For such a seemingly uncomplicated food, there are endless iterations of the humble hamburger, from sliders and patty melts to local favourites like the Oklahoma onion burger. But the one thing they have in common is delicious simplicity – and, at America's best historic fast food joints, a steadfast loyalty to the original recipes. We take a look at America's original burgers, from state specialties you may not have tried (or perhaps even heard of) to classics that have stood the test of time – counting down to the most legendary of them all.
Read on to discover the historic styles and specialties from around America, and find out where you can (and should) try them.
We've based our ranking on the enduring popularity of each burger in its place of origin and beyond, and on the opinions of our well-travelled (and well-fed) team. The list is unavoidably subjective.
The one thing all of the other burgers on this list have in common is the fact they're seared in a pan or on a hot griddle, but the steamed cheeseburger (or cheeseburg) is cooked using steam alone. This may not sound particularly appetising, but what these burgers lack in crispiness, they make up for with extreme juiciness. The epicentre of this unusual delicacy is Ted’s Restaurant, a hole-in-the-wall joint in Meriden, Connecticut, that has been around since 1959.
This Connecticut specialty has been around in some form since the 1890s, but Ted’s claims to be the only place in the US that exclusively sells steamed cheeseburgers. To make them, twice-ground beef patties are cooked in purpose-made trays until well done, with steamed Cheddar cheese scooped on top. The much-loved family joint is certainly the go-to spot to try the burgers, though several diners around Meriden also sell a version, including the no-frills haunt K LaMay's Steamed Cheeseburgers.
These unique, Depression-era burgers are made with a combination of meat (usually pork or beef) bulked out with an inexpensive ‘extender’ such as potato flour or soy grits, to get more burgers per pound. The patties are then fried in canola oil and traditionally served in a small burger bun with mustard, pickles and onions. This Southern specialty was invented in Corinth, Mississippi, and the name refers to the fact that they cost a nickel – ‘slug’ being slang for a five-cent piece.
Although they’re an acquired taste, slugburgers (also known as weeksburgers) are still very popular in Corinth and the surrounding towns in Mississippi. You can taste the original recipe at old-time diners such as White Trolley Cafe or Borroum’s, the oldest drug store and soda fountain in the state, where they have made the burgers the same way for decades. Fans also flock to Corinth’s annual Slugburger Festival, which has been held since 1988 and features burger-eating contests and live music.
A deliciously messy cafeteria staple, the sloppy Joe is a simple combination of ground beef simmered in a sweet, tomatoey sauce made with ketchup, brown sugar and various other seasonings, usually served in a roll or burger bun. Looking back over American culinary history, a number of cookery books from the early and mid-20th century feature recipes for dishes similar to the sloppy Joe, with names ranging from devilled hamburgers to chopped meat sandwiches.
In all likelihood, the sloppy Joe was invented in Iowa as a twist on the region’s iconic loose meat sandwich; accounts claim a cook named Joe, working at Floyd Angell's café in Sioux City, began seasoning the local delicacy with spices and tomato sauce around 1930. Another theory links it back to the saucy ground meat sandwiches served by bar owner José ‘Sloppy Joe’ Abeal y Otero in Havana, Cuba around 1917. Otero’s bar was renowned for being quite messy, so the name stuck.
Ernest Hemingway was a loyal fan of the Havana bar and apparently convinced Joe Russell, a bar owner in Key West, Florida, to rename his joint Sloppy Joe's around 1937. It was here that the recipe was Americanised, and the bar is still open to this day, serving up the classic sandwich alongside the house special, ‘sloppy fries’. Zaharakos, a 1900-opened ice cream parlour and museum in Columbus, Indiana, makes its own legendary version called the Gom Sloppy Joe, and diners rave about it.
The Frita burger, also known as ‘frita cubana’, is a Cuban take on the American hamburger, consisting of a juicy patty made with ground beef and pork (sometimes mixed with chorizo) served inside a Cuban-style roll. The meat is seasoned with a blend of spices that often includes paprika, garlic and cumin for a punchy taste that really sets it apart. One of the most distinctive features of the frita burger is the generous topping of crispy shoestring potatoes or potato sticks, adding crunch.
It has its origins in 1930s Cuba, but was popularised by restaurant owner Ramon Estevill when he introduced the burger at his small Miami eatery, Fritas Domino, in 1962. The original spot shuttered a few years ago, but Miami’s El Rey De Las Fritas (pictured) has served the burger since the late 1970s, and remains the go-to place to try it in Florida. Over in Michigan, Frita Batidos (which has restaurants in Detroit and Ann Arbor) is known for its take on the regional burger, offering diners the option of all kinds of fillings and creative toppings, from fried egg to tropical slaw.
This briny burger is believed to have originated in the 1920s at the Kewpee Hotel Hamburg Sandwich Shop in downtown Lansing, Michigan. The original version was a simple hamburger topped with Swiss cheese and a mixture of mayonnaise and chopped green olives. The combination of the tangy green olives and creamy mayonnaise proved to be a hit, and the olive burger quickly became a local favourite. Over time, the recipe has seen slight variations, but the core ingredients – ground beef, cheese, mayonnaise and green olives – have remained consistent.
Several local establishments have become renowned for their olive burgers. In Lansing, The Olympic Broil, Dagwood’s Tavern & Grill and The Peanut Barrel are all known for serving excellent versions of this Michigan classic. Weston's Kewpee Sandwich Shoppe (also in Lansing) is a particular favourite, and has kept its olive mayo sauce recipe a secret since 1925.
You’d be forgiven for thinking this popular burger style was invented by Smashburger, the wildly popular Denver fast food chain that was founded in 2007 and now has more than 200 outposts all over the world. However, it was actually first created more than 50 years ago at the original Dairy Cheer hamburger shop in Asheland, Kentucky. A chef apparently discovered that smashing a burger patty with a bean can while grilling was a brilliant way to lock in flavour, producing an extra-juicy burger.
Older chains, like Five Guys and Shake Shack, have been using this technique for as long as they’ve existed, but Smashburger can certainly be credited with bringing the idea into the mainstream. The method is intended to sear the meat on all sides to create a thin, slightly crispy burger patty that’s packed with flavour. Regional chains like Steak 'n Shake and Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers are two of countless other joints where you can taste this outrageously tasty burger.
Louis’ Lunch in New Haven, Connecticut, is hailed as the spot where the first burger was invented – or, at least, the hamburger sandwich – and its claims are backed up by the Library of Congress. This tiny, family-run luncheonette first opened in 1895 and its famous patties have barely changed in over a century: the burgers are cooked using the same unique vertical gas broilers from 1898, and strictly served on white toast, with a choice of onion, tomato or cheese, but no condiments.
According to Louis' Lunch, the historic dish was created in 1900 in response to a customer's hurried request for a lunch to go. Owner Louis Lassen happened to have some leftover ground steak trimmings on hand and decided to sandwich them between two slices of toast – the rest is burger history. You won’t find fries served on the side at this joint, instead Louis' Lunch dishes up its patties alongside either a special recipe potato salad or potato chips, and is known for making delicious homemade pies, too.
The restaurant is said to be the oldest hamburger restaurant in the country, and remains a much-loved culinary landmark to this day. When it was threatened with demolition in the early 1970s to make room for a new high-rise building, devoted patrons from all over the world took up the cause for its preservation; the historic building was eventually loaded onto a truck and made a 30-minute journey to its final resting place on Crown Street, New Haven.
How do you make a burger more indulgent? Pack it with cheese, of course! The Juicy Lucy (or Jucy Lucy, depending on who you ask and where you order it) is basically an inside-out cheeseburger, with cheese stuffed inside the meat patty, instead of layered on top, resulting in a core of melty deliciousness. It entered the fast food market in the 1950s, but two bars, a few miles apart from each other in Minneapolis, Minnesota, claim to have invented it: Matt's Bar and the 5-8 Club. Matt's is the home of the Jucy Lucy, while at 5-8 Club they serve the Juicy Lucy with an 'i.'
Both spots maintain a friendly rivalry to this day, and the story has featured on shows such as Man v. Food and Food Wars. Staff at the 5-8 Club wear T-shirts with the slogan 'If it's spelled right, it's done right', while advertising for Matt's Bar says: ‘If it’s spelled correctly, you’re eating a shameless rip-off!’ When it comes to the burger itself, the main difference is that the 5-8 Club offers different cheese options, while the version at Matt's only contains American.
A host of other burger joints around the region claim to make a superior version of the Juicy Lucy, including The Nook in nearby Saint Paul, Minnesota, which has won countless awards for its Juicy Nookie Burger. For a seriously over-the-top twist on the classic recipe, try the Mogul Burger at Wendy’s House of Soul in Minneapolis. This beast of a burger features two quarter-pound patties with a molten centre of cheese, onions, peppers and turkey bacon, all encased in a wrap and deep fried.
New Mexico's take on the classic cheeseburger is a pretty simple affair that showcases one of the region’s most iconic ingredients: the green chile. This beloved pepper is famous for its hot, zesty and subtly sweet character, and is used in all kinds of dishes around the region – but the green chile cheeseburger is the most famous of all. To make it, green peppers (ideally the coveted Hatch variety) are roasted, peeled and chopped, then used to top a thick, juicy burger with a slice or two of American cheese.
No one can say for certain who was the first to adorn a cheeseburger with roasted green chile, but experts generally agree that The Original Owl Bar & Café in San Antonio was the first joint to serve the burgers in 1945. Regional fast food chain Blake's Lotaburger wasn’t far behind, and started selling its version in the 1950s, solidifying the dish's reputation beyond New Mexico. Now the burger is so ubiquitous that the state has its own Green Chile Cheeseburger Trail, featuring acclaimed local spots like Buckhorn Tavern and Sparkys.
The green chile cheeseburger is also having a bit of a moment in New York City, with countless fast food joints adding the spicy dish to their menus. It’s the signature dish at Two8Two Bar & Burger in Brooklyn, while Southwestern-inspired eatery Santa Fe BK (also in Brooklyn) has won rave reviews for its version, which is sold alongside enchiladas, smothered burritos and mac’n’cheese that all feature New Mexico’s Hatch green chile in some form.
Depending on where you are in the Midwest, this dish is known as a loose meat or tavern sandwich, or just a Maid-Rite. It differs from a burger in that the meat is cooked loose rather than formed into a patty, like a sloppy Joe but without the sauce. Its origins apparently date back to the 1920s, when David Heglin of Ye Olde Tavern in Sioux City, Iowa started serving the sandwich to hungry drinkers. However, according to local chain Maid-Rite, it was invented in 1926, when butcher Fred Angell steamed a hamburger patty instead of frying it, adding in spices for good measure.
Today, Maid-Rite is a well-established chain with more than 30 branches in Iowa and beyond; for an authentic bite of this hearty dish, the original restaurant in Muscatine is a must-visit. NuWAY Burgers in Wichita, Kansas meanwhile has been making its own interpretation of the loose meat sandwich – described as ‘crumbly burgers’ – since 1930. Or for the true mom-and-pop experience, head to Canteen Lunch in the Alley in Ottumwa, Iowa. It's a local institution where, locals say, you’ll taste the finest version around.
Arguably the most decadent (and messy!) sandwich going, the humble patty melt is a mainstay of diner menus the country over, combining the best bits of a burger and a grilled cheese to make a truly memorable (and incredibly tasty) dish. While there are endless opportunities for variation on the classic post-war recipe, it’s an enduring specialty that’s almost always served in the same way: a juicy burger topped with golden fried onions and melted Swiss cheese, all sandwiched between slices of griddled rye bread.
The origins of the patty melt are sketchy, with some historians dating it back to the 1920s. However, most agree that it was Californian restaurateur Tiny Naylor who popularised the sandwich when he started serving it at his chain of restaurants in the late 1940s. The original Tiny Naylor's drive-in, at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and La Brea Avenue in Hollywood, was a real hotspot of its age, attracting celebrities and stars with its carhop service, cool vibe and, of course, its patty melts.
Texas-based Whataburger is best known for its burgers, but the chain’s patty melts have a cult following, with countless fan pages dedicated to recreating the taste. Deviating from the traditional recipe, the Whataburger version consists of Texas toast, two beef patties, Monterey Jack cheese, grilled onions and a secret recipe, creamy pepper sauce. Meanwhile, just 10 minutes from the place where Tiny Naylor's once stood, historic Hollywood fast food joint Cassell's makes a melt that chef David Chang says is the best ever.
The ultimate game day finger food, poolside snack or bar appetiser, these mini burgers are ubiquitous on fast food menus across the US, filled with everything from pork belly to fried chicken. However, most food historians agree that the original idea was invented by White Castle, the venerable hamburger chain that claims to be the country’s oldest. The family-owned joint was founded by Billy Ingram in Wichita, Kansas in 1921, and its small, square, five-cent hamburgers were an instant hit.
There are two explanations for the name ‘sliders’, says burger expert George Motz. In one version, White Castle’s burgers were originally served on porcelain plates, and staff would 'slide' orders across to hungry customers. The other story is that they’re so small, they slide right down your throat. In 1947, White Castle patented its unique method of stamping five holes into each slider to help lock in more flavour, due to the steam from the grill permeating the patties.
Meanwhile, over in Hackensack, New Jersey, fast food joint White Manna has been slinging the larger East Coast version of sliders since 1946 – and these exceptional burgers are said to be among the best in the US. With the New Jersey slider it’s less about size and more about technique; balls of lean ground beef are squashed on a sizzling griddle with a mass of thinly sliced onions pounded on top until caramelised and delicious. The patty is then served inside a soft potato roll to soak up the meaty juices.
A staple fast food favourite in the Midwest, it makes perfect sense that the butter burger was invented in Wisconsin, aka ‘America's dairyland'. Its creation dates back to 1885, when Charlie Nagreen served hamburgers fried in butter at the Seymour fair. The decadent dish was popularised in the 1930s by legendary Wisconsin restaurants Solly’s Grille and Kroll’s, which both became known for melting a fat pat of butter on top of burger patties while they were cooking.
The butter burger hit the mainstream in 1984 with the launch of family-run Culver's, which quickly grew into a much-loved fast food chain with franchises all over the Midwest. Its signature dish is still the butter burger, but the Culver's interpretation is lighter than other versions; rather than being smothered in butter, juicy beef patties are grilled fresh to order and served inside a buttered, toasted bun with red onion, pickles and sliced tomato.
For a taste of the best, a trip to Wisconsin is essential. Historic butter burger joint Kroll’s became two separate restaurants in 1945 (Kroll’s East and Kroll’s West), and both are still serving up excellent burgers today. However, locals rate Solly’s Grille in Milwaukee as being home of the most authentic and indulgent interpretation; each patty is smothered in a heaped tablespoon of local Wisconsin butter.
This mouth-watering Southern specialty is so much more than the sum of its parts; a hearty helping of perfectly caramelised, crispy-on-the-edges onions are smashed onto one side of a juicy beef patty, topped with melted cheese (plus mustard and pickle, if you so desire) and served in a bun. It may sound simple, but this isn't your average cheeseburger with onions, as any proud Oklahoman will tell you.
The state’s signature burger has its humble beginnings in the Depression era, when small-town diners and restaurants would add cheaper ingredients to their meat patties to bulk them out. Local lore credits the original version to Ross Davis of the Hamburger Inn in El Reno, Oklahoma, where he would smash a tangle of fried onions into every five-cent burger to keep costs low. Known as the ‘Depression Burger’, it was an instant hit, and other local eateries soon followed suit.
The Hamburger Inn has long since closed, but the onion burger lives on at a few longstanding joints in downtown El Reno, notably Johnnie's, Robert’s Grill and Sid’s Diner. Sid’s Diner has been slinging the delicacy for more than 50 years, and is particularly renowned for its perfectly charred, onion-packed burgers, served with pickles, mustard and hand-cut fries. Over in Oklahoma City, Tucker's Onion Burgers is a relatively new chain with five branches and great reviews.
Of course you've heard of the cheeseburger, but did you know about its amazing history? Food historians generally date the conception of the cheeseburger to 1924, when 16-year-old Lionel Sternberger decided to melt a slice of cheese onto a hamburger at his father's sandwich shop, The Rite Spot, in Pasadena, California. There's much hearsay about the details of the invention, but an old menu from the long-since shuttered joint on display at the Pasadena Museum of History names it the ‘Aristocratic Hamburger’, on sale for 15 cents and described as ‘the original hamburger with cheese'.
As with many food origin stories, the original account is highly contested, firstly by Kaelin's in Louisville, Kentucky, which was said to be the first place to use the term ‘cheeseburger’ in 1934. Known as the ‘home of the cheeseburger’ until it closed in 2004, the joint was also the first to sell Harland Sanders’ fried chicken before KFC hit the big time. Another claim came in 1935 by Humpty Dumpty Drive-In in Denver, Colorado, who won the 'cheeseburger' trademark but never enforced it.
Whether you like to chow your cheeseburgers in a fancy restaurant or a no-fuss regional chain, there are countless variations available in every corner of the US, from In-N-Out’s simple but iconic cheeseburger to the famed gourmet version at Chicago bistro Au Cheval that has diners lining out the door. For fast food pilgrims in search of history, 80/20 at Kaelin's opened in 2018 on the site of the original Kaelin's Restaurant in Louisville, Kentucky, and has gained a following for its perfectly made cheeseburgers.