The Best St. Pete Burger You Haven’t Tried Yet

No it's not Engine No. 9. It's not El Cap. Everyone's been to those two burger hotspots. I might have a new favorite St. Pete burger.

While El Cap has never really wow'd me, the burgers at Engine No. 9, while a little overpriced, are solid. But the burger I'm talking about has never been featured on one of those cable TV shows. It probably won't even come up on Yelp or Google Reviews.

It used to be called Babalu. It was a staple on 4th Street for years. It was a dive, but locals seemed to love it. When Babalu closed up a few years ago, honestly, I didn't shed a tear. The food was mediocre on a good day. It felt dirty. It was more of a dive bar than restaurant. An Irish Pub moved in.

The only reason I stumbled into McArthur's Irish Pub in St. Petersburg is because it's so close to the radio station. Given that it's an old fashioned European pub, on my first visit, I went with the fish and chips. Honestly, the meal was completely forgettable. A year or so went by before I returned. I remember my buddy ordered the burger and it looked excellent. On my next visit, I skipped the fish and chips and went straight to the burger section of the menu.

I tried one last month. I've had 3 of their burgers since. The slabs of bacon were thick and cooked perfectly. The toppings were fresh. And the fact that McArthur's gives you malt vinegar to put on your French Fries scores major points with me.

After one bite my eyes widened. While it might not be the best burger I've had in the Tampa area, this is the best St. Pete burger nobody knows about for sure. It's not on anyone's list. But it might be on yours if you try it. It's juicy, but not greasy. The vibe of the place is chill and it's pretty cheap by St. Pete standards.

There's the basic Classic Cheese Burger. I have them add the bacon to that and am good to go. I tried the Bacon Blue Burger and if you dig blue cheese, that might be a better bet. There's the Jameson Whiskey BBQ Burger and a Mushroom Swiss too. The wings smelled good when they went by. One day I'll try those too but usually once I find something I like, I stick with it. And for me it's McArthur's burgers.

Like any good burger spot, they'll ask you how you want it cooked. No matter how I've ordered, it always comes out medium well to well. But I'm not annoyed. It's always been good.

If you're one of our neighbors, they are on Uber Eats. Otherwise, pop 9246 4th Street North in St. Petersburg into your GPS. They're open 11-11 except for Friday & Saturday nights when the stay open until midnight. Beer prices are pretty reasonable. And they have live music most nights according to their website.

There's never a bad time for a good burger. Thankfully, you have lots of options in the Tampa Bay area to satisfy your cravings! Whether you're looking for the classic cheeseburger with lettuce, tomatoes, and onion, or want to venture into bolder flavors, here are the places and burgers you need to try.

It's no secret that the Tampa Bay area is home to so many great restaurants. It doesn't matter if you're looking for a casual setting, or want to dress up. We have endless options of tasty menus to try. We got some inspiration from the best-rated places on Yelp but also added a few of our picks.

Since it's Tampa Bay Burger Week (from Nov 2-Nov 12), we thought we would do a deep dive of our favorite burger restaurants, or even restaurants with must-try burgers. Tampa Bay Burger Week is donating a portion of proceeds to Feeding Tampa Bay. You may notice that some of the places on our list are hosting specials for Burger Week. To take advantage of Tampa Bay Burger Week 2023, all you have to do is simply ask for the Tampa Bay Burger Week special.

Some like to keep it classic. All they need is some beef cooked to perfection, cheese, lettuce, onion, tomato (and maybe a pickle on the side.) Some only eat burgers unless it's got unique or bolder ingredients. Props to those who are bold enough to try burgers with donut buns at the Florida State Fair. We like to keep it interesting and try the more flavorful burgers, but it's hard to turn down a true classic.

Any place we missed from the list? Let us know on social media!

Number 1 on our list is Burger Culture. With a name like that how could you not be in the top 5?! This is the place to go to for any kind of burger you're craving. But personally, we think it's worth it to try one of their specialty burgers like The Street Burger or the Ramen Burger.

Located off Columbus Ave, Isaac's World Famous Burgers is quite the hidden Tampa gem. Their classic burgers are always a good way to go but we recommend trying the Cheesy Mr. Peppa Steak Burger. It's made with their one-of-a-kind spicy cheese cream sauce. Provolone cheese and sautéed sweet onions and Pepperoncini peppers.

Thee Burger Spot made Yelp's list of the most "outrageous" burgers in America. Thee Glazed One from Thee Burger Spot made the list of 11 "eye-popping patties.

Foody's Tampa is a great hole in the wall spot with a huge menu! But what will keep you coming back for more is their French Toast Burger....

The Boozy Pig is another one of our favorite Tampa spots. For some of the highest-quality meats and fresh ingredients, go to The Boozy Pig. The only downside is they are open for lunch only and Brunch on the weekends where you can get their Breakfast Burger.

Cross the bridge to St. Pete for one of the most classic burger joints around. El Cap has always been a staple in St. Pete and has some of the best smash burgers in town! In 2023 they changed owners, but the delicious food remains the same.

Last but not least on our list is Engine No. 9. This St. Pete gem has some of the best specialty burgers in Pinellas. The XXX Burger is our favorite made with: Cheddar Cheese, Barbecue Sauce & Jalapeño Bacon. Served on Pretzel Roll.