Best Burgers in Atlanta: BeltLine to Midtown

The best burgers in Atlanta line the BeltLine’s Eastside Trail, which links Old Fourth Ward, Inman Park and the food halls of Ponce City Market and Krog Street Market, and spread into Midtown, West Midtown, Decatur and East Atlanta Village. Expect smash burgers, chef-driven bar burgers and one fast-food landmark near Georgia Tech.

That landmark is The Varsity, opened in 1928 and still running its North Avenue flagship, billed as the world’s largest drive-in. Counter staff greet each customer with a rapid “What’ll ya have?”, and the order is built from chili dogs, burgers, onion rings and a Frosted Orange. The rest of the city eats Southern: pimento cheese, the cheddar-and-mayonnaise spread found across the South, is the local topping worth looking for on a burger menu. Atlanta also spreads well beyond its core, and Buford Highway, lined with Korean, Vietnamese and Mexican restaurants, shows how wide the metro’s food map runs.

Burgers in Atlanta: key facts

• Neighborhoods to explore: Old Fourth Ward, Inman Park, Midtown, West Midtown, Decatur and East Atlanta Village.
• Landmark: The Varsity on North Avenue, open since 1928.
• Food halls: Ponce City Market and Krog Street Market, both reachable on foot from the Eastside Trail.
• Southern topping: pimento cheese.
• Getting around: MARTA’s North Avenue station sits a short walk from The Varsity; the BeltLine is best on foot or by bike.
• Currency: US dollar (USD).

Every guide we publish on Atlanta is dated and lists only venues, addresses, prices and ratings we could verify. Browse our burger restaurant guides for more cities.