10 brilliant burger joints, according to Torontoverse readers

We asked the Torontoverse community for burger recommendations. They gave us the works.

We maybe should’ve seen it coming.

When we polled Torontoverse readers about which food we should do a crowd-sourced “Best of the city“ story on, we heard this:

Burgers! Of course. They’re delicious, adaptable, and nearly universally loved. What’s more, the city’s bursting with places that serve them — so recommendations are always appreciated.

Which brings us to the question at hand: Where can you find the best in Toronto?

To help with our quest, we went to back to our readers on Twitter and Facebook. Find 10 of their picks below, and check out the map to see which one’s closest to you.

Bryden’s

Address: 2455 Bloor St W
Suggested by: Adriano Leal

Around “since the turn of the century,” this neighbourhood pub is a destination for craft beer and comfort food. At the top of the latter list is the burger, which comes with lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles on a brioche bun. For the non-meat eaters, there’s also a homemade veggie patty option.

Bonus points for the Thursday special: Any sandwich — including the burger, of course — and a pint for $20.99.

The Burger’s Priest

Address: 1636 Queen St E
Suggested by: Rex Adam

One of the smash-burger-scene originators, The Burger’s Priest opened in 2010 with a single four-stool location. Their burgers featured fresh 100% Canadian beef patties smashed and seared on a flat-top griddle, and they also introduced a unique vegetarian “Option” — a cheese-filled mushroom cap.

Suffice to say: People came in droves. (A buzzy secret menu didn’t hurt, either.)

Since then, smash burgers have become a much bigger deal in the city, and The Burger’s Priest has expanded swiftly with locations elsewhere in the GTA and beyond.

The Drake Hotel

Address: 1150 Queen St W
Suggested by: @Miss_Emily_Muse

There are two items on the menu here worthy of dotted outlines and the “A Drake Classic” stamp: the baby gem Caesar and, of course, the Drake burger. It’s a 6 oz. prime rib beef patty with Perth bacon, Drake sauce, aged cheddar, crispy red onions, and pickles, all on a bun from Blackbird Baking Co.

As one of our readers put it, “I would marry that burger if I could.”

Golden Star Drive-In Restaurant

Address: 7123 Yonge St
Suggested by: @mar0012, Victor Daniel Lowy

Golden Star is a Thornhill staple instantly recognizable both for its giant yellow sign out front and its retro dining room complete with wooden countertop.

In business since 1964, Golden Star serves up all your drive-up diner favourites, but the charcoal-grilled burgers are the calling card. Grab a 6 oz. all-star burger, or go big with the 12-oz MVP burger — there are no wrong answers.

Happy Burger

Address: 76 Lippincott St
Suggested by: Gary Martin

In business since August 2020, Happy Burger serves up smash burgers for a variety of tastes.

Feeling traditional? You’ve got the Happy or Double Happy, which come with cheese, onion, pickles, lettuce, and Happy Sauce (a house-secret mix of ketchup, mustard, mayo, and spices).

Feeling adventurous? You can try out a burger topped with pastrami or the Oklahoma Fried Onion Burger, with griddle carmelized onions.

Indie Alehouse

Address: 2876 Dundas St W
Suggested by: @cthomasbattle

It takes a standout menu to match the beer list at this Junction landmark, but Indie Alehouse manages the feat with seeming ease.

What’s more, unlike many of even the best brewpub menus, here you’ll find not one burger, but several. The short-rib-topped Royale Burger is legendary — brought back in 2022 after disappearing for a while. Meanwhile, the flagship Indie Burger is a two-smash-patty standby, and the Bison “Steak” and Belly Burger is there for those looking for something equal parts unique, massive, and tasty.

Finally, the Truffled Mushroom Burger includes a plant-based patty, aged white cheddar, mushrooms, crispy onion, and truffle aioli.

Matty’s Patty’s Burger Club

Address: 923a Queen St W
Suggested by: @chrisisonthego

Before Matty Matheson became famous for his TV work — both hosting and acting, as he did in The Bear — he was famous for burgers. As executive chef at Parts & Labour, he introduced the city to the P&L Burger, a regular on best-of lists for years.

Now he and his partners have a new takeout spot opposite Trinity Bellwoods Park, which serves his signature smash burgers made from AAA beef brisket and chuck.

The menu doesn’t feature the original P&L Burger, but they have served it up in the past:

Rudy

Address: 619 College St
Suggested by: @chrisisonthego

Another fast-growing Toronto burger chain, Rudy has gone from a single College St. location opened in 2016 to five locations today.

Their signature is The Rudy, a smash-patty cheeseburger with lettuce, tomatoes, and Rudy sauce. But those with a big appetite can opt for The Big Rudy, which comes with two patties and three slices of bun, and adds onion and pickles into the mix.

Smash Pit

Address: 52 Carrier Dr
Suggested by: @Samuel_James92

Not a massive web presence for this Etobicoke haunt, but the images found on various delivery apps speak for themselves.

Smash patties here are 4 oz. combos of ground Angus chuck and brisket. The original smash comes with one, plus all the classic burger fixings, while the signature bacon smash adds bacon and swaps garlic aioli in for the ketchup, mustard, and mayo.

Whelan’s Gate

Address: 1663 Bloor St W
Suggested by: Adriano Leal, Henrique Guidi

Last but not least — we’re doing this alphabetically, for the record — we have Whelan’s Gate. There’s a reason their cheeseburger is listed on the menu as “The Cheeseburger.” (You think menus are just handing out definite articles for free these days? No — you have to earn ’em.)

In short, the cheeseburger is a neighbourhood classic. It comes with a house-ground brisket patty, American cheese, grilled onions, lettuce, Whelan’s dill pickles, and horseradish mayo, and is not to be missed.

Hamburger icon by Icons8

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