Best Florida burger restaurants worth every delicious calorie

From a towering burger at a Guy Fieri-approved steakhouse in Sarasota to wildly indulgent doughnut buns in Naples and smash burgers with crispy edges along the Space Coast, Florida’s burger scene is sizzling with unforgettable flavor.

The USA TODAY Network’s Florida Dining & Entertainment Team, living in communities across the Sunshine State, picked the burger restaurants they keep coming back to, spotlighting beloved local institutions, hidden gems and a buzzworthy newcomer.

Whether you're road-tripping across Florida or hunting for your next great meal near home, these standout burger joints deliver juicy patties, mouthwatering toppings and memorable dining experiences — featuring some equally inspiring sides — worth every calorie.

Alpine Steakhouse

Details: 4520 S. Tamiami Trail, Sarasota; 941-921-3798; alpinesteak.com

Famously seen serving its Guy Fieri-approved turducken on “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” — with a “Triple D Nation” episode expected soon — the family-run Alpine Steakhouse restaurant and meat market has been a Sarasota treasure since 1975. And while the turducken and steaks get much of the glory, Alpine’s Signature Steakhouse Burger is also something to behold.

A massive half-pound patty stacked with house-made jowl bacon, a crispy onion ring, Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato and mayo, it’s a magnificent two-hander you won’t forget anytime soon. Especially when paired with this awesomely casual — and moderately priced — steakhouse’s standout sides, with personal favorites including the twice-baked potato, truffle fries and German potato salad. —Wade Tatangelo, Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Beef Heads

Details: 16201 State Road 50, Unit 306, Clermont, and 1504 Max Hooks Rd, Suite I, Groveland (pickup and delivery only); and in the Philippines; emesfoodhall.com/ordernow

A smash-style experience that balances comfort with modern hustle, Beef Heads has become almost instantaneously iconoclastic in Lake County. The diminutive electronic-order burger joint offers a vintage arcade game and an impressive burger/sandwich menu that has racked up rave reviews for owner/Army veteran Jamie Farnell's scrumptiously seared meat patties. Farnell has perfected the smashburger, bringing that grilled-flavored, caramelized texture that's only improved by a creamy-zesty "Big Rich" sauce, named for his brother.

Another fun fact about Beef Heads: It's part of and housed inside Farnell's incubator for food entrepreneurs, EMES Food Hall, named after his wife, Erika's initials. The co-op's Clermont headquarters is almost hidden at the end of a small strip mall. Its chopped-cheese sandwiches, bacon slaw burgers, catfish and chicken burgers, beefed-up fries and dessert burritos provide heaps of caloric indulgences, ensuring a repeat visit, even if Beef Heads is a little out of the way. — Julie Garisto

Brooks Burgers

Details: Multiple locations across Naples, brooksburgers.com

Brooks Burgers has three locations across Naples and has been recognized as one of the best burger joints in town. The menu is full of classic anyone would love, plus new twists like a "Reuben Burger" with corned beef, sauerkraut, and Thousand Island dressing, or the "Goober" with peanut butter and bacon.

Brooks Burgers' most talked-about burger is the "Donut," which is a beef patty, American cheese, and bacon sandwiched between two glazed donuts. It's overwhelming in the best way and worth trying at least once. ― Kendall Little, Naples Daily News

BurgerRobs

Details: 311 S. Washington Ave., Titusville; burgerrobshq.com

A must-try for burger lovers, BurgerRobs has built a cult-like following across Brevard County, drawing devoted fans to both its Titusville restaurant and its food truck, which still travels throughout the Space Coast serving hungry crowds.

Known for smash burgers with crispy edges, towering toppings and indulgent flavors, BurgerRobs thrives on creative combinations that keep customers coming back. One standout favorite pairs a perfectly seared smash burger with smoky Cryderman’s brisket, a local obsession that is packed with rich flavor and texture. — Amber Olesen, FLORIDA TODAY

Café Boulud

Details: 301 Australian Ave. at The Brazilian Court Hotel, Palm Beach, 561-655-6060, cafeboulud.com

Long before burgers became menu staples in fine dining, the ‘21’ Club burger set the standard — expensive, indulgent and synonymous with power lunches, a benchmark I came to know well during my tenure working there. When Daniel Boulud introduced his DB Burger in 2001, he didn’t replace that legacy so much as evolve it, applying French technique to an American icon.

Built from sirloin wrapped around braised short rib and foie gras, then set on a Parmesan-topped bun, it helped redefine what a luxury burger could be. Today, a $35 version of that lineage lands in Palm Beach, where the 8‑ounce CBPB burger with bacon and Vermont cheddar reads as quiet confidence. — Diana Biederman, The Palm Beach Post

Daytona Taproom

Details: 310 Seabreeze Blvd., Daytona Beach; 386-872-3298, facebook.com

Daytona Taproom leans fully into its anything-goes reputation, pairing over-the-top burgers with the kind of lived-in atmosphere that’s made it a late-night favorite for years. Inside, walls are packed with scribbled signatures and personality, matching a menu that rarely takes the traditional route. Burgers arrive towering and unapologetically messy, stacked with crispy-edged smash patties and enough toppings to make each bite a balancing act.

Try the Cajun-seared Cowboy Burger with crispy onion straws, bacon and fried jalapenos; or amp things up with The Fat Elvis — a double smash patty bite layering peanut butter and grape jelly with bacon jam, bacon strips, pickles and mayo all between two deliciously-gooey grilled cheese sandwiches. While the menu is packed with offbeat combinations and “munchie-style” creations, the common thread is clear: every burger is cooked to order, served hot off the griddle and built for those willing to embrace a little chaos with their meal. — Helena Perray, The Daytona Beach News-Journal

DJ’s Cast Iron Burgers 

Details: 5310 NW Eight Ave., Gainesville; 352-549-9662; facebook.com/DJsCastIronBurgers/ 

DJ’s Cast Iron Burgers started as a small pop-up tent in November 2020 and has since grown into a successful food truck, with a brick-and-mortar location coming soon to northwest Gainesville. The truck, typically parked off Newberry Road at Northwest Eighth Avenue, draws crowds for its juicy burgers cooked on cast iron planks. To keep quality high and operations efficient, DJ’s offers a simple menu inspired by chains like Raising Cane’s and In-N-Out Burger. Customers can choose one to three patties with their preferred toppings, along with hand-cut fries. The Oklahoma Onion Burger — the menu’s only specialty burger — features a double patty, charred onions, white cheddar, DJ’s Sauce and house pickles. — Alan Festo, Gainesville Sun 

Grievous Angel

Details: 801 E. Main St., Lakeland, Grievous Angel Burger on Facebook, or 863-380-0089

The name is a nod to Polk County-grown musical pioneer Gram Parsons, credited as a founder of the country rock and alt-country genres in the 1960s. Parsons' final album, "Grievous Angel," was released in January 1974, four months after his death. The owners, Jeremy and Leah Brumley, have operated rock-n-roll-themed Polk County chicken-tender restaurants for years, called LoveBird Almost Famous Chicken. "I had the idea for years to do a kind of honky tonk bar called Grievous Angel," Jeremy Brumley said. "I've aged out of wanting a bar."

Probably the newest restaurant on this list, Grievous Angel opened in February. It’s especially noted for double-patty smashburgers: Somewhere in Texas (smoked gouda, pecan-smoked bacon, ranch slaw and bourbon black pepper barbecue sauce), Daisy Doolin (American cheese, house chili, chipotle crema, pico de gallo and Fritos), Peppercorn Saint (white cheddar, sautéed mushrooms, black peppercorn sauce and arugula), and Weekend Hero (double patties, cheese, lettuce, tomato and pickles) – all of them $11. ― Paul Catala and Sara-Megan Walsh, The Lakeland Ledger

McGuire's Irish Pub

Details: 600 E. Gregory St., Pensacola; 850-433-6789; mcguiresirishpub.com

One of the best ways to enjoy steakhouse quality without the high price tag is to opt for a gourmet steak burger. At McGuire’s Irish Pub, one of Pensacola’s most iconic restaurants,  they have over two dozen to choose from. Options range from a classic steak burger with an onion ring the size of the patty on top, to crazier alternatives, like the bougie $100 Grand Burger made with filet mignon, a side of caviar, merlot sauce and a bottle of imported Moët Imperial champagne.

Not only does the beef deliver on flavor, but it also pairs perfectly with their house brews, such as their signature Irish Red Ale. Serving as a neighborhood pub since 1977, nearly every Pensacola local has a story tied to a drunken late-night McGuire’s run for a hearty meal at 1 a.m., fitting right in with the restaurant’s theme of “feasting, imbibery, and debauchery.” — Brittany Misencik, Pensacola News Journal

Nelson's Burger Bar

Details: 805 S. Macomb St., Tallahassee; 850-766-7143; Facebook

Originating in Perry, Florida, this burger joint located on South Macomb Street offers towering burgers that aren't for the faint of heart. Its most popular stacks includes the signature "Nelson Burger," dressed with lettuce, tomato, American cheese, onion, pickle, mayonnaise, ketchup and mustard ($13.63). Another fan favorite is the mushroom Swiss burger topped with a generous pile of grilled onion and a mayonnaise shmear ($15.73).

Get this, you're not limited by just a double stack, for $7.89 extra you can get up to four patties for a sky high, jaw-dropping bite. This space offers all the right vibes for anyone looking to enjoy a serious game of poker, a hearty laugh at its weekly comedy night and sip on cocktails for a full experience. — Kyla Sanford, Tallahassee Democrat

Nevermind Awesome Bar

Details: 927 Cape Coral Parkway E, Cape Coral; 239-257-1007; nevermindawesomebar.com

There’s a reason the pressed burgers at this longtime South Cape staple are so good, and his name is Hugo Topete Alcaraz. For 25 years, Hugo worked with legendary Southwest Florida chef and restaurateur Shannon Yates before Yates died in 2021. The two collaborated on this best-selling, inside-out-bun sporting, simply awesome pressed burger, served with a magical 10-ingredient coffee sauce. It tastes just like it did when Yates opened Nevermind in 2012. Fourteen years later, Hugo is still churning them out.

They’re $17 on the lunch menu, but if you ask for the Nevermind Board (which isn’t on the menu), you get two pressed burgers, volcano rolls (another longtime favorite) and fries for $35. Personally, I can get three meals out of it. And I love every bite of it. ― Robyn George, The News-Press

Mikeys Real Italian Ice & Dirty Water Dogs

Details: 717 U.S. 1, Sebastian; 772-913-1016; website

Order from the window and eat in "Mikeys Garage," a vibrant open-air portico adorned with string lights bar-style seating. Mikeys is named after its mascot, a bright yellow, fully restored, 1926 Ford Model TT farm truck, now parked in front of the eatery. The Scozzari couple opened Mikeys Real Italian Ice & Dirty Water Dogs in 2025 after moving to Florida from New York in 2002. They make their own chicken nuggets and sausage-stuffed jalapeno peppers wrapped in bacon. The restaurant is known for serving dirty water dogs and authentic Italian ice shipped from New York.

Their burgers consist of  juicy 6-ounce prime rib patties on a soft, pillowy bun with lettuce, tomato, onion and your choice of cheese. You could also add hot dog toppings, including sauerkraut or their savory, extra beefy chili to the inside. They're cooked inside during the week, but outside on a grill on weekends. – Valeria Bartra and Eve Pierpont, TCPalm

Woodland Burgers & Wings

Details: 624 S State Road 19, Palatka; 386-385-3387, woodlandburgerswings.restaurants-us.com

Whether you live in Palatka or pass through Putnam County en route to the upper East Coast, a stop at Woodland Burgers & Wings (aka Woodland Burger) is highly recommended. Chetan and Chhaya Patel run the north-central Florida eatery with help from their amiable and attentive children. Their spot is part of a growing mini-fast-casual chain with previous locations in Archer and Keystone Heights, and it opened in Palatka in early 2024.

Order the house specialty, the Woodland Burger, has a homemade garlic and chive aioli that brings a zingy, savory creaminess to the burger. It features crispy fried onions that add a distinct crunch and comes topped with melted provolone cheese and applewood smoked bacon. With a variety-filled menu, Woodland Burgers & Wings is truly the unicorn of burger joints: good quality and creative contemporary fixings without bougie prices; friendly service without compromised efficiency. — Julie Garisto

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