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When some of the city’s best chefs put their minds to making a burger, the results are nothing short of amazing. Here are 17 spots serving up “cheffy” burgers. 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: Neighborhood: 14 close-to-home spots. 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. * 112 Eatery James Beard award-winning chef Isaac Becker dropped the English muffin bun from his legendary 112 Cheeseburger a few years ago — though it’s back now as an option for the restaurant’s 20th birthday — but the airy, craggy brioche bun from Patisserie 46 is a delight. And, of course, the thick, buttery patty still comes topped with a healthy slab of brie cheese. There’s not much in terms of sauce nor any other toppings, really — a wafer of lettuce and a small sliced gherkin come on the side — but you don’t miss them, because the melty cheese envelops the patty and bun (and also the plate, and your fingers) in gooey, mushroomy, earthy goodness. — J.K. 112 Eatery: 112 Third St., Minneapolis; 612-343-7696; 112eatery.com Baldamar This swank steakhouse in Rosedale Center’s parking lot has what might be the most expensive burger in town on its dinner menu at $32. But we are going to gently suggest that you head here during their stellar happy hour instead, and grab a beefy, juicy double smashie for the relative steal of $14. Bring friends so you can share a massive order of house-cut, deep golden fries, served with three sauces for dipping. Weekday happy hour is on the early side — it ends at 5 p.m. — but on Sunday, it’s happy hour all day. — J.F. Baldamar: 1642 W. County Road B2, Roseville; 651-796-0040; baldamar.com * Black Duck Spirits and Hearth Black Duck’s standard smashburger — beef, American cheese, onions, mustard pickles, white barbecue sauce — is good. But it’s in the duck burger, with havarti cheese, dijonnaise and those mustard pickles, that they truly elevate the form to the stratosphere. Duck is already fairly rich, and when the ground patty is smashed with onions, the meat almost deep-fries in its own fat as a gloriously caramelized meat skirt forms. Yes, this burger is bold, but nobody else is doing it like this. — J.K. Black Duck: 2900 Johnson St. N.E., Minneapolis; 612-331-1421; blackduckmpls.com Blondette The award for prettiest surroundings in which to eat a burger definitely goes to Blondette, the retractable-roof French-bistro dining experience at the Rand Tower Hotel in downtown Minneapolis. This thick patty of wagyu beef infused with duck fat (yes, really) is so insanely juicy and flavorful that it wouldn’t need any accoutrement, but a tarragon mustard and a slab of smoked cheddar do nicely. We’d expect nothing less from chef Daniel del Prado, who has become a west metro fine-dining darling in recent years. Maybe it’s time to come east. — J.F. Blondette: 527 S. Marquette Ave., Minneapolis; 612-224-3750; blondettempls.com DeGidio’s This burger was created when the 88-year-old West Seventh Street Italian institution hired chef Shane Oporto, formerly of La Belle Vie and Octo FishBar, to consult on some menu items. Owner Jason Tschida knew he couldn’t change any of the old-school Italian favorites, so they “worked around the edges” of the menu, starting with this absolute stunner of a burger. It’s two patties, recently upgraded to wagyu beef, enrobed with nutty taleggio cheese and topped with a proprietary special sauce and a few crisp pickles before being nestled in a pillowy egg bun. And the fries are cut in-house and worth every calorie. — J.F. DeGidio’s: 425 W. Seventh St., St. Paul; 651-291-7105; degidios.com Dexter’s A Daniel del Prado sports bar feels a bit like a contradiction in terms, and the price — $85 before tip for a pair of burgers (no fries included), a pair of cocktails and cheese curds to split — certainly reminds you who’s in charge around here. That said, Dexter’s signature burger knocks it out of the park, with two uber-beefy, coarsely ground patties and a lightly sweet and super fluffy bun, plus American cheese, thin pickle slices, red onion and dijonnaise. Those curds are tossed in cheddar powder, which is a stroke of genius, and the ‘Osaka to Ya’ cocktail, with Japanese whiskey, yuzu curaçao and elderflower liqueur, is among the best drinks I’ve had recently. — J.K. Dexter’s: 3717 W. 50th St., Minneapolis; 612-200-9047; dextersmpls.com Estelle This southern European spot updates its burger nearly every year, but they are always, always good. Chef Jason Hansen created one of our other favorites in town — the burger at Stewart’s, now Gus Gus — and his commitment to a juicy, interesting burger cannot be understated. The current iteration is a double smash with American cheese, bacon and char-broiled tomatoes, topped with a typical burger sauce and served with the restaurant’s delicious patatas bravas. Bonus. — J.F. Estelle: 1806 St Clair Ave., St. Paul; 651-330-9648; estellestp.com Forepaugh’s If you haven’t been to see the glow-up this historic mansion of a restaurant has received since the pandemic, it’s worth a visit for at least a drink and we can’t recommend their burger enough — a juicy, beefy wagyu double smashie with a bright sauce, acidic pickles, sweet griddled onions and a squishy grilled bun. Don’t sleep on the perfectly crispy, super skinny fries, spiked with rosemary and garlic. The price is up there with the most expensive on this list at $24 (with fries), but it’s worth it for this burger in that atmosphere. — J.F. Forepaugh’s: 276 Exchange St., St. Paul; 651-666-3636; forepaughs.com Gus Gus We’ve given lots of love to chef Jason Hansen’s burger mind, and this double smash burger is based off the one at Stewart’s, which occupied the space before Gus Gus moved in. The two patties are juicy and beefy and crispy around the edges; exactly what we’re looking for. The caramelized onions and mustard aioli are both great. The burger’s one possible downside is the too-thick American cheese, which makes things so slippery that eating the burger is a challenge. The fries are served with ketchup, but hot tip: Ask for a side of the bagna cauda aioli, which comes with the fries when you order them as an app. — J.K. Gus Gus: 128 N. Cleveland Ave., St. Paul; 651-645-4128; gusgusmn.com Herbie’s on the Park In a world full of double-smash burgers, Herbie’s is an unapologetic half-pound thick patty. The juiciness of these behemoths, made from a brisket, short rib and chuck blend, cannot be overstated. Choose the patty adorned simply with melty American-Swiss, caramelized onions and house-made pickles; go for a fancy bacon-bleu, gilded with a blueberry/gochujang jam and arugula; or really mix it up with a French onion and Brie situation. It’s all good. And so are the garlic-herb fries, or the simple side salad, something we’ve come to love, especially in the thick of burger-reporting season. We have to get our veggies somehow. — J.F. Herbie’s on the Park: 317 Washington St., St. Paul; 651-726-1700; herbiesonthepark.com Holman’s Table This pretty, mid-modern-style restaurant in the St. Paul airport features a view of runway action without having to go through security. The menu has lots to offer, including a few burgers at lunch and a different set of burgers at dinner time, including the $300 burger, which isn’t actually $300, but it does clock in at a not-so-wallet-friendly $27.50. For that price tag, though, you get a juicy, beefy patty on a soft bun, topped with nutty gruyere and foie gras butter. The entire thing is then doused with a madeira truffle demi glace. It’s a fork-and-knife burger that one of our dining partners said tastes like “fancy Salisbury steak.” He’s not wrong, but we also happen to love that nostalgic dish. — J.F. Holman’s Table: 644 Bayfield St., St. Paul; 612-800-5298; holmanstable.com Juche Chef Chris Her and owner Eddie Wu have made some burger magic in this dark, comfortable space. The bulgogi burger has a very slight Korean flavor — what mostly comes through is the delicious Peterson beef, topped simply with American cheese, aioli, romaine and caramelized onion and nestled into a squishy brioche bun. The spicy Korean burger is for the more adventurous among us, but the piquant pickled slaw on top is super addictive. It’s paired with tangy cheddar and spicy mayo and is somehow still over-the-top on the spice level. My teen boy — who has been making his own list of favorites for the past few years — even loved it. The fries here, hand cut and fried until deep golden brown, are exceptional, and you should definitely ask for the Korean hot sauce for dipping them in. — J.F. Juche: 1124 Payne Ave., St. Paul; 612-490-3380; juchestpaul.com Maison Margaux Depending on where you’re seated in chef David Fhima’s Parisian restaurant, you might have to ask for the “Oui Burger” by name: The $26 foil-wrapped burger is available during happy hour in the main Brasserie and all the time in the opulent subterranean lounge, but it’s not printed on every menu. The single, quite thick patty is a high-end wagyu house grind, and it’s topped with gruyere cheese on a bun that’s so all-around buttery, it literally glistens. And that’s it! A small cup of pickle slices and some fries come on the side. It’s ultra-beefy and indulgent and noticeably less salty than other burgers we’ve tried, but not in a way that feels underseasoned. Do be careful to shield your fancy clothes from oil drips. — J.K. Maison Margaux: 224 First St. N., Minneapolis; 612-900-1800; maisonmargauxmpls.com Parlour The Parlour Burger is served unadorned, save for what looks like a few slap-dash sliced pickles on the side, but it would be a mistake to judge this sandwich by its cover. Two thin, perfectly seared patties (made from freshly ground sirloin, rib-eye and brisket) absolutely drip with cheese and are contained by a grilled bun. In Minneapolis, if you want it for lunch, you’ll have to hit the upstairs stunner, Borough, or get it downstairs at the cocktail-centric Parlour in the evening. But at Parlour St. Paul, you can get it whenever they’re open. — J.F. Borough: 730 Washington Ave. N., Minneapolis; 612-354-3135; boroughmpls.com Parlour St. Paul: 267 W. Seventh St., St. Paul; 651-207-4433; parlourbar.com St. Paul Grill This venerable space in the historic St. Paul Hotel is finally fully back after the pandemic, and so is its burger, though it’s changed a bit. This burger is a super juicy wagyu patty, topped with pepperjack cheese, lettuce and avocado relish and nestled into a nice, squishy pretzel bun. I often have problems with pretzel buns being too stiff, but this one does not suffer from that issue. Girlfriends and I devoured it, along with one of the best wedge salads in town and a few martinis, during a recent happy hour. The burger — another pricey entry at $25.95 — is served in the dining room only during the dinner hour, but you can get it anytime in the swank bar. It comes with deep golden, skin-on fries that are pretty stellar, too. — J.F. St. Paul Grill: 350 Market St., St. Paul; 651-224-7455; stpaulgrill.com The Lexington Our love for this half-pound behemoth cannot be overstated. Dearly departed chef Jack Riebel’s recipe — house-ground steak trimmings to create a simple, beefy, juicy, stupid delicious burger that really does taste like steak — is still going strong. It’s topped simply with Swiss cheese, shredded lettuce, pickles, onions and the Lex “special sauce.” The swanky atmosphere of the Lex only adds to the experience. — J.F. The Lexington: 1096 Grand Ave., St. Paul; 651-289-4990; thelexmn.com Tongue in Cheek Chef Leonard Anderson might be known for catering to vegans, but he knows his way around (sustainably raised) meat, too. The restaurant’s deceptively simple cheeseburger starts with a properly seasoned, juicy patty that is topped with just the right amount of melty American cheese, a great pickley sauce, crisp, shredded romaine and fresh pickles, all nestled in a lovely, squishy bun. The fries are good, too. While you’re there, balance things out with some vegetables, because the chef’s vegan and vegetarian dishes are some of our favorites in town. — J.F. Tongue in Cheek: 989 Payne Ave., St. Paul; 651-888-6148; tongueincheek.biz
