Three Florida burger joints rank among the nation’s best. Why fans love them
Florida is home to some of the nation’s top-ranked burger joints — but don’t always expect a bun and patties.
The Sunshine State boasts three of the top 20 places to eat a cheeseburger, according to a national list published Sept. 9. Here are the restaurants that earned spots in the rankings:
- North South Grill in Pembroke Pines at No. 7
- Satu’li Canteen in Lake Buena Vista at No. 8
- Empamamas in Tampa at No. 9
To determine the best burger joints, the review website Yelp said it studied restaurants across the country. Then, it “ranked those spots using a number of factors, including the total volume and ratings of reviews” left over time from Elites, who are regular users of the platform.
Why fans love the Florida burger joints
Of the Florida winners, North South Grill in Pembroke Pines ranked the highest at No. 7. The restaurant, a roughly 20-mile drive northwest from Miami, has Yelp users praising burgers they say are packed with flavor.
“North South Grill uses 100% American Wagyu beef for their burgers and steaks,” Yelp wrote in its report. “Their smash burgers here are flavorful and the portions are big. Yelpers rave about the different sizes of their burgers.”
Also earning a spot on the list was Satu’li Canteen in Walt Disney World’s Animal Kingdom theme park. The restaurant, which draws inspiration from the movie “Avatar,” stuffs burger ingredients into steamed buns.
“These may not look like traditional cheeseburgers, but the ‘Cheeseburger Steam Pods’ are phenomenal,” Yelp wrote. “The bao buns are stuffed with ground beef, ketchup, mustard, pickle, and cheddar cheese — which makes for an out-of-this-world cheeseburger experience.”
Rounding out the top-ranked Florida eateries was Empamamas at No. 9. The Tampa restaurant said it serves “not so basic empanadas,” including its fan-favorite spin on the classic cheeseburger.
“The ‘Cheeseburger in Paradise’ is a fun take on a traditional cheeseburger,” Yelp wrote. “It includes seasoned ground beef, cheddar, mozzarella, provolone, spinach, tomato, red onion, pickle, and their signature Tampa Girl sauce. Elites can’t get enough of this burger and love pairing it with a flaky empanada.”
Overall, Yelp said the nation’s best burger joint was Shige’s Saimin Stand in Wahiawa, on the Hawaiian island of Oahu.
This story was originally published September 12, 2024 at 10:10 AM with the headline "Three Florida burger joints rank among the nation’s best. Why fans love them."
