You can't eat a burger every night. So when you do, you gotta get it right. Below, our picks for the best burgers in (and slightly out of) town — all fine-tuned to offer maximum bang-for-blow-to-your-arteries value.
Place: Nopa
Billed as: Wood Grilled Hamburger with pickled onions and French fries
Claim to fame: The "most popular burger in S.F.," with 29,000 sold — at $18 a piece
Bun: Brioche
Why? It's deservedly a legend — the best late-night food in town
We'll take it with: Blue cheese
Place: Marlowe
Billed as: "Marlowe BURGER," with caramelized onions, cheddar, bacon, horseradish aioli, and fries
Bun: Acme
Why? So good it inspired a pop-up. If you like juicy, here you go.
We'll take it with: The baked OYSTER bites and a Sculpin IPA
Place: Super Duper Burger (Mill Valley location)
Billed as: See above
Try it after: Running back and forth to Muir Woods, so you're properly hungry
Why? Sometimes you want a quality burger for under $10
We'll take it with: The super sauce, bacon, avocado and the cambozola blue
Place: 4505 Burgers & BBQ
Billed as: Best Damn Grass-Fed Cheeseburger
Bun: Toasted sesame and scallion
Why? It's all about the meat — plus this place makes the best fries in S.F.
We'll take it with: Said fries, and then maybe a root beer float because you only live once
Place: Gott's Roadside (we like the St. Helena location)
Billed as: Starts as Hamburger and continues to include Western Bacon Blue Ring (beer-battered onion rings, Point Reyes blue cheese, bacon, pickles, etc.) and Wisconsin sourdough (mushrooms, bacon, cheddar cheese, mayo and barbecue sauce).
Bun: Toasted egg
Why? It is the essence of summer
We'll take it with: Garlic fries and an Anchor Steam