Best Burgers in Providence: Diners and More

The best burgers in Providence are spread across a compact city: Downcity around Kennedy Plaza, Federal Hill along Atwells Avenue, College Hill and Thayer Street near Brown University, Wickenden Street in Fox Point and Broadway in the West End. Late at night, the burger becomes a downtown ritual: Haven Brothers, a diner on wheels, parks beside City Hall every evening and serves into the early morning.

Haven Brothers began in 1893 as a horse-drawn lunch wagon, which makes it one of the oldest mobile diners in the United States. Rhode Island’s own fast-food classic is not a burger but the hot wiener, served “New York System” with meat sauce, mustard, chopped onions and celery salt, often with a glass of coffee milk, the official state drink. Providence also trains cooks: Johnson & Wales University runs its culinary arts program here.

Burgers in Providence: key facts

• Neighborhoods to explore: Downcity, Federal Hill, College Hill, Fox Point, the West End and Olneyville.
• Late-night institution: Haven Brothers, parked nightly beside City Hall.
• Local specialty: New York System hot wieners, with coffee milk on the side.
• Getting around: downtown and College Hill are walkable; RIPTA buses meet at Kennedy Plaza.
• Currency: US dollar (USD), with Rhode Island sales tax added.
• What our guides check: that a venue is actually open, a named signature burger and a dated menu price.

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