The Best Hamburgers in California

Located just ten minutes north of Half Moon Bay, this All-American spot gets down to business right away. Upon entering, you’re greeted by the butcher slicing and prepping slabs of meat. Further in, house-ground brisket, smoked short rib and house-made sausage await. And while you’ll be perfectly content with the smoked meats, don’t forget the Breakwater Burger, where house ground brisket patties, caramelized onions, melted American cheese, shredded lettuce, breakwater pickles, and even more smoked brisket (this time chopped), are served on a soft bun with burger sauce. Hungry yet?

Named after chef/co-owner Scott Eastman’s mother and grandmother, this local joint is home to unique sculptures and a menu revolving around seasonal produce. So sit back and enjoy dishes like house-made radiatore pasta (spicy pork sausage, house-smoked bacon, chopped tomato, basil, and pecorino) and the Maude burger #20 with fries (bing cherry and sweet onion mostarda, rosemary aioli, arugula, fresh pecorino) while washing it down with devilishly fun cocktails like the rum and coconut-based White Picket Fence.

Located inside the multi-use Hauser and Wirth Arts Complex, this Southern leaning menu is chop full of mouth watering options like Liberty Farms duck breast (wild mountain huckleberry jus, Asian pear, spruce tip salt) and cream biscuits. But we’re not here for that. We’re here for the Venison burger. Paired with pickled green tomatoes, crisp leeks, and garlic aioli on top of a brioche bun, this might give its more “traditional” cousin a run for their money.

Courtesy of chef Tyler Florence, diners at Miller & Lux can expect a variety of steakhouse classics like caesar salad Dover sole meunière to perfectly seared dry-aged steaks. Our pick? The M&L Burger. Featuring a dry-aged blend patty topped with Mt. Tam Triple Cream, bacon jam, onion rings, watercress, and truffle fries - if a burger could dress up and put on a suit, this would be it.

Inside this rustic “stone house”, hyper-local regional cooking is king. In fact, many of the herbs, fruits and vegetables are actually harvested on the property. The three-course prix-fixe menu of hamachi sashimi, pan-roasted striped bass, and their signature Meyer-lemon tart may be the first thing to grab your attention (and rightfully so), but the SYR Grilled Natural Angus Burger deserves just as much love. Tucked inside a house-made bun with pickles, caramelized onions, and a side of French fries, The Stonehouse proves that keeping things simple can be just as delicious, if not more. Prefer something less meat heavy? Stop by during lunch for the ranch vegan burger, where vegan cheddar, smoky young coconut, grilled poblano and onions, along with house sauce is served up inside a toasted pretzel bun.