Four locations across the Metro means easy access to some of the freshest, most satisfying burgers around. Options are your friend here, since you can choose among beef, Buffalo, veggie, or turkey for your patty base, and toppings include goat or Brie cheese, housemade guac, and crispy onions, among the standards. Favorites include the Scarpone, Getting Figgy With It, and naturally, the Classic Double.

Winning second place People’s Choice in 2021’s Burger Battle, Humboldt has some claim to the burger scene. It might be the only burger on their menu, but for one thing, it’s a short rib/brisket patty, and for another, it’s stacked exceptionally high with equally fresh and tasty toppings, including sugar-cured bacon, red onion jam, and cracked pepper aioli. Wash it down with one of Humboldt’s signature craft cocktails and call it an ideal day.

You can’t trust every eatery that’s been around a long time, but a family-run biz that’s been serving up burgers for 28 years is a bit of an exception. If what you’re looking for is one of those epic, bursting-from-the-buns burgers in a cute little paper wrapper that also packs an absolute sensory punch, stop in. If you’re bringing the whole fam, great, because burgers aren’t the only menu item here—they are definitely, however, the hottest-selling.

What used to be a hard to catch, very occasional dish at this award-winning eatery from equally award-winning chef Caroline Glover is now a staple of their dine-in and takeout offerings. The Annette burger features 7x Wagyu beef served up on a house-made English muffin with chow chow, sour pickles, and cheddar. It’s a perfectly crafted burger, but more than that, it’s a very real (and very delicious) symbol of Glover’s range as a chef.

Two words: Shroom Luva’s. This burger spot from the team behind Bar Dough and Señor Bear has expanded to four locations in recent years, and they offer a ton of burger options including a make-your-own menu. But one signature, must-try burger is the Shroom Luva’s, loved for its umami explosion of sautéed mushrooms and white truffle aïoli with melted Swiss. It’s a classic combo that elevates the burger from backyard BBQ staple to “damn, I need another” craving.

As the oldest bar in Denver, this spot’s got some colorful history, including notable former patrons like beat writers Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassady. While it has been continuously serving hooch since 1873, the current incarnation has been bringing impressive burgers under the current name since 1970. My Brother’s Bar is an institution any way you slice it, with the Johnny Burger—topped with jalapeno cream cheese, grilled onions, and Swiss and American cheese—being a certified classic.