SAN DIEGO – As any burger aficionado will declare, a succulent beef patty inserted into a fresh, fluffy bun with desired fixings is one of life’s most powerful culinary forces. It is a substantial meal that plasters your taste buds with comforting umami, especially if mushrooms, bacon and melted cheese get involved.
National Burger Day is May 28, which to us is merely an inviting reminder that burger consumption is a ferocious year-round craze. Yes, we are nuts over the burgers slung from mega-popular joints such as Hodad’s, The Friendly, Rocky’s Crown Pub, The Waterfront Bar & Grill, and The Balboa — but we also applaud the places below for flipping equally noteworthy burgers, whether they’re made from beef, other meats, or plant-based ingredients.
Rosemarie’s Buns and Brews
1774 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., Ocean Beach; 2852 Mission Blvd., Mission Beach; 608 S. Coast Highway, Encinitas.
619-228-9891; rosemariesburgers.com.
Nothing flatters a quarter-pound Wagyu beef patty more than Kewpie mayo, the Japanese condiment that has people ditching their Hellman’s. Rosemarie’s started as a mobile food truck and has expanded to three brick-and-mortar locations. Each offers a variety of sliders ranging from soft-shell crab and eggplant to a few chicken choices. Yet it is the chubby sliders made with never-frozen Wagyu and adorned with the special mayo that merit blue ribbons, especially the “Little Sal,” which is gussied up with arugula, onion confit and sweetish bacon-whiskey sauce.
Burger Kook in Bonita
5114 Central Ave., Bonita.
866-274-5665; burgerkook.com.
Save the ground beef for another day and be prepared to dine in the front yard of a residential home. The burgers at Burger Kook are made with a luxurious combination of filet mignon, rib eye and top sirloin. They are grilled along with other fare by a married couple who operate their unconventional “restaurant” under a San Diego County Microenterprise Home Kitchen permit. The duo refers to their burgers as being “the world’s second best.” Return customers insist they are being modest.
Lefty’s Chicago Pizzeria
4030 Goldfinch St., Mission Hills., 619-299-4030; 3448 30th St., North Park, 619-299-4030; leftyspizza.com.
Surprise! Few would guess that a Chicago-style pizzeria famous for its deep-dish pies also happens to flip one of the best char-grilled burgers in town. Lefty’s rises to the occasion with a half-pound beef patty stamped with the classic flavor of a burger served from a flaming backyard grill. If you’re feeling gluttonous and have your cholesterol under control, look no further than the “Hefty Lefty Double” with cheese.
Cali “O” Burgers
1290 University Ave., Hillcrest.
619-692-9999; calioburgers.com.
Elk burgers at this quaint retro-style diner are a big deal not only because of their obscurity, but due to their lean, flavorful quality. The “Elk Grove” is adorned with grilled onions, zesty remoulade and a fried egg for added richness. Beef, turkey, bison and veggie burgers are also available, any of which come with the option of being griddled or flame-grilled.
Raglan Public House
1581 Bacon St., Ocean Beach.
619-794-2304; raglanpublichouse.com.
Based on Raglan’s luscious lamb burger with mint jelly and blue cheese, and its organic beef burger mantled in buttery Edam cheese, we’re placing bets that the chef’s May burger will go down as one of the kitchen’s top-selling trophies. It is called the “truffle Munster,” which uses an onion bun to capture a Wagyu beef patty, sauteed ‘shrooms, pancetta, arugula and melty Munster cheese. Hiding within is a dribble of truffle oil for good measure.
Juicy Burgers
2810 El Cajon Blvd., North Park.
619-225-7648; juicyburgers.net.
Launched in Santee during the late ’70s, Juicy Burgers expanded to several locations across the county until the Covid pandemic brought them all to a close. But the brand re-emerged in North Park, where the burger patties are substantial in size and made to order from a menu that offers lots of customized options. We took great satisfaction in a flat-grilled beauty topped with a preference of only red onions and Swiss cheese. The menu also extends to signature creations such as the “Avocado Smash Burger” as well as double and triple-stacked burgers.
Wood Ranch BBQ & Grill
7510 Hazard Center Drive, Mission Valley.
619-764-4411; woodranch.com.
Imagine a burger that tastes part smoked and part wood-fired. The untypical combination of flavors distinguish Wood Ranch’s burgers from all others, especially if you request your burger cooked medium-well (gasp!). That extra time on the grill intensifies the char and infuses a little extra smokiness into the meat from white oak, which is the signature fuel source used at this spacious West Coast chain. So if you’re tired of ubiquitous, greasy smash burgers, you’ve come to the right place.
Grand Ole Bbq Y Asado
3302 32nd St., North Park
619-720-2211; grandolebbq.com.
People flock here for the ribs, brisket and Texas hot links, but lucky are those who discover the hefty “GOB smash burger.” The construct features two smash-style beef patties loaded with two slices of American cheese, grilled and raw onions, pickles, mayo, mustard and ketchup. For an added flourish of smokiness, the “double wide bbq burger” delivers with its decadent topping of smoked brisket and sweet barbecue sauce.
Mr. Charlie’s
1560 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach.
858-352-6597; mrcharlies.co.
We entered Mr. Charlie’s with skepticism and left cheerfully sated without guilt or a greasy palate. This Los Angeles-based vegan knockoff of McDonald’s sizzled into San Diego earlier this year with the promise of accurately recreating items such as Chicken McNuggets, Quarter Pounders, and Big Macs. We devoured the latter, which tasted 95 percent as close to the real deal. The double plant-based patties were rich and convincing, and with all the important peripherals in place, from the sesame-seed bun and shredded lettuce to the onions, minced pickles and special sauce. Another location is due to open soon at the corner of University and Fifth avenues in Hillcrest.
Feast & Fareway
2000 Visalia Row, Coronado.
619-996-3322; feastandfarewaycoronado.com.
The verdant Coronado Golf Course encompassing this relaxing, elegant restaurant sets the stage for a plump and honorable classic cheeseburger served in a seeded brioche bun with a smear of garlic aioli. The beef patty is succulent, and the garnishments are fresh and crisp. For extra swank, the smokehouse burger obliges with the addition of bacon, piquant barbecue sauce, and cheddar cheese.
