A good burger can (sometimes) be hard to find.
There are larger cities in Virginia that have restaurants dedicated solely to the art of a good burger. Despite that, there are great burgers to be found off the beaten path in small towns throughout the commonwealth.
We’ve scoped out 10 burger spots in some of Virginia’s small towns for a range of juicy meat and plant-based burgers with a wide range of toppings.
Buchanan Fountain and Grille
Location: Buchanan
Stop into the Buchanan Fountain and Grille after spending a day on the James River. The half-pound hand-pattied burgers are served with lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise on a grilled bun.
To celebrate the local culture, try either the James River Burger with bacon and provolone cheese or Buchanan’s Best Burger with Swiss cheese and sauteed mushrooms and onions.
Pure Eats
Location: Lexington
Pure Eats takes its commitment to locally sourced food seriously, with all of its beef coming from Donald’s Meats and Buffalo Creek Beef in Rockbridge County. Although the end result may just be a hamburger, the eatery said, “It’s important to us that it be the best.”
Try one of the special burgers, including the California Burger, which comes with avocado, jack cheese, lettuce, tomato and onion, or the Carprese Burger, with tomato, basil, and mozzarella.
FarmBurguesa
Locations: Vinton and Roanoke
FarmBurguesa has you covered if you’re looking for a farm to table burger experience. With 11 burgers to pick from, you’ll surely find one that excites your tastebuds.
If you’re famished, try the The Quad. “Made up of FOUR patties, topped with crisp lettuce, Roma tomatoes, pickles, and lathered with our signature pink sauce, the Quad holds absolutely nothing back,” according to the menu. “If this burger wasn’t delicious enough already, we’ve even added four slices of American cheese and bacon to the mix.”
Vegetarians may want to order the Santa Fe, which is topped with Swiss cheese, Roma tomatoes, onions, cucumbers, and FarmBurguesa’s cilantro-lime sauce.
Grill 309
Location: Culpeper
Those who are looking for a “place where you can grab a burger, a beer, and watch a ballgame,” as owner James Laughorn put it, will surely love Grill 309.
The Gyro Feta Burger includes a half-pound of Virginia Black Angus Beef with sliced gyro meat, tzatziki, fresh feta cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle.
If you’re craving a burger for breakfast, try The Doughnut Burger. The half-pound patty on a freshly glazed doughnut is topped with cheddar cheese, grilled onions, an over easy egg, and bacon.
Rocky Mount Burger Company
Location: Rocky Mount
Rocky Mount Burger Company cooks “up Southern hospitality amid a friendly atmosphere.”
All 13 of its burgers are served on potato buns. For something with a little kick, order the Hot Chili Pepper Burger, which comes with pepper jack cheese, jalapeño, and buffalo sauce.
NN Burger
Location: Tappahannock
NN Burger’s goal is to “surprise and delight you each time you visit” by using what it calls the “NN Burger No-Nonsense approach.”
The Top Notch Truffle Burger is a must try. It comes with Wagyu beef, house-made bacon jam, aged Swiss cheese, sauteed mushrooms and roasted garlic truffle aioli.
Vegetarians may like the Santa Fe Black Bean Burger, which comes with smokehouse barbeque glaze, aged white cheddar, lettuce, vine ripened tomatoes, red onions and creamy “NN” sauce.
Corner Burger
Location: Forest
At Corner Burger, you can pick either single or double 4-ounce patties when ordering one of the seven crafted burgers on the menu.
Try the burger with goat cheese, balsamic caramelized onions and fig jam.
Market Burger Fries & Shakes
Location: Purcellville
At Market Burger Fries & Shakes, you can either B.Y.O.—build your own burger—or order one of the classics.
If you want to build your own, you can order a turkey burger, then pick your bun, cheese, toppings, fixings, and sauces.
The Market Burger, a classic, comes with a local beef patty, cheddar cheese, egg, smoked bacon, lettuce, tomato and the establishment’s signature herb mayonnaise sauce.
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Me’s burgers & brews
Location: Danville
For a unique dining experience, go to Me’s burgers & brews, where the owners share their love of literature through food, including burgers that are named after authors.
Burgers currently on the menu include The Louise Penny, a beef patty topped with Canadian bacon, maple mayonnaise and sharp cheddar cheese, and The Charlie Mackesy, a veggie patty topped with arugula, marinated mushrooms, butternut squash aioli and sharp cheddar cheese.
If you like sweet potatoes, you should order the sweet potato salad to try as your side.
With a menu that changes quarterly, you’ll likely want to go back again and again.
Town Center Tap House
Location: Daleville
Pick a local grass-fed burger from nearby Williamson Farms, Gardenburger or Beyond Burger patty before deciding which of the 15 burgers you’d like. They are all served on a locally baked brioche bun.
The Tap House Burger, a half a pound hand-pattied burger that is “grilled to perfection” and served with lettuce, tomato and onion, is a tried-and-true menu item at the Town Center Tap House.
However, if you’re feeling more adventurous, order the Crabby Patty Burger, which is smothered in Cajun crab dip and melted cheddar jack cheese and comes with the same toppings as the house burger.
