When I tell you this post has been in my drafts queue for over a year, I mean it! Raleigh has really grown its restaurant offerings since I moved here back in 2009 and I love highlighting my favorite spots to visit in the city. I am so excited to share this roundup of the best burger spots in Raleigh, including my top 5 favorite ranked! Keep scrolling for the best burger spots in Raleigh!
5 Best Burger Spots in Raleigh, Ranked
The Best Smash Burger: Standard Beer & Food
Standard Beer & Food is in one of my favorite parts of Raleigh and they do SO MUCH well. That list for me includes the queso tots, a great wine list, and their famous Ranch Water. And while they have an amazing food menu, their smash burger is my go-to!
The Best Sauce Options: Capital Club 16
So, I decided to include Capital Club 16 in this round-up even though they announced they are closing their brick-and-mortar location at the end of April 2024. Part of the reason is that this burger sparked the inspiration for this post and partly because they will still have their food truck, The Wandering Wolf. Regardless, go visit the iconic location before the end of the month and enjoy a delicious burger with some of the best fries in the city and a deliciously flavored burger. I love their sauce options, too! I usually opt for 1000 Island and Paprika Aioli. However, there are some days when the German mustard is *it* for me.
The Best Fast-Food One: Char-Grill on Hillsborough St.
Listen, this one may be the most controversial of my awards given some of the other options around, and frankly, I am fine with that. I’m willing to take this one on. It’s Char-Grill on Hillsborough that offers the best of the best fast-food burgers. My go-to order is the cheeseburger with bacon, mustard, and mayo with a side of fries, and a Cheerwine.
Reader’s Choice: The Provincial in Apex
I asked for input on the best burger in Raleigh and I had an overwhelming amount of submissions, so I decided to give its own award. And the winner is a suburb spot! The Provincial in Apex has a delicious burger option available on the menu every day, which is quite a feat since their menu changes daily! My friend, Kayte, introduced me to it a few years ago, and honestly, she nailed that recommendation, so I love seeing more of y’all feel the same way.
Best in Show: Gussie’s
This one goes to the new kid on the block, Gussie’s, a new neighborhood diner. It’s a double Smashburger with animal sauce on a potato bun and it lives rent-free in my head.
Best Burger Spots in Raleigh: Honorable Mentions
Cook Out
Cook Out is one of those restaurants founded in North Carolina that you must try while you’re here. I love the one on Western Blvd. When I was in college in Greenville, NC, we didn’t have a Cook Out, so it was always a treat to stop here when visiting my friends at State. My go-to order is a Jr. Tray with a small burger, cheese bites, fries, and, of course, a Cheerwine.
Mecca Restaurant
The Mecca Restaurant has been a downtown Raleigh fixture since 1930 and serves up a great burger in its historic digs. Their burger is massive and comes with lettuce, tomato, and onion, plus they have great fries!
MoJoe’s Burger Joint
You can’t go wrong with a place that specializes in burgers. MoJoe’s “The Blue’s” burger featuring blue cheese, bacon, lettuce, and tomato is my order with a side of tater tots. It is a great casual spot with plenty of patio seating to enjoy the spring weather.
The Station at Person St.
I love the patio at The Station at Person St. and they have a great Monday night burger special. It’s a good, traditional burger and I usually get mine with mustard, lettuce, and tomato. Ask for their homemade chips with a side of their warm pimento cheese!
Wye Hill
Wye Hill is one of my absolute favorite spots in Raleigh and is always on my list of places to visit when you’re in town. I love their Farmer’s Burger with their delicious pimento cheese, scallion ranch, and heirloom tomato. A pro tip is to swap the fries with the ripple-cut fries. Thank me later!
Looking for more of the best burger spots in North Carolina? Check out my article on that!
