Kentucky is famous for its long history with fried chicken. Thanks to this, our burger options are often overlooked. I can personally tell you that missing out on any of these burgers is a huge mistake. Be it a hole-in-the-wall or a five-star restaurant, some of Kentucky’s burgers cannot be competed with.
1. Bunz Burgerz
Bunz Burgerz is a hole-in-the-wall burger joint located in Louisville’s trendy Highlands neighborhood. It offers homemade buns with unique burger combinations. The burgers are made fresh to order on the grill with options for a variety of different toppings, making each person’s experience different.
2. Lynda’s Grill
Don’t let this small, unassuming restaurant in Taylorsville, KY fool you. It is worth the 30-minute drive from Louisville to experience the small diner “good ole days.” Lynda and her daughter are there during most operating hours and everything is made from scratch daily, including pies and deserts.
Be it vegetable omelets, fried potatoes, or BLT sandwiches, you cannot go wrong. The hot, fresh off the grill hamburger with garden tomatoes and all the fixings is nearly impossible to pass up. Meals are served with big helpings for fantastic prices. This place is the perfect mix of home cooking and traditional diner fare.
3. Ollie’s Trolley
Sitting on the corner of a parking lot in downtown Louisville sits Ollie’s Trolley. It is the last trolley standing of a burger chain from the ’70s founded by Former Governor John Y. Brown Jr. (aka the man who built KFC into a multimillion dollar restaurant chain). I always order the signature Ollie Burger dressed with the special Ollie Sauce. The Ollie Fries have Ollie seasoning, which is a proprietary blend of 26 herbs and spices. It’s definitely one of Louisville’s best burgers.
#SpoonTip: Ask for an extra cup of Ollie’s Sauce and dip the fries in it for an extra treat.
4. Bluegrass Burger
If you are looking for a good burger in the Louisville area, BB is a great place to stop. They offer Bison Burgers, grass-fed, Kentucky-raised beef, and Angus burgers. They are made to order with your choice of cheese, toppings, add ons, and about 20 different sauces that can be picked out at the side bar. It is definitely worth checking out!
5. Proof on Main
Chosen as one of Esquire Magazine’s Best New Restaurants, Proof on Main in downtown Louisville’s 21C Museum Hotel is a place not to be missed. They offer a fantastic bison burger with Tillamook Cheddar and applewood-smoked bacon, but the real jewel on the burger is an incredible Jezebel sauce, which makes it spicy and sweet all at the same time.
6. Big Dipper
The Big Dipper is in the city of Owensboro and is a drive-in burger/shake shack, and has been considered one of the top hamburger joints in the state of Kentucky since 1954. The building is like walking into an old fashioned diner. The most popular burger on the menu is the Through the Garden Burger, which is smothered with every topping. If you want to try something else, try the delicious ham sandwiches, BLTs, Tuna Salad, Big Boys, Pimento sandwiches, or hand dipped malts.
7. Four Pegs Beer Lounge
Four Pegs Beer Lounge is located in the heart of Louisville in Germantown, a neighborhood with lots of flavor and personality. This fun spot radiates this neighborhood feel by serving a diverse menu of modern American pub grub and craft beer. The angus beer-glazed burger is delicious as well as the bacon burger. The chicken and waffle sandwich is amazing. Also, try the fish and chips and the pretzels with beer cheese, which are both outstanding.
#SpoonTip: If you get chicken and waffles, ask for the blue waffles.
8. The Village Idiot
The Village Idiot offers locally-sourced food that earns a spot at the table as one the most exciting and unique gastropubs in the state of Kentucky. They offer The Goober Burger, which has bacon, jalapeños, pickles, and Peanut butter. The Southern Belle Burger is topped with country ham and goat cheese. Southern Comfort has macerated peaches and a cayenne peach jelly on it, and The Prickleback Burger is topped with fried pickle, pepper jack cheese, lettuce, heirloom tomatoes, and is then smothered in a whiskey BBQ sauce. If that isn’t daring enough, try The Greek Burger topped with greek salad, herbed goat cheese, and tzatziki sauce.