettuce, tomato, and pickles. Served with a side of garlic-shallot fries, the bacon cheeseburger pairs well with any of the local craft beers on the menu. A staple on the downtown dining scene since 2008, chef Shawn Cirkiel’s flagship restaurant remains a favorite, even all these years and restaurants later. (With restaurant and hospitality group Parkside Projects, he also helms Olive & June, The Backspace, and others.)

Helmed by Top Chef winner Kristen Kish, Arlo Grey, an international (or as Kish calls it, “elevated Midwestern”) restaurant in the LINE Hotel, is a destination for tourists and locals alike. The upscale space with its lake views, art composed of pages from Kish’s cooking journals, and lush plants pairs well with the innovative menu, including a burger topped with whipped potatoes, caramelized onions, pickles, mayo, and greens. The cocktails are not to be missed. Try the garden margarita made with tequila, chambery vermouth, tarragon, lime, and jalapeño.

Pretty and airy with minimalist décor — plenty of sunlight, plants, and pale wood — this neighborhood restaurant provides the perfect ambiance for a leisurely lunch, especially on Mondays, when the burgers are half off. Served with sharp cheddar and dijonaise, the burger is a steal at $6.50, especially considering everything at Hank’s is made in-house from scratch. The Brussels sprouts are famous, so don’t miss them.

Burger-lovers flock to this cozy, Old West-inspired restaurant inside The Stephen F Austin Royal Sonesta Hotel for dishes prepared by wood-fire rotisserie, open-flame grill, and wood-oven roasting. The “Big Ass Burger” is, as promised, large (even potentially shareable), and piled high with goodies: poblano pepper, cheddar, smoked pepper bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles. Served with a heaping pile of fries, this is hangover fare at its finest. Like all Guy + Larry restaurants (this restaurant group is behind a number of famous eateries and chains, including Hopdoddy and Z’Tejas), Roaring Fork is consistently delicious.

Chef Nic Yanes of Juniper and Uncle Nicky’s helms this farm-to-table concept where the vegetables are seasonal and abundant and the meats are locally sourced. Known for its fresh oyster menu, Old World/New World wine list, open kitchen, and bustling weekend brunch, Verbena has been warmly welcomed to the Austin dining scene since it opened in the thick of the pandemic (offering only outdoor seating). The Verbena burger quickly became one of the most popular dishes: The toasted bun holds two 4-ounce Wagyu beef patties, American cheese, shredded lettuce, dijonaise, white onion, and pickles. A side of fries completes the picture.

This bustling indoor/outdoor restaurant is a choice spot for people-watching in Austin. Located on the pedestrian-friendly corner of 2nd and Congress inside the JW Marriott, Corner offers a great atmosphere for brunch on a sunny day. The menu has two popular burger options: the Old Fashioned Burger with white cheddar, bibb lettuce, tomato, caramelized onion, and mayo and the Corner Burger made with Brush Creek all-American wagyu, bacon, candied jalapeño, blue cheese, lettuce, tomato, and mayo. The beloved sides menu offers perfect burger accompaniments, including pancetta Brussels sprouts and cheddar grits.

Co-owner Ben Edgerton grew up working and hunting at Contigo Ranch in South Texas and wanted to bring the fun to Austin. This “ranch-style” restaurant emphasizes outdoor dining, a casual vibe, and food that pairs well with beer. Enter the Contigo burger: Served on a challah bun, the ranch-sourced beef and diner’s choice of cheddar or blue cheese complements the restaurant’s famous crispy green beans. There’s something about the ranch-like vibe, the beautiful Texas sunset, and that towering burger that makes a cold beer taste even better.

Imagine any time you were craving a burger, you had a whole herd of cattle at your disposal. That’s what life is like for the Jacoby family — on their ranch, they keep cattle that eventually becomes hand-cut beef, which turns into the all-natural, pasture-raised, dry-aged Jacoby Beef cheeseburger. Lucky for Austinites, they’re willing to share, and this ranch-to-table restaurant on the Colorado River has been delighting lovers of high-quality tender beef since 2014. Feel free to order a fried egg on top. And if you want to get your greens in, try the crispy Brussels sprouts with agave mustard and Texas pecans.