24 Best Florida Burgers You Have to Try

I whittled down the 24 Florida Burgers You Have to Try list from about fifty, which was challenging. I’ve spent my entire life seeking the best burgers and comfort food.

In the last few years, I’ve focused solely on the state of Florida. Nevertheless, I come across many fluff listicles daily, usually put together by someone(s) sitting in a room who has never even eaten any of the food in their best-of compilation.

That sort of thing bothers me immensely, so I put together this list of actual burgers in Florida that I have eaten and enjoyed. You’ll notice that most of these burgers don’t have offensive items like lettuce and tomato.

If they did, it was a total mistake, and I assure you I did not eat it. Well, that’s not true; I did eat Babe’s Meat and Counter Babe Mack with lettuce, and I don’t even regret it.

I also took all of the pictures; I won’t rehash images from Yelp. However, right under the photos, you’ll find a link to the page about my visit to that particular restaurant.

The 24 Best Burgers in Florida
The 24 Best Burgers in Florida that You Have To Try

Sometimes, the link on my page isn’t there yet since I’ve only written about them on social media. You’ll also want to check in from time to time on here, as I will update this post like I usually do with all of my other pages.

Go forth and try the 24 Best Florida Burgers, and let me know in the comments if I left off any of your favorites, aka, crimes against burger humanity.

Andy’s Igloo Drive-In Restaurant

Steakette with Cheese from Andy's Igloo Drive-In in Winter Haven, Florida
Steakette with Cheese from Andy’s Igloo Drive-In

I add a Steakette with cheese to my lunch order after eating a regular cheeseburger as Marcela looks on with, “No, you didn’t face.” It might be because the Steakette has more mass, and it holds the smokiness better. It is the burger to eat at Andy’s Igloo Drive-In cause there is nothing like a great chargrilled burger.

Andy’s Igloo Drive-In
703 3rd St SW
Winter Haven, FL 
(863) 293-0019

Angel’s Dining Car

Monnie Cheeseburger from Angel's Dining Car in Palatka, Florida
Monnie Cheeseburger from Angel’s Dining Car

After I ate the patty melt at Angel’s Dining Car, I noticed the Monnie Burger. So naturally, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to try it.

The Monnie Burger is a mini burger with American cheese on top and pickles, raw onions, and mustard relish on the bottom. This guy was a perfect little snack.

Angel’s Dining Car
209 Reid Street
Palatka, FL
(386) 325-3927

Are You Hungry Grill

Double Beer Cheese Wagyu Burger from Are You Hungry? Grill in Miami, Florida
Double Beer Cheese Wagyu Burger from Are You Hungry Grill

All it took was a couple of bites of Are You Hungry Grill‘s Wagyu Beer Cheese Burger with jalapeño beer cheese, IPA BBQ, and garlic cilantro sauce with potato stix on a soft pretzel bun, and I invited them to participate at the Hamburger House Party. This burger is that good!

Are You Hungry Grill
12486 SW 8th Street
Miami, FL
(305) 200-5168

Babe’s Meat and Counter

Babe's Burger from Babe's Meat and Counter in Palmetto Bay, Florida
Bacon Cheese Burger from Babe’s Meat and Counter

The super tasty Babe’s Burger has been breaking hearts since its addition to Babe’s Meat and Counter menu. Babe’s Burger comes standard with American cheese, housemade pickles, and sriracha mayo, but I add bacon cause I’m a completist. It doesn’t get any better than eating a burger made at a butcher shop.

Babe’s Meat and Counter
9216 SW 156th Street
Miami, FL
(786) 429-1315

Carolina Jax

The Riverside Burger from Carolina Jax in Jacksonville, Florida
The Riverside Burger from Carolina Jax

Everything Carolina Jax does is magic, like the Police. But if you must absolutely choose one burger to eat, I’d go with The Riverside. This beauty of a burger is topped with chevre goat cheese, applewood smoked bacon, key lime datil aioli, baby spinach, orange marmalade, and finished with datil sauce drizzle.

The Riverside won the People’s Choice Award at my 2019 Hamburger House Party.

Carolina Jax
2548 Oak Street
Jacksonville, FL
(904) 240-1980

Charm City Burger Company

Cowboy Burger from Charm City Burger Company in Deerfield Beach, Florida
Cowboy Burger from Charm City Burger Company

Charm City Burger Company in Deerfield Beach is a good hour and a half from where I live in Miami. It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you look over the menu for the first time. 

Let me help you out. Order The Cowboy, a 1/3-lb burger with peppered bacon, cheddar cheese, mushrooms, and grilled onions. You’re welcome.

Charm City Burger Company
1136 E Hillsboro Boulevard
Deerfield Beach, FL
(954) 531-0300

Chug’s Diner

The Chug’s Burger is great, but there’s a hidden gem on the Chug’s Diner menu that you should order. The Frita Patty Melt merges all the best parts of South Florida‘s Regional Specialty, the Frita Cubana and a Patty Melt. Please repeat to yourself, DO NOT SHARE!

Chug’s Diner
3444 Main Highway Suite 21
Miami, FL 
(786) 353-2940

Dick Mondell’s

Dick Mondell's The Original Big Dick Burger from Gainesville, Florida
The Original Big Dick Burger from Dick Mondell’s

The double patty burger at Dick Mondell’s is named The Original Big Dick. So, of course, my inner junior high self enjoyed the opportunity to order one at the drive-thru.

Yes, I’d like a Big Dick; please add American cheese. I gotta keep it one hundred; this Big Dick is delicious.

Dick Mondell’s
412 SW 4th Avenue
Gainesville, FL
(352) 225-3214

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Gilbert’s 17th Street Grill

The Havarti Burger from Gilbert's 17th Street Grill in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
The Havarti Burger from Gilbert’s 17th Street Grill

I’ve been eating at Gilbert’s 17th Street Grill for more than ten years. All these years later, I still order the Havarti Burger: 8-oz. certified Angus beef burger topped with bacon and Havarti cheese between two toasted English Muffins with garlic butter.

I love this fella, and thick burger lovers will, too.

Gilbert’s 17th Street Grill
1821 Cordova Road
Fort Lauderdale, FL
(954) 768-8990

Goody Goody Burgers

POX Double Cheeseburger from Goody Goody Burgers in Tampa, Florida
POX Double Cheeseburger from Goody Goody Burgers

Goody Goody Burger‘s POX is comprised of roughly chopped onions, pickles, Goody Goody sauce, and fresh, locally sourced beef. I take in its beauty, flip it, and remove the bottom bun to look at the sear. It’s a nice one, my friends.

In my original Instagram post about Goody Good Burgers, I said it was incredible. The POX is unlike any burger out there, which is a good thing, or should I say a Goody Goody thing (sorry, I couldn’t help myself).

Goody Goody Burgers
1601 W Swann Avenue
Tampa, FL
(813) 308-1925

Jerry’s Drive-In

Bacon Cheeseburger from Jerry's Drive In in Pensacola, Florida
Bacon Cheeseburger from Jerry’s Drive-In

There is an art to first-time orders, so I always start with a restaurant’s signature burger. In this case, Jerry’s Drive-In‘s bacon cheeseburger is that guy.

This guy didn’t have lettuce, tomato, or onion; there was just American cheese, bacon, and a bit of mayo on the top bun. It didn’t need the mayo. I suggest you order only bacon and cheese and never look back. It’s great that way.

Jerry’s Drive-In
2815 E Cervantes Street
Pensacola, FL
(850) 433-9910

John’s Drive-In

Patty Melt from John's Drive In in Fort Meade, Florida
Patty Melt from John’s Drive-In

The curb service for John’s Drive-In is located on the side of the building with a crudely handwritten sign, which I loved, by the way. There is a board with an extensive menu, but the patty melt caught my eye.

John’s nailed it with that patty melt on griddled rye, caramelized onions, and gooey, stretchy cheese. I’d eat another right now if they weren’t three and a half hours away.

John’s Drive-In
17 N Charleston Avenue
Fort Meade, FL
(863) 285-9680

Mac’s Drive-Thru

The Double Cheeseburger from Mac's Drive-Thru in Gainesville, Florida
Double Cheeseburger from Mac’s Drive-Thru

Your buddy, aka me, topped the Mac’s Drive-Thru double cheeseburger with the condiments I enjoyed back when I was a mini-Burger Beast: Ketchup•Mustard•Mayo. I like to refer affectionately to those three as the holy trinity of fast food condiments.

I spent the entire time between bites of the burger talking about how great it was, which tells you everything you need to know.

Mac’s Drive-Thru
129 NW 10th Avenue
Gainesville, FL
(352) 378-9842

Mutt’s on 13th

Bacon Cheeseburger from Mutt's on 13th St. in St. Cloud, Florida
Bacon Cheeseburger from Mutt’s on 13th

The Mutt’s on 13th burger patty has a nice little crust. Of course, they didn’t cut corners on the bacon, either, as it was also delicious.

Burger and bacon meet toasted bun and melted cheese, the equivalent of a groom and his soon-to-be wife consummating their relationship after their vows.

Mutt’s on 13th
1517 13th Street
St Cloud, FL
(407) 891-1595

North South Grill

Double Cheeseburger from North South Grill in Pembroke Pines, Florida
Half-pound Double Cheeseburger from North South Grill

The 1/4 lb. North South Grill burgers come standard with North sauce, American cheese, pickles, and lettuce-tomato-onion. North South Grill burgers are served on a beautiful brioche bun.

A double can be overwhelming, so you might want to consider a single. Regardless of what size you decide, this is one of the best burgers in South Florida.

North South Grill
154 S Flamingo Road
Pembroke Pines, FL
(954) 404-8308

PZZA

Smash Cheeseburger from PZZA in Boca Raton, Florida
Smash Cheeseburger from PZZA

Common Man Eats suggested that I try the burger from PZZA. A pizza joint that makes a great burger? We’ll see about that!

Josh, the owner, who was at the register, suggested that I make it a double and add raw red onions and Kewpie Mayo. Well, he was right. What a freaking great burger!

PZZA
126 NE 2nd Street
Boca Raton, FL
(561) 931-2854

Red Top Pit Stop

Single Burger with Cheese Red Top Pit Stop in Lakeland, Florida
Single with Cheese from the Red Top Pit Stop

On my first visit to the Red Top Pit Stop, I went the single patty route with cheddar cheese, onions, pickles, and mustard. Those are my preferred toppings on a griddled burger.

The fresh beef burger was soft and crumbly. The well-seasoned flattop gave the outside of the patty a thick crust. I loved the Pit Stop Single and graduated to another signature burger on the following visit.

Red Top Pit Stop
12160 US Hwy 98 N
Lakeland, FL
(863) 853-9222

Reececliff Family Diner

Cheeseburger from Reececliff Family Diner in Lakeland, Florida
Cheeseburger from the Reececliff Family Diner

I skipped the lettuce and tomato on my Original Reececliff Burger with cheese so I could go old school with onion, pickles, and mustard. The crumbly meat in the half-pound burger patty was divine.

The Original Reececliff Burger was so good, in fact, that I considered taking one back to the hotel. I didn’t, but I heavily considered it!

Reececliff Family Diner
940 Florida Ave S
Lakeland, FL
(863) 686-6661

S and L Restaurant

Cheeseburger from S and L Restaurant in Lakeland, Florida
Cheeseburger from S and L Restaurant

 When the slab of beef that is the S and L Restaurant burger arrived, it made my mouth water. However, the cheese needed to be melted.

Non-melted cheese doesn’t bother me since I enjoy a sandwich with cold cheese slices on untoasted white bread. That’s been my go-to snack sandwich since I would sneak them when my grandmother was showering.

The bread was a simple white squishy burger bun with no structural integrity issues due to the size of the patty. Bring someone with you so you can eat the patty melt too.

S and L Restaurant
2915 S Combee Road
Lakeland, FL
(863) 665-0731

Sandwich Inn

Double Double from Sandwich Inn in Gainesville, Florida
Double Double Burger from Sandwich Inn

My wife Marcela orders the Sandwich Inn Double Double Burger with all the fixings. We’re talking double meat and double cheese with LTO. We’re polar opposites when it comes to eating burgers.

My Double Double Burger is ordered kiddie-style, as I call it, with American cheese, pickles, ketchup, and mustard. I loved it, and as an added bonus, the meat was crumbly. Now this was a damn fine burger.

Sandwich Inn
110 NE 16th Avenue
Gainesville, FL
(352) 376-0924

Swine and Sons

OK Onion Smash burger from Swine and Sons in Orlando, Florida
OK Onion Smash Burger from Swine and Sons

The two unsung heroes of the Swine and Sons OK Onion Smash burger are the housemade garlic dill pickles and the translucent and super-tasty onions hidden under the burger patties.

There are plenty of onions, even though they might not look that way from the picture. Also, objects in this picture are tastier than they appear if you can believe that.

Swine and Sons
1280 N Orange Avenue
Winter Park, FL
(407) 636-7601

Tropical Smokehouse

Old Fashioned Double Cheeseburger from Tropical Smokehouse in West Palm Beach, Florida
Old Fashioned Double Cheeseburger from Tropical Smokehouse

The Old Fashioned Double Cheeseburger from Tropical Smokehouse can only be described as stupendous. Yes, it’s smashed, and damn if it isn’t one of the best I’ve ever had.

A bunch of red onions lined the bottom of the potato bun, and there’s a sriracha-mayo special sauce with some thick-ass pickles topping the cheese-up burger patties.

Tropical Smokehouse
3815 S Dixie Highway
West Palm Beach, FL
(561) 323-2573

Ted’s Luncheonette

Double Cheeseburger from Ted's Luncheonette in Largo, Florida
Double Cheeseburger at Ted’s Luncheonette

The Ted’s Luncheonette double cheeseburger comes on a Kaiser roll, my least favorite burger vessel. It tastes like the quintessential diner burger that I envision eating when I’m at a greasy spoon in the United States.

Normally, the toppings on burgers are lettuce, tomato, pickles, onion, and mayo. I went old school with only onions and pickles. Then, I added the magic classic burger elixir, yellow mustard. It was a great burger.

Ted’s Luncheonette
1201 Clearwater Largo Road
Largo, FL
(727) 584-2565

USBS

USBS "2 Day" Double with Cheese Stamp from United States Burger Service at the Citadel Food Hall in Miami, Florida
“2 Day” Double Burger with Cheese Stamp from USBS

I got lost in the USBS2 Day” double cheeseburger while eating it (Debbie Gibson-style) until Marcela asked me for a bite and broke me out of the daze. I wasn’t mad, though.

Now, I could order another one since I sensed I would be losing the original one to her. I have relived this many times over as if I was trapped in a real-life Groundhog’s Day.

USBS
8300 NE 2nd Avenue
Miami, FL
(305) 537-6624

12 thoughts on “24 Best Florida Burgers You Have to Try”

  1. If you haven’t already, you’ve got to try the Wild Boar at Apocalypse BBQ. Side note: their BBQ proper is fantastic. Go early, as they will run out.

    Reply
  2. You should check out Casey’s in Vero Beach. Best burgers and fries here. It’s a small walk-up with a few tables to sit at and enjoy the burger and fries. Very casual, good burgers, and walking distance to the beach. Very popular for both residents and visitors.

    Reply
  3. As a burger aficionado myself, and named one of my cross country motorcycle road trips “The Great CheesburgerRun” , I can highly recommend Grumpy Gators in Homosassa FL. Their flame grilled burgers are seasoned to perfection and should rank high on your next list.

    Reply

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