By Jennifer Kornegay
Many Alabama towns boast at least one dedicated burger joint, and plenty of other restaurants — even those devoted to other culinary categories like barbecue — feature a hamburger on their menus. Every day, thousands of Alabamians file into these eateries and fill their bellies with burgers, evidence of the state’s affection for the staple sandwich.
But out of all the available options — grilled, griddled, thick, thin, layered with fancy toppings or basic lettuce, tomato and American cheese — which burger is the best? That’s a difficult question to answer, so we’re not trying to. Without the resources to sample all the burgers on offer, we can’t come to any kind of scientific conclusion. Plus, it’s not science. What puts a burger at the top of one person’s “love” list might turn another person off. Instead, we’re highlighting a just a handful of the favorite burgers and burger spots based on reader feedback, online reviews and a little taste-testing research.
That these places make good burgers is a given, but most boast more than a well-seasoned, correctly cooked ground beef patty between their buns. They stuff a passion for pleasing peoples’ palates in every bite too.
Which ones would you add to our favorites list? Let us know at [email protected].
Alabama Grill – 109 W. Commerce St., Greenville, AL 36037
The tall stack of a burger at Alabama Grill is best tackled with a fork and knife, unless you enjoy savory meat juices mingled with condiments running down your arms in full view of other diners. And there are many other diners. Today, the shotgun space of this downtown restaurant stays packed, the crowds reminiscent of its heyday years ago.
First opened in 1947 by Greek immigrant Mack Liveakos, it thrived for more than a decade before selling and finally sitting empty from 2000 to 2019. That’s when current owners Resa Bates and Allan Bloodworth brought the spot back. A Greenville native, Bates — of the famed Bates Turkey clan — had been teaching for years in Montgomery, but when she saw the empty building in her hometown, she longed to see life it in again. “I’d look in the windows and imagine it full of people,” she says.
She and Bloodworth relied on their personal hospitality experience (both worked for restaurants in Montgomery) and her family’s restaurant know-how to renovate the building and come up with a menu. “We gutted the interior but kept what we could, like the original bar and its stools and the mirrors on the walls,” Bates says. “And we wanted to honor our state and use as many Alabama products as possible.” Local seasonal produce finds its way into multiple selections, and Bates Turkey fills out the classic wedge salad. Cammie’s Old Dutch Ice Cream from Mobile ends meals on a sweet note. And about those big ole burgers: Fat quarter-pound patties of 80/20, never-frozen ground beef are seasoned simply (salt and pepper only) and crisped on a flattop before sliding into a fluffy brioche bun. Wickles Pickles spice-up every burger, and optional toppings include fried eggs, bacon, different cheeses and more.
“Lots of customers tell us ours is the best burger they’ve ever had,” Bates says. And those customers get creative. “We’ve had people add pineapple and Conecuh sausage. Or a runny fried egg and jalapenos.” Sauteed mushrooms and onions are another popular embellishment. Bates has her own go-to. “We’ve got lots of cheese options, but I do blue cheese.”
Pirate’s Cove – 6664 County Road 95, Elberta, AL 36530
On a thin ribbon of sand rising a few feet out of shallow Arnica Bay in Josephine, Pirate’s Cove Yacht Club beckons hungry folks on the coast with its cheeseburger, a meal that might have inspired the classic Jimmy Buffett song, “Cheeseburger in Paradise.” (Some claim the south Alabama-native wrote the song after enjoying the Cove specialty.) Those who answer the burger call snag a picnic table on one of the decks surrounding a small, tin-topped shack and wait for their order. People, dog and boat watching provides a way to pass the time, as a diverse barefoot- and flip-flop-clad cross section of society — everyone from college students, families with kids, grizzled old salts, leather-clad bikers, locals and tourists — waits too.
After each thick, third-pound beef patty (a mix of ground short rib, brisket and chuck) is cooked to order, blanketed in cheese, lettuce, tomato, a mustardy “special sauce” and grilled onions, wrapped in wax paper and delivered on red plastic tray, diners dive in. Juicy meat and ripe tomatoes result in a messy masterpiece that’s good enough to make the Jimmy Buffett story ring true.
And as the song says, it’s apropos to enjoy your Cove cheeseburger with “french-fried potatoes” and a “cold draft beer.” Or opt for another Pirate’s Cove staple, a bushwacker, an “adult” milkshake of vanilla ice cream blended with coffee liqueur and dark rum.
Back Forty Brewing – 200 N 6th St., Gadsden, AL 35901
Back Forty is best known for its award-winning craft beers; it is a brewery, after all. Founded by Gadsden native Jason Wilson in 2009 and brewing in downtown Gadsden since 2011, it was one of the first brewery businesses in the state. But those in the know visit the taproom and onsite restaurant in search of more than frosty mugs full of suds; the Back Forty cheeseburger rivals the beer.
Its two all-beef patties come dressed with an avalanche of additions: choice of cheese, tangy garlic mayo, lettuce, tomato and sliced red onions. Diners enjoy their meal on the covered deck or wide lawn, and on weekends, their munching and chewing often keeps time to the beat of live music.
Kids and teetotalers can wash bites down with sweet tea or soda, but the perfect pairing is an ice-cold Back Forty beer. It currently makes multiple selections, but two of its oldies but goodies —Naked Pig Pale Ale and Truck Stop Honey Ale — are always on tap and sure bets. And, according to online reviews, the burgers at Back Forty’s brewpub locations in Birmingham and Huntsville are equally delicious.
Staggs Grocery – 1424 Huntsville Road, Florence, AL 35630
In 1938, Staggs Grocery opened to sell food staples and then cold-cut sandwiches to the workers at area textile mills. Today, it’s a diner, one beloved by locals and sought out by visitors savvy enough to ask locals to share their top spots. It looks much as it did at its founding; a long history is obvious in the old metal awning out front and the no-frills interior.
The centerpiece is the flattop griddle, which you can see behind the counter where you order. On its scorching surface, burger magic happens. Five or nine ounces of freshly-ground beef, which has been seasoned with a secret blend, cook to crisp yet tender perfection. The rest is up to you. Standard condiments, pickles, onions and tomatoes come with it, but you can add bacon and American cheese too.
It sounds simple enough, but the end result is so satisfying, Staggs goes through approximately 300 pounds of beef every week. The burger is one of its most-ordered items, but no matter what guests choose, owner Donna Hill is just happy to feed them. “I love my customers like family,” she says. “We have first-time visitors, but a lot of regulars too. I just want to share good food with them, and our burgers are good.”
Sheila C’s Burger Barn – 622 Shug Jordan Pkwy, Auburn, AL 36832
The hamburgers at Sheila C’s Burger Barn are shrouded in secrecy. Owner Albert Ledbetter won’t divulge the seasoning blend that makes the meat so mouth-watering. And his wife, the lady behind the burgers and the eatery’s name, is also keeping a mystery. “The ‘C’ stands for her middle name, but she won’t tell folks outside of family what that is either,” Ledbetter laughs.
Sheila first started turning out burgers when she worked for another restaurant in Tallassee. They proved so popular, she stepped out on her own more than two decades ago. She and Albert moved their burger show to Wetumpka for a few years before settling in Auburn in 2015. Ever since, Sheila’s version has taken top marks in the college town, winning the local newspaper’s “Reader’s Choice” award for best burger eight years in a row.
The space is nothing fancy, but nobody cares about that. Students, visitors and residents routinely gobble up the joint’s “all the way” cheeseburger — a six-ounce patty made fresh daily and smothered in American cheese, mayo, mustard, ketchup, pickles, chopped onions, shredded lettuce and tomato. “I like all the things on there. To me, if you don’t need at least five napkins, you’re not eating a real hamburger,” Ledbetter says. “But you can have it any way you want.” Those feeding a hearty appetite often opt for a double patty, and sometimes, even that’s not enough. One hungry customer ordered a six-patty burger. “It took him about an hour, but he finished it,” Ledbetter says.
While recent back troubles keep Sheila from running the kitchen full time, she’s still around overseeing her operation. “She’s known as the burger lady, so she keeps her eye on things,” Ledbetter says. She and her husband want everyone full and smiling when they leave, and he notes that’s usually the case. “Most people leave ready for a nice long nap,” he says.
Bill E’s – 9992 Highway 181, Fairhope, AL 36532
On any given day around lunch and dinner time, diners pack the large deck at Bill E’s, many digging into one of eight available burgers under the shade of massive live oaks. Once known as Old 27 Grill, owner Bill E. Stitt recently changed the restaurant’s name to tie it into his other food venture, Bill E’s Bacon, which is made onsite.
The bacon business has gone hog wild; 3,000-plus pounds of slow-curing and slow-smoking pork belly continually permeate the area air with their savory porcine perfume before being sold all over Alabama and shipped around the United States, from Washington D.C. to Los Angeles. Yet Stitt still considers Bill E’s a “burger joint.” “We just happen to make our own bacon for the bacon burger,” he says.
The thick-grilled patty crisscrossed with several bacon slices and crowned with caramelized onion is a best-seller, but not Stitt’s pick. “I love the chili cheeseburger,” he says. “It’s got raw onion, a lot of chili, comeback sauce, American cheese and dill pickles. It’s really the dream burger.” For the true bacon lovers, Stitt recommends the Blended Burger, a mix of 85 percent high-quality beef and 15 percent end pieces from Bill E’s bacon. “It’s got a pretty intense smokey bite, but we put a soft fried egg on top to mellow it,” he says. “I mean, what’s better than bacon and eggs?”
Ask any Alabama resident where to find the best burger, and you’ll likely get a different answer from each one. We asked our local cooperative communicators for their best recommendations and here’s some of what we got. Let us know your favorites at [email protected]!
Campbell’s BBQ – 505 Battle St. E. Talladega, AL 35160
“A juicy burger with good seasoning. The bacon is cooked to perfection: crisp, smoky and a perfect complement to the simplicity of the burger and the eatery itself.” – Jeremy Wise, Coosa Valley EC
Boaz Café – 10830 Al Highway 168 Boaz, AL 35957
(256) 593-1598 • facebook.com/boazcafeanddeli
“Boaz Cafe runs a really close race with Grumpy’s. We need to have a cook-off!” – Kelli Whorton, Marshall DeKalb EC
Grumpy’s – 425 South McClesky, Suite 544 Boaz, AL 35957
(256) 593-0599 • grumpys.restaurant
“All our linemen vote for this one.” – Kelli Whorton, Marshall-Dekalb EC
Midas Burger – 221 N. Brindlee Mtn. Pkwy Arab, AL 35016
256-586-3275 • midas-burger.com
“Midas Burger not only has great hamburgers that are juicy and perfectly made, they are well known for their flavorful chicken and special chicken sauce.” – Stacey White, general manager, Arab EC
Cardinal Drive-In – 15240 Court St., Moulton, AL 35650
(256) 974-9065 • facebook.com/cardinalofmoulton
“Cardinal hamburgers are great old fashioned style burgers served fast and fresh every time. The classic drive-in style makes it easy to stop in and eat a food meal in a hurry.” – Michael Cornelison, Joe Wheeler EMC
Brindley Mountain BBQ – 7472 Al Highway 69 N. Cullman, AL
(256) 796-5350 • facebook.com/BrindleyMountainBBQ
“There’s nothing fancy about their burgers, but doing all the simple things right is what makes it so good. It has everything you want in a great burger and it’s done just the way I would do it if I were grilling out at home.” – Brian Lacy, Cullman EC
Ketchem’s Restaurant & Catering – 115 East Main Street Hartford, AL 36344
334-723-4109 • ketchems.com • facebook.com/KetchemsRestaurant
“The burgers at Ketchem’s are just great old-fashioned homemade burgers. You definitely do not leave hungry after eating a Ketchem’s burger.” – Jennifer Ward, Wiregrass EC
Ole Gin Steakhouse – 5900 County Road 38 Section, AL 35771
(256) 228-3493
“Great atmosphere, amazing service and an unforgettable meal!” – Starr Mitchell, Sand Mountain EC
The Greasy Spoon – 13956 Gallant Road Gallant, AL 35972
(256) 538-7632 • greasycovegeneralstore.com
“A semi-finalist in the 2023 Alabama Cattlemen’s Association Best Beef Contest, this is my all-time favorite hamburger. It’s our go-to for dining out with guests.” – Mark Stephenson, AREA
Our Place Diner – 2751 S. U.S. Highway 231 Ozark, AL 36360
facebook.com/OurPlaceDinerOzark
“Our Place offers one of the best burgers – freshly made, juicy burgers with quality ingredients – just like your mom would have made at home!”– Laura Thornton, Pea River EC
