By Rebecca Cahilly-Taranto

City & Shore Magazine

The beloved burger. Simply grilled or dressed to extravagance, the burger is the ultimate comfort food. To satiate well-rounded enthusiasts and vegans (Yes, vegan) alike, we bring you 10 of the best burgers in South Florida.

1. The BH Signature

Foie Gras Burger

If you love foie gras as much as I do, you will be equally enthused about the St. Regis Bal Harbour restaurant’s Signature Foie Gras Burger ($42). Let us set the scene: BH’s signature-grind beef patty dressed with black truffle, gold-leaf foie gras, gouda, organic butter lettuce and a secret aioli sauce. Whether you have champagne tastes or have a hankering for a few flecks of gold leaf, the Signature Burger is one for the bucket list. For complete off-your-rocker decadence, pair this foie gras-laden dream with a salted caramel milkshake with chocolate chips and caramel popcorn ($10) topped with a bourbon floater ($3).

BH Burger Bar

St. Regis Bal Harbour

9703 Collins Ave., Bal Harbour

305-993-0711 

bhburgerbar.com

2. The Tucker Duke 

With a Cutthroat Kitchen two-time winner chef/founder at the helm, Tucker Duke’s Lunchbox beckons foodies with its local and seasonally inspired ingredients and quirky atmosphere. This southern-style burger joint boasts 14 burgers on the menu that range from simple to downright unusual (think bacon, fried egg, cheese and burger nestled between two grilled cheese sandwiches), but the Tucker Duke fits the bill for best all-around. Crafted from a half-pound Florida Seminole Pride beef patty, the Duke is topped with fried onion rings and dressed with mixed greens, tomatoes, cheddar and American cheeses, Tucker sauce (a Louisiana-style remoulade) and served on an onion roll ($12).

Tucker Duke’s Lunchbox

1101 S. Powerline Road, Deerfield Beach

954-708-2035

Also:

1658 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton

561-717-8153

TuckerDukes.com

3. The BurgerFi Cheeseburger 

Yes, it’s a cheeseburger and, yes, it’s on the menu at a restaurant that falls in the “chain” category, but the burgers at BurgerFi are far removed from the tired frozen-patty-on-a-bun of the fast-food joints of yesteryear. First, the meat is never frozen, and it’s Angus, grass-fed, hormone and antibiotic-free, sourced from free-roaming cattle living on the best ranches in the country. At BurgerFi you can get a veggie burger or have your burger served sans bun in a sleeping bag of lettuce, but today we give a nod to the classic BurgerFi Cheeseburger: double Angus patties, double American cheese, lettuce, tomato and the signature, and secret, BurgerFi sauce ($7.17). When you’re ready for something different, order the new CEO Burger: double wagyu and brisket burger, homemade candied bacon-tomato jam, truffle aioli and aged Swiss cheese ($9.97).

BurgerFi

Burgerfi.com

4. The Coconut Burger 

Perhaps you’re not so keen on burgers of the beef variety? Vegan, paleo and plant-based diet followers rejoice! Green Bar & Kitchen’s unique and creative menu emphasizes organic, vibrant, plant-based items, many of which are gluten-free and all of which are vegan. Green Bar offers no less than six burgers, including the award-winning GBK Deluxe vegetarian burger. But for this list we tip our hats to the Coconut Burger, comprised of field roast, garlic, coconut, barley, onions, lentils, lemon juice, barley malt, porcini mushrooms and sage served on a burger bun topped with salsa ($10.99).

Green Bar & Kitchen

1075 SE 17^th St., Fort Lauderdale

954-533-7507

Also:

Green Bar & Kitchen Express

Galt Ocean

3429 Galt Ocean Drive, Fort Lauderdale

954-533-7507

greenbarkitchen.com

5. Juicy Lucy 

The award-winning gastropub Bull Market has been riding the accolade train since it opened in 2014, garnering recognition for its happy hour, brunch and burgers. This year, the Juicy Lucy took the crown as the Best Burger during the 2016 South Beach Food & Wine Festival’s Amstel Light Burger Beast Challenge. This mammoth burger consists of Angus beef stuffed with aged cheddar cheese and topped with tomato, lettuce and the house-made bull sauce ($15; $8 on Tuesday nights).

Bull Market American Bar and Kitchen

210 SW Second St., Fort Lauderdale

954-523-1213

bullmarketbar.com

6. Wood-Grilled Prime Beef Burger 

If you must order a burger while dining at one of Palm Beach’s most creative culinary hot spots, you won’t be disappointed. The Wood-Grilled Prime Burger is the only burger on būccan’s menu, but as one of James Beard-nominated Chef Clay Conley’s signature menu items, it stands out against the competition. The Prime Beef Burger consists of a wood-fired patty topped with aged cheddar and cornichons served on a brioche bun ($19). How civilized.

būccan 

350 S. County Road, Palm Beach

561-833-3450

buccanpalmbeach.com

7. Sweet Caroline 

With a menu dedicated to the art of the burger, JEY Hospitality Group’s ROK:BRGR gastropub offers nearly 20 gourmet burgers, including ahi tuna, turkey, vegetarian and build-your-own options. There’s even the Fat Elvis, with peanut butter, bacon and strawberry jam; or the Rok:Brgr, topped with aged Vermont cheddar, smoked pepper bacon and bourbon barbecue sauce. If you’re overwhelmed with options, try the Sweet Caroline, with barbecue short rib, aged cheddar, coleslaw, fried onions and bourbon barbecue sauce ($15).

Rok:Brgr

208 SW Second St., Fort Lauderdale

954-525-7656

Also:

600 Silks Run, Suite 1210, Hallandale
Beach Blvd., 954-367-3970

RokBrgr.com

8. A Taste to Relish
Picky eaters and adventurous foodies: the search is over. At Relish & More, you craft your own burger, from the meat to the toppings to the (gluten-free) bun. Here you can select from 8-oz. patties of venison, black beans, bison, shrimp, wild boar, turkey, lamb, wild mushroom, salmon or Italian sausage and top it with two of nearly 20 unique relish offerings, such as tangy tzatziki, bison chili, scotch bonnet mango or sweet onions slow-cooked in beer ($10.99 to $18.99). After you’ve created the perfect burger, pair it with a craft beer or handcrafted milkshake and a side of hot, fresh doughnuts. Ask for the monthly burger special, which usually features some exotic meat such as gator or kangaroo.

Relish & More

1930 NE Fifth Ave., Boca Raton

561-245-7169

Also: 

401 Northwood Road, West Palm Beach

561-629-5377

relishandmore.com

9. Meat the Beast

The Meat the Beast Burger will grace the menu for a limited time at Beauty & the Feast Bar | Kitchen at The Atlantic Hotel & Spa on Fort Lauderdale beach. This 8-oz. beef burger is topped with baby arugula, brie, pineapple habanero jelly, Bolognese sauce, red onions and house-made pickles and served on a brioche bun ($16).

Beauty & the Feast Bar | Kitchen

601 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd.,
Fort Lauderdale

954-567-8070

society8.com

10. Cheeseburger in Paradise

Whether you live in South Florida or are just visiting, you can’t pass up the opportunity to experience a cheeseburger in paradise, particularly when that cheeseburger is served overlooking the bustling Hollywood Broadwalk and beach at the Jimmy Buffett-inspired Margaritaville Beach Resort. The resort offers a variety of dining – and burger – options, but it is the Cheeseburger in Paradise on Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville restaurant menu that is the most popular. This signature burger is topped with American cheese, tomato, lettuce, pickles and secret “paradise island sauce” ($9.95).

Margaritaville Beach Resort Hollywood

1111 N. Ocean Drive, Hollywood

954-874-4444

margaritavillehollywoodbeachresort.com