Sometimes, the best burgers are found off the beaten path. These nine cult-favorite burgers might not be where you’d expect — maybe you have to seek them out; maybe you have to wait — but they’re worth the hype.
New or updated entries for 2025 in this alphabetized list are marked with an asterisk. Did we miss your favorite? Let us know at eat@pioneerpress.com.
MORE FROM THE 2025 BURGER GUIDE:
- Elevated: 17 “cheffy” burgers.
- Neighborhood: 14 close-to-home spots.
- Cheers: 20 burgers at bars and dives to pair with a drink.
- Destination: 11 burgers worth the drive.
328 Grill at the Legion
Chef Mik German brought his bar-food operation to the St. Paul Park American Legion and infused the place with new life — and new customers. Burger lovers have found their way to this off-the-beaten-track locale that serves creative, delicious burgers, sandwiches and sides.
Though it’s hard to pick a favorite, we recommend whatever the burger of the week is, but also The 328, a juicy patty topped with American cheese, crisp, shredded iceberg, tomato, housemade dill pickles and an herb-infused mayo. And if you’re a fan of hot peppers, the Jalapeno Bizness, infused with smoky bacon, jalapeno peppers and cheddar jack and topped with smoked cheddar and spicy mayo, is a real treat.
— J.F.
328 Grill at the Legion: 328 Broadway Ave., St. Paul Park; 651-459-8016; 328grill.com
Angry Line Cook
This food truck rose from the ashes of Just/Us, the chef collective restaurant that existed in two St. Paul locations. The truck focuses mostly on its very good smash burger, which features two Peterson beef patties smooshed on a griddle, which produces a crispy meat skirt. There’s also plenty of house-made American cheese, a beef-stock aioli for extra umami goodness, house-made pickles and a nice, squishy bun. If you like things spicy — and we do — opt for the Angry Burger, which consists of the same smashed patties kicked up with house-made pepper-jack cheese, “angry sauce,” chili oil, and pickled Fresno peppers.
— J.F.
Angry Line Cook: Location varies, find them at theangrylinecookfoodtruck.com
Burger Daddies
Chefs Nikki and Brian Podgorski have been hustling in the Twin Cities culinary scene for the past few years — first as hot-sauce purveyors, selling delicious The Salsa Collaborative sauces at every event and market that would take them, and now as Burger Daddies, a pop-up burger operation that recently added a food truck to its repertoire.
And the burgers? Excellent. Best in class. Worth seeking out. Just really, really good. My favorite is the Earth & Vine, a variation on the mushroom and Swiss with herby mushrooms and a red wine bordelaise sauce, but each one I’ve tried has been outstanding. They’re often at BlackStack Brewing on Saturdays and are serving most days of the week at different places in the Twin Cities. Stalk them on social media — I promise it’s worth it.
— J.F.
Burger Daddies: Location varies, follow them at facebook.com/thesalsacollaborative or @eatburgerdaddies on Instagram.
Casper and Runyon’s Nook and Shamrocks Irish Nook
The original Nook and its larger counterpart, Shamrocks, make what might be the best Juicy Lucy (called a Juicy Nookie) in town, but the burger that makes meat-lovers weep with joy is the Nookie Supreme. The burger is two giant patties of the restaurant’s proprietary Angus chuck, separated by a bun half and copious amounts of dripping American cheese. It’s topped with lettuce, onion and a tangy special sauce that ties the whole thing together. It’s a don’t-put-it-down burger, but good luck when beautifully browned fries are sitting there, likely covered with sauce and cheese drippings. Two patties are way too much for me, but a server recently revealed a valuable secret: Order a cheeseburger with lettuce and special sauce, and — presto! — a single version of the hour-wait-worthy burger.
— J.F.
Casper & Runyon’s Nook: 492 S. Hamline Ave., St. Paul; 651-698-4347; crnook.com
Shamrocks Irish Nook: 995 W. Seventh St., St. Paul; 651-228-9925; crnook.com
Coastal Dive Bar
This little outpost in the back of Coastal Seafoods’ cool newish spot on Snelling Avenue is serving up a menu of seafood shack favorites and this ridiculously good smash burger. Two wagyu beef patties are seasoned perfectly and smashed just enough to give them a little crisp outside while remaining juicy inside. They’re topped with just the right amount of melty American cheese and a bright dijon mustard sauce on a sturdy brioche bun that holds up to the juiciness. This one rose to near the top of my list — and my very discerning teenage son’s.
— J.F.
Coastal Dive Bar: 286 S. Snelling Ave., St. Paul; 651-698.4888; coastalseafoods.com
* House of Gloor
House of Gloor, the unapologetically in-your-face travelling burger-slingers, have set up shop at West Seventh dive Grand 7 Saloon, at least for the Minnesota Wild season, so they’re a bit easier to track down now, and the burgers are good as ever. The patties themselves — two 3-ouncers; a combo of chuck, brisket and short rib — were bold and well-seasoned and dangerously flirting with the line between meaty juiciness and greasy slipperiness. It’s rich and indulgent, and at $18 a bit spendy, but hey, go big or go home.
House of Gloor: at Grand 7, 315 W. Seventh St; houseofgloor.com
Private Sector Provisions
The guys behind this buzzy pop-up make a truly unbelievable burger. A big bad ball of beef, topped with raw onions, is smashed directly into the flat top and hit with seasoning, letting everything commingle as it cooks. (“I’m trying to be vulnerable with the beef,” co-owner Brett Splinter joked as he manned the grill. “You have to give it love!”) Two of those, each with its own slice of American cheese, go onto a soft toasted bun with delightfully dilly house pickles and sauce. For $10! An extra dollar for a bag of chips. Tell me where else you’re going to get a quality burger for that price, let alone one that’s as juicy and beefy and perfectly, dreamily savory as this. Impossible! This is what a burger is meant to be. My bun runneth over.
— J.K.
Private Sector Provisions: Currently a pop-up at Nova Bar in Hudson (236 Coulee Rd, Hudson), but follow them on Instagram @privatesectorprovisions for times/availability.
* Soul Lao
Whoa, you guys. Soul Lao already won us over with their knockout wings, rotisserie meats and other Lao favorites, so it should come as no surprise that their Lao Smash Burger also goes hard. In case you don’t believe me, the menu description itself blares: “!! WARNING !! Not your average burger.”
The all-beef patties are inspired by sai oua, a classic spicy Lao sausage containing lemongrass, ginger-like galangal and fish sauce. They’re topped with American cheese, caramelized onions and Kewpie mayo. That earthy lemongrass flavor predominates, and the cheese somewhat mellows the spice. Despite a $23 price tag, this is compulsively eatable, a cultural mashup unlike anything I’ve tried.
Soul Lao: 2465 W. Seventh St.; 651-363-3469; www.soullao.com
Station No. 6 at Rosetown American Legion
This popular burger-centric food truck followed the 328 Grill model, opening a food operation within the Rosetown American Legion. This is definitely a trend we can get behind — an important community space gets delicious food, and an operator gets a steady stream of new customers while also bringing its fans to the joint venture. Rosetown is very lucky to have Station No. 6, which produces one of the best, crisp-edged smashies in town. Since each patty is 5 ounces, one is definitely enough for me, but you do you. They’re served topped in a number of ways, on a good bun and with fast-food fries that are actually golden brown instead of pale yellow, as the burger gods intended.
— J.F.
Station No. 6: 700 W. County Road C, Roseville; stationno6foodtruck.com
