11 great downtown Lexington burgers to have on your dining radar

We love our burgers. According to a recent report, the U.S. burger restaurant industry has a market size totaling $161 billion dollars in revenue annually — and the number of burger restaurants has grown year over year for the past five years.

With the University of Kentucky men’s basketball season now underway, and an increasing number of concerts and other events on the calendar at the recently renovated Central Bank Center, many more people are descending upon downtown these days — and also looking for a place to sink their teeth into a great burger before or after events. Others may simply be looking for a suitable lunch spot for an extraordinary burger.

The options for a burger in downtown Lexington are numerous and business is fiercely competitive. A quick count finds at least 45 possibilities in the general downtown area where you can find a burger on the menu.

But true burger aficionados know that not just any burger will suffice. They want a burger that rises above the rest. Generally found at places where burgers aren’t simply an afterthought. Burgers that are “well done.”

Here are 11 noteworthy burgers available in the downtown area, in alphabetical order by restaurant, that should be on your radar. These are better than average burgers to help satisfy your next craving.

Hours and days of operation vary at each establishment vary.

Bad Wolf Burgers

350 Foreman Ave., bad-wolf-burgers.business.site, 859-286-9889

Throngs of burger lovers flock here frequently for their favorite. The Spalding is the superstar on the menu. A 6 oz. patty topped with aged cheddar cheese, smoked bacon, and a fried egg, on a melt-in-your-mouth glazed yeast doughnut from Lexington’s Spalding Bakery. ($10.95)

If that one is not for you, there is also the Thorpe, the namesake Bad Wolf Burger, the Barbeque Burger, the Pineapple Burger, the Black and Blue Burger, the Cajun Burger, the Mushroom Burger, and the seasonal Chili Cheese Burger. Make any burger a 12-oz. double for $4.99 more.

Big Kahuna Hawaiian BBQ

904 Liberty Rd., Bigkahunalex.com, 859-317-9179

An outstanding burger at a Hawaiian BBQ spot? Yes. Lexington’s only Hawaiian barbecue restaurant also serves up one of the best burgers around, The Big Kahuna Burger. A hearty half-pound of beef topped with charred pineapple, Swiss cheese, and bacon on a toasted bun with Hawaiian BBQ sauce, served with macaroni salad. ($11) It is lip-licking good.

Side substitutions are $2. Add a fried egg for $1.25 more.

If you haven’t tried this burger, you are missing out.

Carson’s Food & Drink

362 E. Main St., carsonsfoodanddrink.com, 859-309-3039

Carson’s consistently receives high praise from downtown diners and rightfully so. Their Wagyu Burger features Wagyu beef grilled to your liking and is finished with truffle butter, and topped with gruyere cheese, cherrywood smoked bacon, avocado, lettuce, red onion, tomato and house-made garlic aioli on a toasted brioche bun. Served with a side of rosemary demi-glace for dipping and your choice of side. ($21)

With its extraordinary melt-in-your-mouth taste, Wagyu beef is considered by many to be far more flavorful than standard beef and the best in the world.

Reservations at Carson’s are strongly recommended.

Columbia’s Steakhouse Downtown

201 N. Limestone, columbiassteakhouse.com, 859-253-3135

Columbia’s has been a Lexington tradition since 1948. The Columbia’s Hamburger is a menu staple. Hand-patted, locally sourced Grade A Chuck, cooked to order and served with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles and mayo. Add grilled onions, fresh sliced mushrooms, bacon or cheese (American, Swiss, cheddar, or pepper jack) for 99 cents each. Served with choice of those famous thick steak fries or baked potato or daily vegetable. ($12.99)

General manager Flo Cowley adds, “Hamburger is the only red meat I eat, and we have the best burger anywhere. Nowhere else compares to ours.”

Who is going to argue? Flo has been welcoming customers at Columbia’s for 35 years.

DV8 Kitchen East End

594 E. Third St., dv8kitchen.com, 859-832-0388

Billed as the Best Burger in Town, DV8 Kitchen’s standout burger includes a Black Angus beef patty, fried over-medium egg, smoked bacon, caramelized onions, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato and Dijonnaise sauce, served on brioche bun or Southern biscuit. ($8) Substitute gluten-free bun, add $1.

Rob Perez has built DV8 Kitchen into a remarkable and commendable success story and he has hit on something truly delicious with this delectable burger.

The original DV8 Kitchen is located at 867 S. Broadway.

Favor Kitchen

574 N. Limestone, eatfavor.com, 859-687-0100

Simply dubbed the Cheeseburger, Favor Kitchen’s burger is made with dry-aged Kentucky beef from Porter Road, thin-grilled and topped with lettuce, onion, American cheese, pickles and a secret sauce. Their buns are made using locally milled flour. ($12)

Tucked behind Arcadium, Favor Kitchen features “bar-friendly snacks and shareable portions.” However, you may be tempted to keep this burger all for yourself.

Nic & Norman’s

135 W. Main St., nicandnormans.com/nic-and-normans-lexington-ky, 859-303-7600

The Frito Chili Smashburger is a standout. A double smashburger topped with spicy mayo, house-made chili, seared jalapenos, queso and original Fritos served with Sidewinder fries or sweet potato fries. ($15) The flavor abounds.

Other options include Greg’s Pick, the Classic Burger, the BBQ Burger, Mexican Burger, Pimento Bacon Burger, and an Impossible brand plant-based patty, Norman’s Pick.

Each burger is served on a signature bun or un-bun (wrapped in iceberg lettuce). Substitute a pretzel or gluten-free bun for an additional $1. Make it a bison burger for $3 more.

Sawyer’s Downtown Bar and Grill

140 W. Main St., sawyersdowntown.com

In the spring of 2021, there was a deep sense of loss in the downtown dining scene when Jim Sawyer, owner of Sawyer’s Bar & Grill, announced he had closed the popular eatery’s doors after more than three decades due to the impact of the pandemic.

“I have NOT served my last burger by a long shot,” Sawyer said at the time.

Thankfully, for Lexington burger lovers, he was correct. Sawyer’s reopened earlier this fall, moving just up Main Street to the City Center block—and you can still dress your burger (or chili) how you like from the popular toppings bar.

“Business is crazy. Up 140 percent over the original location and if I had more staff, it would be even crazier because I would stay open even longer,” Sawyer noted recently. “The reception has been stunning. I am amazed by the number of people who have said they missed us.”

The Chili Burger, as noted on the menu, is “the best of both worlds. Lots of beef and a bowl of chili on top!” Choice of cheese, served with fries or homemade chips. ($13.50)

Sidebar Grill

147 N. Limestone St., Facebook.com/Sidebar.Grill, 859-225-8883

It is hard to beat a burger from a proverbial “hole-in-the-wall” joint. Sidebar Grill’s space may be small, but their Build Your Own Burger is big on flavor. A fresh round and grilled sirloin patty with choice of cheese and toppings (lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, mayo.) ($10.50)

Add jalapenos, sauteed onions, Dijon, double cheese, blackened, for 50-cents each. Add brie, bleu cheese, bacon, fried egg, or mushrooms for $1 more. Add quarter-pound patty for $4.

Other options: the Side-Chick Burger, the Beef & Brie Burger, and the Breakfast Burger on the Saturday Brunch menu. And their specials are amazing.

Tolly-Ho

606 S. Broadway, Tollyho.com, 859-253-2007

Although no longer quite in the heart of campus as it once was, Tolly-Ho is still an enduring favorite of the University of Kentucky campus crowd and with far too many locals to count including first responders, downtown business folks, the after-the-bars-close crowd and others.

Since 1971, this unpretentious eatery has been popular for offering breakfast 24/7 and for serving up their legendary fresh, hot, juicy quarter-pound Tolly-Ho Burger. ($4.39)

Really hungry? There is also the half-pound Super-Ho ($6.90), and the three-quarter-pound. Mega-Ho ($8.30.) Each is made with mustard, ketchup, lettuce, onion, and a special Ho sauce. The beef is ground locally, brought in daily, and never frozen.

Here, they will know you by name, as they will yell for you when your order is hot off the grill.

Zim’s Cafe

215 W. Main St., zimscafe.com, 859-785-3690

With her family of renowned restaurants, chef Ouita Michel knows a thing or two about food — and how to craft a delicious burger. Her Zim’s Burger is just that. Your choice of Stone Cross Farm beef burger or house-made vegan black bean and quinoa patty. Each served with lettuce, tomato, red onion, special sauce, and pickles along with fries. ($10.99) Add choice of cheese for $1 more.

Add pimento cheese, bourbon barrel beer cheese or blue pimento cheese, $2. Add bacon, $3. Add bourbon bacon jam, $2. Add an extra patty for $4.99.

Zim’s Café’s lunch menu also features the Santa Anita Burger, the Bourbon Barrel Deluxe Burger, the Famous Big Brown Burger, and the Double Bacon Cheeseburger from Heaven.

Bonus, you get to enjoy your burger in the heart of downtown with a scenic backdrop of the historic old courthouse.

Rob Bolson is a freelance writer residing in Lexington, Kentucky, who writes about food and culture. Follow him on Instagram at @robbiebolson .