Sometimes a burger craving calls, and you need to answer right away. These 14 neighborhood spots have you covered.
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.
Cult Faves: 9 hype-worthy burgers off the beaten path.
Cheers: 20 burgers at bars and dives to pair with a drink.
Destination: 11 burgers worth the drive.
* Altera
A burger with St. Andre cheese and cognac-grilled onions is served at Altera in Highland Park on July 21. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)
Although there are more interesting items on the menu at fancy Highland Park newcomer Altera, the “Le Cheeseburger” kicks up a classic burger to a more elegant and French-ified level with rich St. André cheese and cognac grilled onions. The cognac in the onions gets a bit lost, but this is a solid burger at a cute new spot for a neighborhood night out.
— J.K.
Altera: 721 S. Cleveland Ave., St. Paul; 651-788-7009; alterarestaurant.com
Bebe Zito
The Burger from Bebe Zito at The Market at Malcolm Yards. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)
The folks behind this Uptown Minneapolis ice cream shop started slinging an inexpensive burger during the pandemic, and almost immediately, lines began to form. It was only available on weekends, which was part of its allure. But lucky for us, they now have counters at The Market at Malcolm Yards and a sparkly new Woodbury spot in the Woodbury Lakes shopping district, so we can all get our hands on this bacon-infused, thinly smashed, properly cheese-enrobed burger, which gets extra flavor from kicky pickled cukes and onions. The ice cream is amazing, too.
— J.F.
Bebe Zito: 704 22nd St. W., Minneapolis; The Market at Malcolm Yards, 501 30th Ave. S.E., Minneapolis; 9000 Hudson Road, No. 620, Woodbury; bebezitomn.com
Everywhen Burger Bar
The Nicollet Burger at Everywhen, inside Centro on Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis, is a single smashburger that contains the classic fixings, shown here on Oct. 21, 2022. Everywhen is a concept launched by the same team behind Centro and Vivir. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)
This burger spot, from restaurateur Jami Olson and executive chef Jose Alarcon, shares space with taco-centric Centro. Their Nicollet Burger is a single smashed patty with the fixings: American cheese, pickles, lettuce, tomato, onions, mayo. And it rocks. The meat itself is perfectly seasoned and crispy. And with just one patty, it’s a good lunch burger — not so heavy that it weighs you down for the afternoon. Nothing over-the-top; a classic done right.
— J.K.
Everywhen Burger Bar: 750 S. Cleveland Ave., St. Paul, 612-489-5558 or 2412 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis, 612-452-9785; everywhenburgers.com
* Le Burger 4304
Le Burger 4304’s flagship burger is conveniently and confidently named “le burger,” and you know what? I think it’s deserving of the title. Super juicy, and the sauce is (controversially?) under the patty, so it melts a little into the bottom bun, which I quite liked. Speaking of, the bun is lightly sweet and toasted and neither too thick nor too flimsy, though the festive custom paper wrap helps keep everything contained. (And if beef burgers aren’t your speed, they’ve also got options with fish, chicken, mushroom, chickpea and beet patties.) It’s a cozy space, so seating gets tight during busy hours.
— J.K.
Le Burger 4304: 4304 Upton Ave. S., Minneapolis; 612-328-9267; leburger4304.com
Local Rumor
The burger at Local Rumor on St. Paul’s Selby Avenue. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)
We’re loving this affordable little neighborhood gem in the former Blue Door Pub space on Selby, and the perfectly seasoned, hand-pattied double burger for just $12 is no exception. It is topped with melty mild cheddar, pickles and a generous dollop of garlic aioli, but no fries. No matter, that means you can order a side of kicky broccolini instead. You know, for health reasons. (They do have a shareable portion of rosemary-spiked fries for $7 if you prefer.)
— J.F.
Local Rumor: 1811 Selby Ave.; 612-790-0614; instagram.com/localrumor
* Lost Fox
A burger is served at Lost Fox in Lowertown on Oct. 16, 2025. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)
This all-day coffee shop/restaurant/bar, open 8 a.m. to midnight (till 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays) is one of my top picks for a convenient, reliable Lowertown stop no matter what I’m looking for. In this case, of course, it was a burger, and they delivered: The Lost Fox burger, a double smash with white American cheese on a sturdy bun, is loaded with pickles, caramelized onions, fried onion straws — oh, did I mention onions? It’s like French onion soup dreamed of becoming a burger, which I’m very much on board with.
— J.K.
Lost Fox: 213 4th St.; 651-493-4694; lostfoxlowertown.com
Lynette
The burger at Lynette, a new neighborhood restaurant in Minneapolis, is has plenty of dijonnaise, as shown on Oct. 20, 2024. The restaurant opened summer 2024 and is run by the management team behind the former Lyn65 in Richfield and Petit Leon in Minneapolis, alongside the former executive chef of Cov in Edina. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)
Lynette, which opened last summer in Minneapolis’s Longfellow neighborhood, has pedigree; it comes courtesy of the guys behind the former Lyn65 in Richfield and Petit Leon and Little T’s in Minneapolis. And hey, they’ve got a pretty good burger. Two juicy, slightly irregular patties with cheese and pickles on a well-griddled bun, and they’re not shy with the dijonnaise, which helps amp up the savoriness of the beef. If you want fries, you can get a cone of duck-fat fries for $10; the portion is large enough to split. The patio is gorgeous for any remaining warm fall evenings we might get, and little soft-serve ice cream cones that come free with the check are a delightful touch.
— J.K.
Lynette: 3753 42nd Ave S., Minneapolis; 612-223-8060; lynettemn.com
Mac’s Diner
The Mac Daddy (left) and Rodeo Smash (right) burgers at Mac’s Diner in North St. Paul, on Oct. 14, 2023. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press)
This North St. Paul spot opened a couple years ago, picking up the proverbial torch (and restored neon sign) from the landmark but long-closed Mac’s Dinette. New Mac’s is bright and tastefully retro, and their signature burger — the Mac Daddy — is a nicely crispy-edged double smash with sauteed onions, fairly gooey cheese, pickles and a house burger sauce. Their other burger, the Rodeo Smash, tops its two patties with cheddar, bacon, barbecue sauce, seasoned sour cream (unnecessary) and crispy onions (very necessary). The “M” logo branded into the buns is a nice touch, too.
— J.K.
Mac’s Diner: 2526 E. Seventh Ave, North St Paul; 651-777-9995; macsdinernsp.com
Matt’s
With a belly fully of a Jucy Lucy President Barack Obama leaves Matt’s Bar in Minneapolis on Thursday, June 26, 2014. (Pioneer Press: Ben Garvin)
The menu includes a completely unfancy Jucy (their spelling, not ours) Lucy on a completely unfancy bun in a divey neighborhood tavern. But the burger is very Minnesota, and everyone should eat it at least once. Plenty of famous people have visited, including President Barack Obama in 2014. The fries are fast-food quality but plentiful, and the well-worn griddle produces a tasty burger char.
— J.F.
Matt’s Bar: 3500 Cedar Ave., Minneapolis; 612-722-7072; mattsbar.com
MyBurger
Although this local chain is dangerously close to fast food, the burgers themselves are a big step up from what you can get in a drive-through. Properly seasoned, smashed on a griddle but still juicy enough, with quality toppings and reasonable prices, it’s a family-friendly option for busy nights. The fact that the St. Paul location is on a busy corner without much parking kept us from trying these burgers for too long.
— J.F.
My Burger: Multiple locations, including 1580 Grand Ave., St. Paul; 651-330-7816; myburgerusa.com
* Pajarito
Pajarito, the Mexican-inspired spot tucked away on West Seventh, added a burger to its menu earlier this year and, like everything else they do, it delivers. It’s a double-smash with onions, white cheddar and pickled jalapeños, which are a clever and spicy touch that plays well with the slight sweetness of the cheese. My one nitpick is that pickling the peppers and cooking the onions, while delicious, make everything a very similar soft texture; I wish there was a crisp crunchy element here. Pajarito’s cocktail program is consistently fantastic, too, though, making this a solid stop if you’re heading along West Seventh.
— J.K.
Pajarito: 605 W. Seventh Street; 651-340-9545; pajaritorestaurant.com
Smorgie’s
The burger at Smorgie’s across the street from the Xcel Energy Center in downtown St. Paul. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)
This downtown newcomer is a great place to get in and out of quickly before an event, and they have a tasty, inexpensive burger to boot. The pretty basic double smash is well-executed, if a little overly crispy, but is served on a fresh bun with good burger sauce and is a steal at $12, and that included perfectly crispy tater tots.
— J.F.
Smorgie’s: 127 W. Seventh St., St. Paul; 651-204-3730; smorgiesbar.com
World Street Kitchen
A couple summers ago, trendy Minneapolis favorite World Street Kitchen added the beef kofta burger to its lineup of fast-casual global street food — and it’s a home run. Kofta, spiced ground beef that’s common in the Middle East and North Africa in meatball or kebab form, works perfectly as a burger patty topped with white American cheese, pickles and a not-so-spicy harissa burger sauce. The spices in the meat itself are fine-tuned, and all the toppings play off each other well. It’s unbelievably saucy (to be clear: in a good way!), so grab more extra napkins than you think you’ll need. Oh, and Milkjam Creamery is right next door.
— J.K.
World Street Kitchen: 2743 Lyndale Ave S., Minneapolis; 612-424-8855; eatwsk.com
Yum! Kitchen and Bakery
The Burger at Yum! Kitchen & Bakery in St. Paul. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)
If you’re at this bakery and cafe, you might not think to order the burger, but we’re here to tell you that you absolutely should. It’s two juicy patties with really fresh lettuce, tomato, onion and a special sauce on a house-made bun. It’s served with a crisp pickle and the cafe’s thin, crisp and addictive house-made potato chips. This is one of our favorite lunch spots, especially if we have a meeting, because the space is bright and airy, and we never feel rushed to give up a table because there’s plenty of space.
— J.F.
Yum! Kitchen and Bakery: Four locations, including 164 N. Snelling Ave., St. Paul, 651-615-1230; and 8340 City Centre Drive, Woodbury, 651-603-4444; yumkitchen.com
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