We’ve done the dirty work. We’ve tried, tested, and calculated the best burgers that New York City has to offer.
It hasn’t been an easy job, but it has been delicious. Many have walked before us, but due to our rigorous research, and our rigorous testing — we’ve found them. We did it for you, we did it for us, we did it for everyone.
Now, we’ve considered different diets, and dietary concerns in our research.
That’s why we’re going to show you our 5 top vegan and vegetarian burgers, and our 5 top beef burgers.
So, if you’re looking for a veggie-friendly option, we’ve got you covered. If you’re looking for the original beefy bad boy, we’ve got you covered. So open your arms up to us, because, we’ve got you.
With that said, let’s tuck in!
5 Best Vegan and Veggie Burgers
Whether you’re looking for the ultimate dairy-free burger, or you’re after a vegetarian burger, we’ve got the best list of veggie burgers that NYC has to offer. While each burger is unique, they all certainly have one thing in common — they’re all absolutely delicious.
Superiority Burger
We start our best-burger journey off in East Village.
If you haven’t met Superiority Burger yet, it’s because there’s always a line to this tasty little shop. It all started with Brooks Headley’s 2014 veggie-burger pop-up, which, after critical acclaim, led to this fantastic, permanent burger joint.
A must-try is their ultra-famous veggie burger. For the base of the meatless patty, think: faro, barley, and quinoa. Top that delicious veggie boy off with some crispy lettuce, roasted tomatoes, dill pickles, and melted cheese. This veggie burger can be transformed into a vegan burger at your request and is just as delicious.
Also, check out their tofu burger and yuba burger. There’s something so great about a tofu patty. It’s soft and yet crisp on the outside? I don’t know how they do it, but the taste is phenomenal.
Superiority Burger is absolutely delicious, you’ll be wanting to go back for more.
BareBurger
You’ve probably heard of BareBurger before, but what you might not know, is that they do a fantastic range of vegan and vegetarian burgers.
If you’re looking for the Impossible Burger, Beyond Burger, or a premium veggie-blend burger, check out BareBurger.
We love The Duchess. The Duchess is a quarter-pound Impossible Burger patty, covered in caramelized onions, wild mushrooms, baby kale, tomatoes, and organic garlic aioli. It’s topped off with Gouda cheese and placed in a brioche bun. Talk about the wow factor, this burger tastes ridiculously good. The Duchess, like all of their burgers, can be made vegan on request, and they even carry vegan cheese.
They’ve got tons of locations in the city, so you can easily find one. We will note, BareBurger also serves grass-fed meat burgers. So, if that’s an issue for you, maybe BareBurger isn’t the best option. However, if you have family, or friends who eat meat, this is the perfect place to enjoy a burger together. With options for everyone, we know you’ll fall in love.
Next Level Burger
Now we’re looking at Next Level Burger, America’s first 100% plant-based burger joint.
While they have a fantastic range of burgers, our favorite burger was The Maverick. A house-seasoned beyond burger patty, topped with crispy onion rings, organic tempeh bacon, organic dill pickles, a choice of cheese, and house-made sauce. It was ridiculously good. Onion rings and tempeh bacon? That should be illegal because the combo is unmatched.
If you’re not in the mood for burgers, they have amazing 100% plant-based hot dogs, and plenty of fries. They also sell amazing milkshakes, such as peanut butter cups and pumpkin spice.
You can find Next Level Burger inside Whole Foods, so while it’s not going to be where you go for a romantic meal, it’s perfect for when you’re out and about in the city.
Marty’s V Burger
The wonderful Marty’s V Burger got its start in 2014, at the NYC Vegetarian Food Festival. Since then, Marty’s V Burger has made it their mission to spread the good word: that vegan and vegetarian food is delicious. They’re popular with meat eaters and veggie fanatics alike.
We recommend the Chik’n burger. It’s a fake chicken patty, covered in creamy ranch sauce, crispy lettuce, pickles, and tomato. It’s served on a sesame seed bun, and it tastes amazing.
We also recommend the Mona Lisa burger if you prefer fake beef patties. They even sell Crabby Patties, Mac n’ Cheeze, and Chik’n Kale Salads. They’re truly rocking a perfected menu.
If you’re looking for some good, dirty veggie food, come on down to Marty’s V Burger. You won’t be disappointed.
The Organic Grill
Last, but not least, for our veggies friends — is The Organic Grill.
If you’re looking for a burger that will make you feel nourished, and healthy after eating it, then check out The Organic Grill. They’re a small vegan-focused café, which prioritizes organic, locally sourced, and seasonal ingredients.
The Organic Grill has a fantastic menu. We opted for the Green Machine Burger, and it did not disappoint. It’s a roasted mushroom patty, with pesto, house-made cheddar cheese, guacamole, lettuce, tomato, sprouts — all served on a potato dill bun. It was voted Best Veggie Burger NYC by One Green Planet in 2015, and it’s easy to see why. It’s tasty, nutritious, and looks divinity in a burger.
It’s a great way of getting some veggies in, while still chomping down on a mouthwatering burger. It’s a big thumbs up from us.
The 5 Best Burgers in NYC For Meat Lovers
Alright beef lovers, if we couldn’t sway you with our delicious veggie options, take a look at this meaty section.
We’ve located the best meaty burgers that NYC has to offer. Take a read, and then pop on down, and try one of our best-rated, mouth-watering burgers.
5 Napkin Burger
First up, is 5 Napkin Burger. Oh, boy!
If you’re looking for traditional burgers, with a modern, delicious twist, come to 5 Napkin Burger. They’re how burgers should be, proper good nosh. They also pride themselves on ensuring all of their ingredients are high quality, which is a crucial part of their burgers tasting so good.
Now, as you can find the restaurant in different locations, the menu is slightly different for each place. We went to Union Square and found out that they serve their original 5 Napkin Burger in every restaurant, so choose that one.
In a word? Breathtaking. I was so full I needed ten minutes’ worth of rest before I could move. It’s 10 oz. all-natural beef, Gruyère cheese, caramelized onions, rosemary, and garlic aioli.
Absolutely delicious — absolutely going back there, again, and again, and again.
The Happiest Hour
Okay, we heard some pretty good things about the food at this snazzy restaurant.
When we heard the name, even before all the great reviews, we fell in love. The Happiest Hour? That’s a pretty cool name. What’s even cooler, is they live up to our (harsh) expectations.
It was a very happy hour. It was The Happiest Hour.
So, what do we recommend? We liked ‘the happiest burger’. It’s two grass-fed beef patties, topped with American cheese, loaded with lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions, and then rinsed in special sauce.
Imagine a juicy, meaty burger that’s been refined to look gorgeous and state-of-the-art. That’s ‘the happiest burger’, and we love it.
The restaurant itself is also pretty stunning. It’s a whimsical cocktail bar, that brings back the excited and retro vibe of bygone California and Florida resorts. It’s covered in cartoon palm trees, and there’s always a mixture of rock and soul music playing in the background.
Be sure to check this one-of-a-kind restaurant out.
Suprema Provisions
Suprema is a fantastic little Italian eatery. While the restaurant itself prides itself on European dishes, excellent cheese, and exclusive wine, they also serve one of the best burgers in NYC.
We love great finds like this. The restaurant is absolutely gorgeous, and the whole menu is to die for, but we never would have guessed we’d find a jaw-stopping burger at this sweet Italian eatery. That’s the beauty of New York, there are thousands of dishes scattered around the city in places you’d never expect, that are just outstanding.
If you fancy trying out this juicy burger, order ‘The Suprema Burger’.
It consists of short-rib, brisket, bacon jam, black garlic sauce, aged cheddar, and roasted tomatoes. To top it all off, it’s served on a brioche bun. Damn!
Hands down, one of the best burgers we’ve had in NYC. The black garlic sauce is immense, and pairing short-rib with brisket is just outstanding.
If you can’t tell, we loved this Italian eatery, and we hope you do too!
Fairfax
Next up, is an all-day café, Fairfax.
This wonderful little café has a unique burger, the ‘Bar Sardine Burger’.
Think beef patty, covered in smoked cheddar, topped with BBQ mayo, and paired with crispy potatoes. Proper grub.
What we love about this burger is that it takes the premise of a simple burger, and completely transforms it, by adding a couple of key incredibly. The smokey cheddar and potatoes are a phenomenal mix, making one of the best dirty burgers.
We also love that this is an all-day café. It’s super cozy, the perfect place to sit back and relax with your friends while biting down on a good old burger.
BellWether
Last on our list of the best burgers in NYC, is BellWether.
BellWether is a highly esteemed restaurant. It’s received the Michelin Bib Gourmand award for three consecutive years. If you’re unsure what that refers to, it pretty much means that BellWether is a very high-quality restaurant, with excellent quality of food and service, for a reasonable price.
While the menu has a variety of fantastic dishes, we focused on the burger. And while they only have one option, it’s all that’s needed, because it truly is ravishing.
It’s called the ‘BellWether Patty Melt’. It’s a grass-fed beef patty, topped with charred red onion, house queso, topped with a brioche bun, and served with a side of fries.
This is an authentic burger, made to such a high standard, you’ll never look at fast-food chains with the same love again. It’s what a burger should be — juicy, charred, and flavorful. The brioche bun was flawless, the sweetest of the bun combined with the onion and the beef was the perfect flavor-combo.
What’s more, is that the restaurant is gorgeous. It has a bright and airy 60-seat dining room (it also allows for outdoor seating), and it seeks to be a venue that ignites meaningful connection and conversation. What better way to connect and share memories? Over fantastic food.
We loved this burger. It just goes to show that whether you’re getting a greasy burger at 4 am from a vendor, or you’ve made a reservation at an esteemed restaurant to try one of their notorious bad boys, we all love burgers. They’re truly a New York delicacy.
Summary
That’s our list of the best burgers in NYC. Whether you’re a veg-head or a beef lover, we’re sure you’ll find the perfect burger for you.
All the burgers on our list are just phenomenal. Whether you are looking for that greasy, all-American burger, or you’re more interested in a refined take on the burger, we’ve got you covered.
Now, what are you waiting for? Grab your wallet, grab your jacket, and go grab yourself a delicious burger.
Also, if you are looking for the best seafood in NYC? There’s no need to go far. Almost all of the best seafood restaurants are within walking distance of one another, making it easy to find a seafood feast that pleases all palates.
