These 11 spots close to home serve a crave-worthy burger. New or updated entries are marked with an asterisk. Did we miss your favorite? Let us know at [email protected]. * Smorgie’s The burger at Smorgie’s across the street from the Xcel Energy Center in downtown St. Paul. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press) This downtown newcomer is a great place to get in and out of quickly before an event, and they have a tasty, inexpensive burger to boot! The pretty basic double smash is well-executed, if a little overly crispy, but is served on a fresh bun with good burger sauce and is a steal at $12, and that included perfectly crispy tater tots. Smorgie’s:127 W. Seventh St., St. Paul; 651-204-3730‬; smorgiesbar.com * Wrestaurant at the Palace The burger at Wrestaurant at the Palace in downtown St. Paul. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press) This restaurant next to the Palace Theatre is a real boon to downtown. The Detroit-style pizza is great — but so is the burger! With its thin patties, American cheese, pickles and sauce, it’s not exactly reinventing the wheel, but it’s a solid burger. It’s decently priced at $13, too (comes with chips, upgrade to waffle fries for an extra $3). Wrestaurant at the Palace: 33 W. Seventh Place, St. Paul; 952-600-5611; wrestaurantatthepalace.com * Emmett’s Public House The Big Mick burger at Emmett’s Public House on St. Paul’s Grand Avenue. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press) I’m loving the remake of this Irish pub, with its new, yet lived-in look, fun cocktail menu and plenty of bar seating. Our “Big E” burger was a bit dry, but we were enamored with the Big Mick, a Big Mac copycat with two quarter-pound patties, American cheese, a triple bun, tasty burger sauce and crisp iceberg lettuce. It’s a lot of food, so I recommend sharing, though my twenty-something son had no problem polishing it off. Emmett’s Public House: 701 Grand Ave., St. Paul; 651-225-8248; emmettspublichouse.com * Local Rumor The burger at Local Rumor on St. Paul’s Selby Avenue. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press) We’re loving this affordable little neighborhood gem in the former Blue Door Pub space on Selby, and the perfectly seasoned, hand-pattied double burger for just $12 is no exception. It is topped with melty mild cheddar, pickles and a generous dollop of garlic aioli, but no fries. No matter, that means you can order a side of kicky broccolini instead. You know, for health reasons. (They do have a shareable portion of rosemary-spiked fries for $7 if you prefer.) Local Rumor: 1811 Selby Ave., St. Paul; 612-790-0614; instagram.com/localrumor * Lynette The burger at Lynette. (Jared Kaufman / Pioneer Press) Lynette, which opened this summer in Minneapolis’s Longfellow neighborhood, has pedigree; it comes courtesy of the guys behind the former Lyn65 in Richfield and Petit Leon and Little T’s in Minneapolis. And hey, they’ve got a pretty good burger. Two juicy, slightly irregular patties with cheese and pickles on a well-griddled bun, and they’re not shy with the dijonnaise, which helps amp up the savoriness of the beef. If you want fries, you can get a cone of duck-fat fries for $10; the portion is large enough to split. But on a recent evening, the fries were not hot nor crispy enough and maddeningly inconsistently salted, which all felt like a disservice to both us and the duck, really. The patio is gorgeous for any remaining warm fall evenings we might get, though, and little soft-serve ice cream cones that come free with the check are a delightful touch. Lynette: 3753 42nd Ave S., Minneapolis; 612-223-8060; lynettemn.com MyBurger Although this local chain is dangerously close to fast food, the burgers themselves are a big step up from what you can get in a drive-through. Properly seasoned, smashed on a griddle but still juicy enough, with quality toppings and reasonable prices, it’s a family-friendly option for busy nights. The fact that the St. Paul location is on a busy corner without much parking kept us from trying these burgers for too long. My Burger: Multiple locations, including 1580 Grand Ave., St. Paul; 651-330-7816; myburgerusa.com Tiffany Sports Lounge The first time we tried a burger at Tiff’s, it was probably a decade ago, and we were, to put it politely, unimpressed. Since then, the neighborhood bar and restaurant has upped its game, succumbing to the double-smash trend and doing it pretty well. We are especially big fans of the Tommie Smash, which involves a queso-like pepper-jack sauce, jalapenos, bacon and chipotle ranch. It’s a juicy, spicy, delicious mess in a beloved neighborhood spot. Tiffany Sports Lounge: 2051 Ford Parkway, St. Paul; 651-690-4747; tiffanysportslounge.com Groveland Tap The stroganoff burger at Groveland Tap in St. Paul. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press) This restaurant, known for its great burgers and a tap beer list a mile long, was recently renovated to add a bar to sit at while you wait for a table, which was a great move. The single-patty burgers here are just the right size, loosely pattied with a perfect amount of crisp on the outside without being overcooked. Though we’re not always a fan of distracting from a great burger with too many toppings, the stroganoff burger with its sauteed mushrooms, melty swiss, sour cream and chives is undeniably awesome. Groveland Tap: 184 St. Clair Ave., St. Paul; 651-699-5058; grovelandtap.com Pillbox Tavern This downtown St. Paul spot opened just before the pandemic closures took place in 2020, and it’s still chugging along, even without the full downtown workforce. And for burger lovers, that’s a great thing. All burgers start with six ounces of juicy, properly charred meat and a Grandma’s bakery bun — so really, it’s all about your preference of toppings, of which they have plenty. Pillbox Tavern: 400 N. Wabasha St., St. Paul; 651-756-7566; pillboxtav.com Foodsmith The burger at Foodsmith in West St. Paul. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press) This little gastropub, which has a great beer list (but also decent wines and a craft cocktail menu), is one of our favorite spots for a casual, weeknight nosh, and the burger is one we crave. It’s a single, juicy patty, topped with crisp iceberg and lots of pickley remoulade sauce on a pillowy milk bun. Simple, well-executed, delicious. The skin-on deep-golden fries are worth the calories, too. Foodsmith: 973 S. Smith Ave., West St. Paul; 651-330-0896; foodsmithpub.com Yum! Kitchen and Bakery If you’re at this bakery and cafe, you might not think to order the burger, but we’re here to tell you that you absolutely should. It’s two juicy patties with really fresh lettuce, tomato, onion and a special sauce on a house-made bun. It’s served with a crisp pickle and the cafe’s thin, crisp and addictive house-made potato chips. This is one of our favorite lunch spots, especially if we have a meeting, because the space is bright and airy, and we never feel rushed to give up a table because there’s plenty of space. Yum! Kitchen and Bakery: Four locations, including 164 N. Snelling Ave., St. Paul, 651-615-1230; and 8340 City Centre Drive, Woodbury, 651-603-4444; yumkitchen.com Related Articles Restaurants, Food and Drink | Best burgers: 26 burgers served up by local chefs Restaurants, Food and Drink | Best burgers: 11 burgers worth the drive Restaurants, Food and Drink | Our 2024 guide to the best burgers in the Twin Cities Restaurants, Food and Drink | Best burgers: 9 dive bar burgers Restaurants, Food and Drink | Best burgers: 8 burgers to pair with beer or cocktails