Road Trip Worthy Virginia Burger Restaurants

Updated on July 27, 2023 by Julie McCool

We've rounded up favorite Virginia burger restaurants serving the delicious, juicy patties that call meat lovers back time after time. And since we're always on the hunt for new destinations, we've asked our travel friends to contribute their favorite Virginia burger recommendations too.

May is National Burger Month—a perfect time for a patty-focused road trip. But honestly, these Virginia burger spots are a great choice all year long, so bookmark our list for future treks.

Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links. We will make a small commission from these links if you order something, at no additional cost to you.


Holy Cow, Del Ray, Alexandria

Holy Cow burger, photo credit: Chris Militzer
Holy Cow burger, photo credit: Chris Militzer

“One great burger in Northern Virginia is The Steak House from Holy Cow in Del Ray Alexandria. It's a little different with the patty covered with Bleu Cheese, creamed spinach, mushrooms, fried onions, and a wine reduction on a toasted bun. It's like a juicy handheld steak dinner.”

Plan a side trip to nearby Old Town Alexandria for a tour of the quirky Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary, home to unicorn root, dragon's blood, and much more.

Burger recommendation and photo by Chris Militzer, Miliman12 Photography. Follow Chris on Instagram and Twitter.

Melt Gourmet Cheeseburgers, Leesburg

tall Melt burger Leesburg VA
Tall Melt burger Leesburg VA

Melt embraces, then pushes beyond the beef with exotic burgers made with crab, lamb, bison, turkey, and more. We're fans of the comical yet yummy effect of adding onion rings to the Fire Roasted Green Chile Cheeseburger (disclosure: we remove them before attempting to eat).

Historic Leesburg Virginia is a fun getaway destination for foodies, craft beer fans, history buffs, and nature lovers. Melt is just one of many tasty Leesburg restaurants worth a visit.

The Main Street Pub, Clifton

Main St Pub burger Clifton VA
Main St Pub burger Clifton VA

The bacon cheeseburger at Main Street Pub is a classic Virginia burger and a frequent centerpiece of our trips to the quaint town of Clifton. They get all the essentials right, from the juicy beef to the crisp bacon on top (tip: they also make a great BLT.)

Zinburger, Charlottesville

Zinburger with bacon Charlottesville
Zinburger with Bacon, Charlottesville VA

We've become Zinburger regulars since our daughter started school at UVA. Go classic with the Samburger (a bacon cheeseburger) or spice it up a little with the El Diablo. Whichever burger you choose, wine pairing or no, you're going to leave satisfied and have the energy to explore fun things to do in Cville.

Citizen Burger Bar, Charlottesville

Citizen Burger Charlottesville VA
Citizen Burger Bar Charlottesville VA

There are lots of great local restaurants in Charlottesville, but Citizen Burger calls us back with big, juicy locally-sourced patties, buns, and toppings. We usually build our own (don't forget the bacon) but there are several combos on the menu if you want to leave the building to someone else. The fries are really good too!

Charlottesville was the home of three US Presidents, and is the only UNESCO World Heritage sight in Virginia. Give yourself time to enjoy all the history, natural beauty, and foodie fun that the area offers on a Charlottesville getaway.

Stable Craft Brewing, Waynesboro

Virginia burger spots Stable Craft Brewery
Virginia burger spots, Stable Craft Brewery

Perhaps the prettiest brewery setting we have even been to, Stable Craft is a horse farm turned brewery and restaurant. The chef-owner keeps the burgers simple and yummy, a perfect side to the delicious brews.

Waynesboro's central location between Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge Parkway makes it the perfect spot to start a road trip through southern Shenandoah Valley. Or use it as the jumping off point for a trip through the northern Shenandoah Valley.

Commune, Virginia Beach

Commune burger, photo credit: Brianna Simmons, Casual Travelist
Commune Burger, photo credit: Brianna Simmons, Casual Travelist

“A few blocks from the Virginia Beach Boardwalk you'll find Commune, a farm-to-table restaurant with a focus on sourcing as locally as possible. While everything on their creative menu is good, their burger is especially addictive. With a baked in house brioche bun, pickled mustard seeds and scratch made pimento cheese, this is a burger you can feel good about.”

Burger recommendation and photo by Brianna Simmons, the Casual Travelist. Follow Brianna on Facebook and Instagram.

All this Virginia burger talk has us craving a meal and we'd love to grow our list of burger favorites. Happy dining!

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We've rounded up favorite Virginia burger spots that call meat-lovers back for delicious, juicy patties, fresh buns, and tasty toppings, all year long.
Great Virginia Burger Spots