Best Burgers in Phoenix: Green Chile and More

The best burgers in Phoenix are spread across a metro built for the car, so start with the districts where they cluster: downtown and Roosevelt Row, Uptown along Central and 7th avenues, Arcadia, and the neighboring cities of Tempe and Scottsdale. The order to know is the green chile cheeseburger, a New Mexico import topped with roasted chiles that several Phoenix grills build their menus around.

Phoenix eats around the heat. From June to September, afternoon highs above 110°F (43°C) are common, so burger bars fill after sunset and patios run misters. Mexican and Sonoran cooking shape everyday food across the Valley of the Sun, which is why roasted chiles and jalapeños turn up on burger menus far from any taqueria. Near Arizona State University, Mill Avenue in Tempe runs on the student calendar.

Burgers in Phoenix: key facts

• Areas to explore: downtown Phoenix, Roosevelt Row, Uptown and Melrose on 7th Avenue, Arcadia, Mill Avenue in Tempe and Old Town Scottsdale.
• Local favorite: the green chile cheeseburger, made with roasted Hatch-style green chiles.
• When to go: in summer, evenings are the comfortable time to eat out; winter is patio season.
• Getting around: Valley Metro Rail light rail links downtown Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa; elsewhere, plan on driving.
• Currency: US dollar (USD), with sales tax added at the register.
• What our guides check: where the chiles come from when a menu claims Hatch, and whether each venue is open on the date of the guide.

Every guide we publish on Phoenix is dated and lists only venues, addresses, prices and ratings we could verify. For other cities, browse all our burger restaurant guides.