These best burgers in America are worth a road trip

USA TODAY Network

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Our USA TODAY Network food writers love spotlighting the country’s top restaurants, but when Memorial Day weekend rolls around, we're all about burgers.The quintessential American food — whether grilled, griddled, smashed or smoked — offers something for everyone. Maybe your favorite is served on a small white paper plate. Or stuck with a silver steak knife. Or smothered with melted cheese. These burgers — classic, creative, contemporary — take comfort food to the next level.From The Inferno Room in Indianapolis, Indiana, a tiki bar serving a menu curated by a Cuban-born chef, to Mr. Bartley’s Burger Cottage, which has been serving celebs in Cambridge, Massachusetts for decades, these burgers are worth the many napkins our writers sullied in the name of food journalism.Here are standout burgers worth the detour — or the pilgrimage.Original Hamburger Works | Phoenix, ArizonaDetails: 2801 N. 15th Ave., Phoenix. 602-263-8693, greatburgeraz.comThe Original Hamburger Works was the runner-up in The Arizona Republic's 2024 Burger Bracket and the winner in 2026. The restaurant is beloved for its juicy, mesquite-grilled burgers, which range in size up to a full 1-pound patty, served on classic sesame seed buns. They also come with an all-access pass to the giant condiment bar. Don't miss the onion rings. — Eddie Fontanez, The Arizona RepublicGrill-A-Burger | Palm Desert, CaliforniaDetails: 73-091 Country Club Dr.; 760-346-8170, grill-a-burger.comMany people claim to have the best burger, but Grill-A-Burger has more than 30 delicious and wildly unique ones. If you're a huge Lady Gaga fan, you can sink your teeth into the Gagapalooza, which comes with frizzled imported Italian prosciutto, buttery Provolone cheese and homemade pesto mayo on a sourdough bun. Those with a taste for certain ingredients can scope out creative concoctions topped with avocados, mushrooms, bleu cheese and fire-roasted green chiles, among others. There are also three options, the Tuscany, the Buddha and the Devil's Revenge, that caught "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" host Guy Fieri's attention when he visited this spot. The restaurant also offers chicken sandwiches, turkey burgers, salmon, salad and other options for those looking for non-burger fare. — Ema SasicAlpine Steakhouse | Sarasota, FloridaDetails: 4520 S. Tamiami Trail; 941-921-3798; alpinesteak.comSeen serving its Guy Fieri-approved turducken on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” — with a “Triple D Nation” episode expected soon — the family-run Alpine Steakhouse restaurant and meat market has been a Sarasota, Florida, treasure since 1975. And while the turducken and steaks get much of the glory, Alpine’s Signature Steakhouse Burger is beloved by locals. A massive half-pound patty stacked with house-made jowl bacon, a crispy onion ring, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato and mayo, it’s a magnificent two-hander worthy of a road trip. Especially when paired with this awesomely casual — and moderately priced — steakhouse’s standout sides, with personal favorites including the twice-baked potato, truffle fries, and German potato salad. —Wade Tatangelo, Sarasota Herald-TribuneThe Inferno Room | Indianapolis, IndianaDetails: 902 Virginia Ave., Indianapolis, Ind., 317-426-2343, theinfernoroom.comA tiki bar lined wall-to-wall with Melanesian décor serving a menu curated by a Cuban-born chef may not be where you'd expect to eat one of the best burgers in town. But the Cuban Frita at Inferno Room in Indianapolis' Fountain Square neighborhood proves a truly elite patty knows no one home. Popularized by Cuban Americans in Miami during the mid-20th century, this curveball burger sports a beef-chorizo patty, American cheese, red onion, tangy house sauce and the frita’s defining feature, fried shoestring potatoes. The combination of juicy crumble-apart meat and crackly potatoes is excellent stuff, and the frita serves as a reminder that there are probably several beautiful burgers you’ve never heard of, just waiting for you out there. — Bradley Hohulin, The Indianapolis StarLachele’s Fine Foods | Des Moines, IowaDetails: 1312 Ingersoll Ave. or 111 E. Sixth Ave.; 515‑330-6876; lachelesfinefoods.com.When Cory Wendell opened Lachele’s Fine Foods on Ingersoll Avenue in 2021, he wanted a diner, but the burgers here won over fans. The long, slender space decked out like a diner with stools at the counter, a flat-top griddle and pink and mint green walls quickly became the focus of the menu and the spot for smashburgers in Des Moines. The Ingersoll restaurant offers seven variations, from versions with barbecue sauce or Jake's, with minced onion, pickle, Boetje’s stone ground mustard, Duke’s mayo and American cheese. The Highland Park location offers an extended diner menu as well as burgers. Each has a special burger that changes daily. Veggie patties, vegan preparation and gluten-free options are available at both locations. Pro tip: Order the tater tots. —Susan Stapleton, The Des Moines RegisterJay's Burgers | Louisville, KentuckyDetails: 1242 E. Oak St., Louisville, Ky., eatjaysburgers.comThe best burger in Louisville comes in a paper bag from a food truck in a nondescript location. And, furthering the factors making this place an unlikely hit, the on-wheels joint is only open three days a week. The casual set-up adds charm to Jay's, which is a top choice for celebrity chef Edward Lee, who recently wrote Instagram that, “My favorite burger in town comes from a food truck.” Fans like Lee show up in droves for one thing on the chalkboard menu: The burger/fry combo.Owner Jay Shreve proudly works with local farms, which are shouted out on the truck's display board, for his grass-fed patties and for the beef tallow to cook shoestring French fries. Patrons either disappear to their vehicles or enjoy the combo on nearby red picnic tables. Either way, good luck getting far without grease dotting the paper bag. ― Amanda Hancock, The Courier JournalLittle Ghost | Ferndale, MichiganDetails: 22305 Woodward Ave.; 248-677-3023; eatlittleghost.comFrom the owners of Detroit’s Grey Ghost, which has served one of the city's best restaurant burgers for a decade, comes Little Ghost, a recently opened outpost that has carved one of the most beloved additions of the Grey Ghost menu into its own business: The Ghost Burger.On a Single Ghost Burger, a third of a pound of beef is smashed and outfitted in a cream sauce bejeweled in relish, crisp shredded iceberg lettuce and melted American cheese that cascades over the edge of the patty. Served best at medium temperature, the Ghost Burger is juicy, a little messy and packed with a lot of flavor. The Double Ghost adds a second patty — each at a quarter-pound of beef — there’s also a smaller cheeseburger for kids and a quinoa burger for those who prefer a vegetarian option. — Lyndsay C. Green, Detroit Free PressKrug’s Tavern | Newark, New JerseyDetails: 118 Wilson Ave.; 973-465-9795, krugstavernnj.comSimply put, this may be the most famous burger in New Jersey. That’s for good reason: It’s simple, massive and delicious. A three-quarter pound beef patty is charred on the outside on Krug’s flat-top griddle, giving it a delightful, roasty bark. The meat is unseasoned, but you won’t care — a plain burger or cheeseburger has more than enough flavor, and each bite oozes with fatty goodness. You can always order the bacon bleu or pizza burger if you need further adornment. There’s also few better environs to chow down on a burger than the scene at Krug’s. This nearly century-old pub is a good time with cold beer, good cheer and a terrific pub menu (get the bar pie and shrimp parm). — Matt Cortina, The RecordWoosmash | Verona, New JerseyCheeseburgers may be the (unofficial) national dish of America, but that's not stopping Korean-born culinary wizard Woosung Cho from redesigning them with delicious Asian twists. In New Jersey, he's "woo"-ing locals with everything from standard smash burgers to Korean barbecue-flavored ribeye burgers drowning in garlic mayo and topped with kimchi relish. As for the onions? Caramelized with miso. When Woosmash first opened, we delighted in the fact that we were the only ones who knew about it. Infatuated with Cho's gochujang-glazed chicken sandwiches (when not in the burger mood) and spicy "Woo-Ha Smash" with Firestorm sauce, we gave it a few weeks before posting about it on our @northjerseyeats Instagram. Today, word has spread about Cho's "thoughtful flavors" and "unbeatable prices" faster than the cars rip down the strip outside its windows. — Kara VanDooijeweert, The RecordSacred Beast, Cincinnati, OhioDetails: 1437 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine; 513-218-2864, sacredbeastdiner.com.I hate when my burger arrives stabbed with a steak knife. But I'll forgive Sacred Beast since everything else about its Dirty French burger makes up for it. Think of it as a mashup of two magnificent things: a great burger and a warming bowl of French onion soup. (When I posted a photo of it on Instagram recently, a follower referred to it simply as "cheeseburger soup.")Yes, it's pricey at $20.95, but don't let that scare you off. This beast makes for a meal. Two thin beef patties are topped with gooey Gruyere, sweet caramelized onions and Mornay sauce, all served in a pool of au poivre sauce. It's a disastrous thing to eat with your hands, far more suited to a fork and knife, which means that annoying steak knife actually serves a purpose. — Keith Pandolfi, The Cincinnati EnquirerSon of Thurman | Columbus, OhioDetails: 5 N. Sandusky St., Delaware, Ohio, and 31 W. Columbus St., Galena, Ohio; 740-417-9614 and 740-936-8025; sonofthurman.comThurman Cafe is legendary in Columbus and beyond for its Thurmanator, a 1.5-pound, two-patty burger with 11 toppings. Sadly, it's closed while repairing damage from an April 12 fire, but its two suburban Son of Thurman offshoots offer much the same menu and neighborhood-bar atmosphere. That includes 22 burgers, including a Blazin’ Burger that's cooked in Tabasco sauce and topped with pepper jack cheese and jalapeno peppers. — Bob Vitale, The Columbus DispatchThere, There | Providence, Rhode IslandDetails: There, There, 471 West Fountain St.; theretherepvd.com. (Also at Track 15, One Union Station in Providence.)There, There, is here, here: In a small, unassuming space with just three tables inside and a rail to sit at on the outside porch facing the street. In it, you may well have one of the best burgers in Rhode Island. Try the Dream Burger, which is served up with double patties (smashed style), crisp shredded lettuce and a nice little sauce on a soft, heavily seeded roll that doesn't fall apart. It is a perfect blend of comfort that is crazy delicious. To make it a meal, combine it with coffee milk and steak fries. The menu has fewer than a dozen items on the menu, but you won't miss a thing. – Gail Ciampa, The Providence JournalMr. Bartley's Burger Cottage | Cambridge, MassachusettsDetails: 1246 Massachusetts Ave.; 617-354-6559, mrbartley.comSince 1960, Mr. Bartley’s Burger Cottage, known as the “legend” of Harvard Square, has been the go-to spot for burger enthusiasts and tourists alike. The no-frills, dorm-like spot decorated with chalkboards, posters, bumper stickers and signs, has received accolades from The Boston Globe, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and celebrity clientele such as Adam Sandler, Johnny Cash, Matt Damon, Bob Dylan, Jacqueline Onassis and Al Pacino. There are 16 hamburger creations on Mr. Bartley’s menu, or you can build your own. The simplest hamburger is “Joe Bartley,” an American cheeseburger, $16. If you’re more adventurous, try the “Halouminati,” topped with fried Haloumi cheese, Applewood smoked bacon, tomato and red onion and drizzled with house hot honey, $22. – Joanna K. Tzouvelis, WickedLocal.comSaint Bibiana | Milwaukee, WisconsinDetails: 1327 E. Brady St.; 414-988-4629, saintbibiana.comCount me as a Saint Bibiana’s evangelist. It was love at first bite when I first tried its stellar smashburger ($14, served with fries) in 2023, and I’ve been singing its praises since. It’s stacked high with two lacey-edged, smashed beef patties, which pull off the difficult feat of being gorgeously charred around the edges while staying juicy inside. American cheese oozes sinfully down the sides, and a pile of grilled onions, pickle slices and a tangy special sauce dress it all up. It’s familiar, but the patties are seasoned so well and are so juicy they practically disintegrate the bun as you’re eating (one of my top characteristics in a best-ever burger). Forgive the mess — this burger is worth the extra napkins ... and a few extra seconds to snap a photo before you take a bite. —Rachel Bernhard, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel