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The 10 Tastiest Burgers in San Francisco

There’s no denying a good burger ranks high on the list of crave-worthy foods, and San Francisco restaurants know that. Chefs are pulling out all the stops for the best burgers in town, getting inventive with renditions on the OG burger buns from corn fritters, to challah, and even English muffins, with juicy patties of beef to pair. The attention to detail is immaculate, with every element of the burger adding to its character — particularly a focus on high-quality, local meat. Find the likes of whiskey onions, seasonal sauces, and thrice-cooked fries — these burgers are taking it to the next level.

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Annie Lin
10 Restaurants
Updated October 21, 2021
Restaurants:Spruce, Zuni Cafe, Nopa - San Francisco
Price Range:$$$ - $$$
Cuisines:Contemporary American, Modern European, Californian
Neighborhoods:Presidio Heights, Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness, North Panhandle / USF
A photo of Spruce restaurant

Spruce

Price: Expensive
Contemporary American
Presidio Heights
4.8
4989 reviews

At one MICHELIN-star modern Californian restaurant Spruce, where three-course micro-seasonal meals are the norm, the Spruce burger on the lunch menu doesn’t fall far from the tree. A beef patty of brisket, short rib, and sirloin is seared and topped with pickled zucchini and red onion, tomato, and lettuce, all between an English muffin. A generous serving of thrice-cooked fries rounds it out. What gives Spruce’s burger an edge is the attention to detail, skillful cooking, and organic ingredients that all come together to place it on Eater’s list of the top burgers in SF.



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A photo of Zuni Cafe restaurant

Zuni Cafe

Price: Expensive
Modern European
Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness
4.7
7238 reviews

Zuni Cafe’s burger is so famous that both The New York Times and Martha Stewart have recipes of it, with the Times calling the burger “legendary.” The grass-fed beef is salted and ground in small batches with 18 percent fat, then the patty is flipped exactly three times over the grill. The rosemary focaccia bun is smeared with aioli and topped with pickled red onion rings and turmeric zucchini slices — every element is made in-house. Add one or all four of the additional toppings — cheddar cheese, bleu cheese, grilled onions, or portobello mushrooms — to make it your own. But you really can’t go wrong with the original at this San Francisco staple.



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A photo of Nopa - San Francisco restaurant

Nopa - San Francisco

Price: Expensive
Californian
North Panhandle / USF
4.6
3207 reviews

Named after the neighborhood it’s in, legendary American restaurant Nopa specializes in wood-fired dishes and seasonal “urban rustic” food, including its signature burger. The wood-grilled cheeseburger is served with a ground Five Dot Ranch beef shoulder patty, pickled onions, and your choice of Gruyère, cheddar, or bleu cheese on a brioche bun that is buttered and charred. Optional, but encouraged, add-ons include house-cured bacon, and avocado. Hand-punched potato fries are served with a seasonal sauce. This burger is a fan-favorite you’ll constantly see floating around tables all night long.



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A photo of Violet’s restaurant

Violet’s

Price: Expensive
American
Richmond District
4.5
466 reviews

At American gastropub Violet’s from the team behind Fiorella, owners Boris Nemchenok, Brandon Gillis, and chef Dante Cecchini are bringing the popular Tuesday night burger at Fiorella to Violet’s. The Tavern burger is constructed with Northern Californian Flannery beef that has been hailed by LA and SF chefs alike, thick-cut bacon, American cheese, chipotle aioli, lettuce, onion, and pickles, and accompanied by shoestring fries. A vegetarian option swaps out the patty for an Impossible Burger with all the same toppings.



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A photo of The Vault Garden restaurant

The Vault Garden

Price: Expensive
Californian
Financial District / Embarcadero
4.2
633 reviews

This year-round sprawling outdoor dining restaurant from Hi Neighbor Hospitality Group — the team behind Trestle — serves up refined Cal-American cuisine with a sophistication that makes its burger all the more remarkable with its double patty stacked and oozing with Fiscalini cheddar and secret sauce, plus shredded lettuce to top it off. Fries are served with pickles on the side. The burger is available from brunch to dinner, and for prix fixe lunch paired with a heirloom tomato salad or tomato soup.



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A photo of E&O Kitchen and Bar restaurant

E&O Kitchen and Bar

Price: Moderate
Asian
Downtown / Union Square
4.4
2787 reviews

Chef Sharon Nahm imbues her Asian roots into her cooking at E&O Kitchen and Bar with two exceptional burgers. The most well-known option is the famous fritter burger with Indonesian corn fritters as buns, filled with char siu bacon, white cheddar, kimchi, and sriracha aioli. There’s also an E&O cheeseburger that’s served on scallion buns with white cheddar, kimchi, and sriracha aioli. Togarashi fries come with, or substitute in healthier root vegetable chips.



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A photo of Dirty Habit restaurant

Dirty Habit

Price: Moderate
Unspecified
Downtown / Union Square
4.5
786 reviews

An intimate rooftop hideout on the fifth floor of the chic Hotel Zelos, Dirty Habit is a cocktail bar with an inventive menu to match. The burger here is spirit-inspired with the key ingredient of whiskey onions made by grilling yellow onions baked in butter, bourbon, and brown sugar. There’s also aged gouda atop a beef patty sandwiched between brioche buns. The rest of the menu sees chef Thomas Weibull draw from his own European and Asian heritage in salted egg potato chips with curry leaves, a sturgeon caviar bao bun, and venison yakitori with juniper and fermented blueberry tare.



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Takeout available
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A photo of Absinthe Brasserie and Bar - SF restaurant

Absinthe Brasserie and Bar - SF

Price: Expensive
French
Civic Center / Hayes Valley / Van Ness
4.7
6968 reviews

This longtime Hayes Valley French bar and brasserie, from the team behind Bellota, is named after the herbal spirit of the same name and invokes a lively, charming atmosphere day to night. The romantic dining room sets the scene for the Niman Ranch cheeseburger with a beef patty, house pickles, dijonnaise, and Gruyère and provolone cheeses, served with shoestring fries. It’s available for brunch, lunch, and dinner; wash it down with a house cocktail or beer.



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A photo of One Market Restaurant restaurant

One Market Restaurant

Price: Expensive
Contemporary American
Financial District / Embarcadero
4.5
4232 reviews

Along the city’s eastern shoreline sits One Market, a farm-to-table restaurant specializing in grilled seafood, New York steaks, spit-roasted prime rib, 12-hour smoked beef brisket, and of course, the house-ground Allen Brothers chuck and brisket burger that’s only served at lunch Tuesdays through Friday. It’s worth finding the time to go for the patty that comes with pimento cheese, bread and butter pickles, lettuce, and tomato between a challah bun. As a bonus, on Saturdays One Market’s farmer’s market shop Mark ‘n Mike’s serves up a Rolling Oaks ranch beef cheeseburger with American cheese, griddled onions, lettuce, tomato, and Russian dressing on a challah bun, with the option to add pastrami.



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Experiences available
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A photo of Osso Steakhouse restaurant

Osso Steakhouse

Price: Very Expensive
Unspecified
Nob Hill
4.7
2271 reviews

The sleek steakhouse in Nob Hill’s Gramercy Towers has been known for its dry-aged steaks and Art Deco design for more than 20 years. Here, the “Osso Good” burger uses Kobe beef for its patty, with familiar toppings of lettuce, tomato, onion, cheddar cheese, and ketchup. The burger and its 21-day aged Angus steaks have taken Osso to Thrillist’s list of best steakhouses in San Francisco.



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