It’s been said that people should eat to live but in Austin we embrace the opposite motto. With food trucks just around every corner and restaurants lining almost every street, we often live to eat. In the “foodie” capital of Texas, we have the best of everything.

Story by Andrea Cos

Let ORANGE help you on your quest for the best, starting with an American classic: burgers. Here is a list of the best and the most unique burgers you can find in Austin.

Best Burger – Amarillo Burger from Casino El Camino

Casino El Camino is a local bar known for its welcoming environment, its quirky jukebox and its “world famous burgers,” among them the mouthwatering Amarillo Burger. With a perfect combination of roasted serrano chiles, jalapeño jack cheese and cilantro mayonnaise, this burger makes taste buds sing. Add to that the locally sourced charbroiled angus beef, handmade patties and incredible service and we have a clear winner. As the patrons say, “come for the world famous burgers, but stay and do shots with the locals.”

Pro-tip: Casino El Camino is also known for having the best Bloody Marys in town. You can’t miss these spicy concoctions. Watch in awe as your drink is topped with a taquito, half a grilled cheese sandwich, a meatball, sausage, a corn dog, a slider and an array of celery sticks.  

Runner-Up – The Llano Poblano from Hopdoddy

There’s a reason why there always seems to be an incredibly long line spilling past the entrance of this “eco-minded burger joint.” The burgers from Hopdoddy have become a staple of the city because they’re all insanely good, especially the Llano Poblano. With locally sourced angus beef, pepper jack, roasted poblano chiles, apple smoked bacon and chipotle mayo, this drool-worthy burger is what culinary dreams are made of. Add to that creative drinks, green chile queso fries, and seasonal shakes and you’ll see why this is well worth the wait.

Pro-tip: Don’t miss their innovative avocado honey lime milkshake and cilantro jalapeño margarita.

Honorary Mention – The Double Cheeseburger from P. Terry’s

You can’t go wrong with a classic. P. Terry’s is an Austin icon: for a fast food restaurant, this local chain is top notch. Their burger patties are made with fresh and local ingredients free of hormones and antibiotics, and their fries are made from all natural potatoes. There is nothing frozen or artificial in their ingredients, and that translates to the way their food tastes. Their double cheeseburger is one of the best in town, with equal parts oozy cheese and grade A beef.

Pro-tip: Don’t miss their all natural fries. Their use of fresh and local potatoes truly make all the difference in the world. They’re insanely good.

Most Unique Burger – The Heartstopper Burger from East Side Tavern

This delicious, monstrosity of a burger gives the word “unique” a whole new meaning. East Side Tavern created their barbeque take on a burger, combining a meat patty with brisket, pulled pork, sausage, bacon and queso — in other words, a heart stopper. Watch out arteries.

Pro-tip: Lounge on the patio while drinking their draft cocktails. “This will be your new go-to spot for barbecue, booze, and weekend brunch,” according to Culture Austin.

Runner-Up – The Ron Burgundy from Gourdough’s

Just when you thought you’d seen it all, Gourdough’s comes up with one of the most unique concepts of all time: a donut burger. It’s pure genius. Their Ron Burgundy donut burger lives up to its namesake with all natural angus beef, bacon, a fried egg, two slices of American cheese, cilantro guacamole, sliced tomato and house made mayo.

Pro-tip: You might as well go out all out and end the meal with a dessert donut. Our suggestion: try the Black Out Donut with chocolate icing, brownie batter, and brownie bites with chocolate chips.

Honorary Mention – The Bac’n Cheeze Burger from Arlo’s

As one of the most famous vegan food trucks around, don’t miss Arlo’s incredibly delicious Bac’n Cheeze Burger. It consists of a house-made soy free and gluten free patty stacked with seitan bac’n, melted chee(z)e, mayo, ketchup, mustard, tomatoes, onions, pickles and lettuce. After the first bite, even the most meat-loving individual will taste bliss.

Pro-tip: Arlo’s makes a variety of scrumptious home-made sauces, we recommend that you order their classic chipotle mayo to accompany an order of fries.