Love a good burger? Here's where to find some of the best in the Des Moines metro
Burgers are standard fare on restaurant menus in Des Moines. Even the most posh restaurants serve a version of this iconic dish. The versions on this list span hamburgers found at a diner, at a burger specialist and at one of the top restaurants in Des Moines, among others. Here, a look at 11 iconic burgers that you can always turn to in the Des Moines metro area.
Alba
The farmhouse burger, $17.50
Alba in the East Village specializes in farm-to-table fare and changes its menu seasonally to take advantage of fresh produce. The farmhouse burger remains one of the best in the city with fried Brussels sprouts leaves, Swiss cheese and a bourbon mustard aioli. During happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m. in the bar area, snag one of three $8 burgers such as the Alba burger with caramelized onions and bleu cheese, the Lil’ Danny burger with cheddar and pickled red onions, or the classic burger with tomato, onion, cheddar and a house pickle.
Location: 524 E. Sixth St., Des Moines
Contact: 515-244-0261 or albadsm.com
Angry Goldfish Pub & Eatery
Hangover burger, $12
It’s a slice of breakfast on a bun. The hangover burger at the Angry Goldfish lives up to its name with hash browns, bacon, an over-easy egg and cheddar cheese. It even comes with a bloody mary dipping sauce on the side. Do order it with the tater tots. Other options include a Boursin burger with sautéed onions, the Asian PB and J burger with Thai peanut sauce and spicy strawberry bacon jam, or the AG burger with two patties and cheese. Gluten-free bun are an additional $1.50. Any burger can be a veggie burger
Location: 2301 S.W. Ninth St., Des Moines
Contact: 515-288-2358 or angrygoldfishdsm.com
Barn Town Brewing
Brewer’s burger, $14.99
Beer and burgers make a perfect couple, and the burgers at Barn Town Brewing include two patties griddled on a flat top. The Brewer's burger combines bacon, a fried egg and cheddar and tastes closest to the burger you might make in your own back yard. Others include a version with brie and bacon, the bacon blu with bacon compote and blue cheese crumbles, and the croque-madame with grilled ham, Swiss, a sunny-side-up egg, and stoneground béchamel. Sub a gluten-free bun for an additional $2. Sub no-meat patties for no charge.
Location: 9500 University Ave., Suite 1110, West Des Moines
Contact: 515-978-6767 or barntownbrewing.com
Bubba
The Bowtie burger, $16
Bubba, the Southern restaurant in downtown Des Moines, only has one burger on its menu, but it’s an ode to down South cuisine. The Bowtie burger comes topped with pimento cheese and pecan-smoked bacon on a brioche bun. You can add a fried egg for an extra dollar. Find it at brunch, lunch and dinner.
Location: 200 10th St., Des Moines
Contact: bubbadsm.com or 515-257-4744
Clyde’s Fine Diner
CFD burger, $12
Every diner should have a burger, and the elevated diner Clyde’s in the East Village offers a fine version. The CFD burger features two patties, American cheese, the restaurant's own burger sauce, shaved onions and pickles. You can also find a veggie burger with field roast vegan cheese, greens, shaved onion, and Dijonnaise, as well as an optional vegan bun and Dijon for $15. On Tuesdays, you can score a burger with a shot of Evan Williams Bourbon and a PBR for $15.
Location: 111 E. Grand Ave., Des Moines
Contact: 515-243-3686 or clydesfinediner.com
Django
Rossini burger, $21
Go French with your burger at Django in downtown Des Moines across from the Pappajohn Sculpture Park. The Rossini burger features with foie gras torchon, black truffle, demi-glace and Gruyère. The au poivre uses a brandy peppercorn sauce and Gruyère, the Le Royale with cheese combines a fried egg and white cheddar cheese, and Le Bleu has Roquefort and caramelized onion. Django also offers a veggie burger with Beyond meat and onion rings.
Location: 1420 Locust St., Des Moines
Contact: 515-288-0268 or djangodesmoines.com
Lachele’s Fine Foods
The Lachele burger, $12
Crispy on the outside, juicy on the inside. The namesake Lachele burger cooked on a griddle comes with the standards: pickles, onions, romaine lettuce, and American cheese on a sesame seed bun. No, it’s not a Big Mac; it’s much, much better. Cory Wendel named the restaurant for his wife, Lachele. Gluten-free option available as well.
Location: 2716 Ingersoll Ave., Des Moines
Contact: 515-330-6876 or lacheles.com
More: A comprehensive guide to finding James Beard Foundation-nominated chefs, restaurants in Iowa
Lucky Horse Beer & Burgers
Cheeseburger, $12
Diners can choose from 12 burgers on the menu at Lucky Horse near Drake University, and the restaurant typically offers a burger of the month that rotates. Try the cheeseburger that includes a 7-ounce patty and American cheese, or go with the fried mushroom Swiss, bacon cheddar, or Dogtown burger with hot pepper bacon jam and smoked Gouda. Gluten-free buns are available.
Location: 2331 University Ave., Des Moines
Contact: 515-381-9088 or luckyhorsedsm.com
Lua Brewing
Lua smush burger, $16.50
The brewery in Sherman Hill has found a following not only for its Iowa beers and Climbing Kites THC sparkling water, but its smush burger. Pull a chair up at a table on the patio and order the burger with two house-ground patties, fried onions, American cheese, Lua sauce, and pickles. The restaurant also has an Impossible meat version.
Location: 1525 High St., Des Moines
Contact: 515-630-5311 or luabeer.com
Mulberry Street Tavern
MST double burger, $18
Mulberry Street Tavern inside the Surety Hotel boldly claims to have “the hands down best burger in Des Moines.” And it is pretty good with grilled onions, sriracha pickles, American cheese, mustard and caper mayo. It’s worth trying.
Location: Surety Hotel, 206 Sixth Ave., Des Moines
Contact: suretyhotel.com/mulberry-street-tavern or 515-985-2066
More: The best burger in Iowa is found at The Flight Bar + Grille in Huxley
Zombie Burger + Drink Lab
Zombie burger, $10.25 for a single patty, $12.75 for two patties, and $15.25 for three patties
When people outside Iowa think of restaurants in Des Moines, they inevitably mention Zombie Burger, which earned a cult following for its zombie-themed menu. Recently, it landed in the No. 35 spot on Yelp’s list of best burgers nationwide. The GoreMet Bashed Burgers, as they’re called, come with a choice of one, two or three patties. The namesake Zombie burger comes with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, and red onions, but other novelty names include the East Village of the Damned with a breaded mushroom and cheese croquette, the 28 Days Later with blue cheese and caramelized onion, and They’re Coming to Get You, Barbara with two grilled-cheese-sandwich buns, American cheese, caramelized onion, and bacon. Vegan diners can request the veggie nut patty, Beyond meat patty or grilled Portobello.
Location: 300 E. Grand Ave., Des Moines; also at Jordan Creek Town Center, 101 Jordan Creek Parkway, West Des Moines
Contact: 515-244-9292 or zombieburgerdm.com
Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor and dining reporter at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at sstapleton@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Where to find the best hamburgers in the Des Moines metro area
