Romeing’s ultimate burger guide

Where to find the best American hamburger in Rome

You’ve been here for awhile, and although you respect Rome’s culinary traditions, you’re ready to steer off the pasta path for a meal or two and go for a good old- fashioned hamburger with some fries on the side. Luckily, there are plenty of sublime burger spots found around town.

The Meat Market

The Meat Market: a perfect crossbreed between a steakhouse from the States and an authentic Pugliese restaurant. With diners in both Testaccio and Piazza Bologna, they offer superb classics and ones with an Italian touch to them. Owned by Vito Fiusco and Anita Nuzzi, both entrepreneurs and parents to The Fisherman Burger, too, this place offers tartars, carpaccio, and steak alongside their burgers made from highly selected, extremely fresh ingredients. They fill their Roscioli buns with a beef patty, crushed potato, porchetta – roast pork, smoked provolone, and home-made rosemary mayonnaise; this is the “Burger Pontino”. As tribute to the origins of the owners, they created the “Burger Puglia”: burrata cheese, capocollo, home-dried tomatoes, and cooked turnip. Don’t miss out on the roast potatoes on the side with your burger! There is also a wide array of beers and wines available to have with your delicious bun of goodness.

Straforno

Aside from the delicious and varied pizza menu (we really do mean varied: both grilled and stuffed pizzas), Matteo Pavani in his Straforno at San Basilio offers beautiful hamburgers, too. His wood-oven baked fragrant buns are easy on the stomach and enclose a variety of meats all served and selected with great degree of prior research about the ingredients. You can try the “Burger Croccante”: a beef patty with smoked provolone, sizzling guanciale (jowl bacon), potato latkes, caramelised red onion, romaine lettuce and Straforno sauce. Or the “Gricio,” a minced beef patty with creamed Pecorino Romano Dop, black pepper, guanciale and arugula – resembling the ingredients of a pasta alla grigia. You can order a 150gr patty, or a 300gr one, depending on  your hunger, but if you’re famish and feeling extreme you may want the “Stra – Mega Burger”: 600gr of minced beef in a 300gr focaccia baked in a wood-oven with original French fries, classic crisps and sauces. Did someone say reward? Having one of these monsters all by yourself guarantees a collectable beer mug and a free ”Stra – Mega Burger” for the next time you visit.

Fisherman Burger

In the Nomentano district, a stone’s trow away from Piazza Bologna, The Fisherman Burger offers a burger menu entirely made from fish. With a cuisine that stands as a successful melting pot of Italy (in particular Puglia) and New England, their selection is impeccable; you will also find some delicious gourmet panini. One burger that stands out is the “Del Pescatore” made with salmon steak, creamed potato, arugula, chili peppers, taggaische olives and pescatore sauce; another worth to mention is the “Del Mozzo” made with codfish, sautéed spinach, crispy bacon, smoked scamorza cheese and mayonnaise; and last but not least, the “Davy Jones” with roast octopus meat, broad bean cream, beetroot and friggitelli sweet peppers. We also recommend the ever-present Lobster Roll with bacon and caramelised onion.

Birretta Wine and Food

The Birretta Wine and Food located in Prati offers an abundant variety of high quality burgers. Meat from the famous Feroci butchery is seasoned and formed into patties, ready to find their home in many kinds of buns – even a black squid ink one! Not only, but there is an assortment of sauces and condiments to enriched the flavours of these two high quality main components. A must-try is the “Fantozzi burger”: 200gr of beef, potato omelette, provolone, and jalapeño mayo. They also offer fried starters, nachos with extra toppings to share, pulled pork, pastrami, and they have a range of options to accomodate the non-meat eaters, too. Try one of their many artisanal beers along your meal, you won’t regret it!

Open Baladin

Hidden deep in the Campo dei Fiori you can find a pub ready to serve some of the best burgers in town. What’s on offer? Bonci bread, fassona meat, and Italian-style condiments. Next to the classic burgers, you find the “Onorevole” made with pistachio pesto, pecorino cheese from Pienza, grilled prosciutto cotto (cooked ham), and sun-dried tomatoes in oil. They also make their very own crisps, the “Fatate,” the classic version being with cacio e pepe (cheese and pepper), or you may wish to try the smoked paprika version for a kick. With tartars, salads, and various veggie options, they offer a wide menu, showing dedication to costumers, this is shown also by the fact that when ordering a burger, they ask how well done you want your meat; a rare and much appreciated detail. Definitely take a peak at their artisanal beers, they have more than 100 options!

Smash Tag

Smash Tag is born out of the heads of Riccardo Di Salvo, Ivan Leone, and Giorgio Rajani in April 2021 located in Piazza Bologna. This small place makes some of the best burgers in the capital. Their best seller? The “Smash burger”. Using a special tool, the “smasher”, the minced ball of meat is compressed into a patty – the high temperature of the skillet creates a crispy crust which with the smash, seals the flavourful juices of the meat within the patty. The meats are selected from different cuts of minces daily, more than once! And to top it all off, there’s various secret sauces to add alongside smoked bacon, American cheese and much more. Is there anything else you could possibly wish for? Oh, yes, indeed, their packaging is completely compostable!

Taste Good – Hamburger Italiana

In Rome’s Quartiere Africano, you get the opportunity to create your own burger at Taste Good;  choose your bread, the size of your patty, and the condiments, but you can also rely on their menu. With four different kinds of fries to accompany your delicious burger, you will be in a pickle: you may go for crisps, stick, with skin, or devilled. They also have a fun feature for the daring called the social burger, a three kilogram option to share at your table.

Franz Burger

Near Piazza Lodi in San Giovanni, Franz Burger stands as a place which offers both quirky combinations and great classics. The “al Fresco” hamburger, for instance, has lime flavoured cheddar and mint mayo! They also let you build your burger choosing from various patties: Angus, horse, chicken or veggie; different breads: classic, with seeds, or Arabic; and finally, many sauces; the classics and the “Fresco”or “Spinto” all with extras like friggitelli sweet peppers, onion, bacon, cheddar, spicy mayo and much more.

Docks & Co

Docks & Co: the love child of Mexican and Italian cuisine. You can have the Green Chili Burger full Texan style: double the cheddar, Tropean onion, caramelised jalapeño, bacon, and Dijonnaise sauce. Or go for the Juicy Lucy Burger full of cheddar cheese. With a vast array of starters to choose from you may not even get to the burgers; tex-mix nachos, tacos and fajitas. As for mains, burritos, tartares, pork ribs to complete the bountiful offer – with vegetarian and pescatarian options, too!

Flower Burger

The first vegan burger place in Rome, in two different locations, with seven different coloured buns to choose from. Your patty can be made from seitan, chickpeas, or veggies, and you may choose from various special sauces like the rocktail: a mix of ketchup, mustard, flower mayo enriched with nori seaweed and brandy!

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Knick Knack Yoda

A stone’s throw away from the Vatican, you can experience a little Berlin at Knick Knack Yoda; techno and a great selection of sought after burgers. A good base of Chianina meat enveloped in soft yet crispy bread, with agrilled potatoes covered in bacon bits and melting cheese as a side. The menu changes daily, with new options like “Maradona Vive” made with broccoletto, guanciale (jowl bacon), fontina, tabasco and truffle sauce. Make sure you look out for the chicory omelette in your burger! Delicious.

Limerick

From the Feroci butchery again, the meat for the burgers arrives to Limerick – an old-style Irish pub. Tasty patty, great buns and the combination of flavours, as in the case of the “BlueCheese” with gorgonzola, toasted walnuts and crispy bacon, is impeccable. Then they have the Smash with the meat is cooked American style – pressed agains the skillet, with cheddar, pickles, red onion and a secret sauce. The different types of fried chicken breaded with corn flakes are also worth a try, alongside the vast offer of artisan beers.

Fish Lab

Excellent fish burgers in Ponte Milvio at Fish Lab. One of many is the “Louisiana,” with cod breaded in herbs, marinated red cabbage, crispy onion, and spicy mayo. Not only do they have exquisite burgers, but you may also wish to try their fritture: (deep-fried) shrimp, squid and anchovy with home-made sauces. Occasionally, you can also catch the lobster roll in their menu, 20 cm buttered baguette bun filled with lobster.

La Chiancheria

La Chiancheria, ‘the butchery’ in Neapolitan dialect, situated in Via Ostiense, offers delicious Neapolitan styled burgers. But not only; you can also order fantastic panini – all of this goodness can also be delivered to you to enjoy in the comfort of your own home. They get their meat from the Fattoria Carpineto, a factory which raises Marchigiana and Podolica cattle. We recommend the “Sua Maestà 2.0,” 180gr Marchigiano beef patty from the Carpineto factory, smoked provolone, Neapolitan friarelli – bitter greens, crispy bacon, and sun-dried tomatoes; the “Don Raffae’,“ 180gr Vitellone patty, buffalo mozzarella, green chili peppers with piennolo tomatoes; and the “Bolognese,” 180gr Marchigiano beef patty, grilled mortadella Bologna ham, smoked provolone, pistachio pesto and buffalo mozzarella.

Cult Burger and Things

In Prati, at Cult, the burgers are cooked sous vide to keep the nutrients, the tastes, and the colours of the meat intact. Thery offer more than ten types of meat, vegetarian and fish burgers flavoured in fun and imaginative ways. Among the boldest burgers you can find the “Roma – Tokyo” where the Wagyu patty is paired with guanciale (jowl) of Sicilian black pork of Nebrodi, sweet and sour Tropean onion, home-made barbecue sauce made with Zapaca 23 years rum, tomato, and salad.

TBSP

The unmistakably American TBSP offers a burger from Gruppo Galli. Burgers and also Pastrami, New York strip dry aged, ribs, chicken wings, Pulled Pork are all on the menu – good old classic taste of the States.

Hamburgeseria – Burger Bar

San Lorenzo is home to only one burger place worth your time and that is the Hamburgeseria – Burger Bar on Via dei Reti. A contemporary mix of metal and wood interior which creates a youthful and avant-garde atmosphere offering quality American street-food. The protagonist is the burger, traditional, of course, you can have, but there are more innovative combinations like the “Gasperino” with salad tomato, omelette with Roman pecorino cheese, Amatrice bacon and pecorino mayo. Their menu is seasonal, so look out for their latest creations.

Ferrovecchio

A cozy, pleasant restaurant. With a dozen hamburger options and an equally delicious selection of fritti and cartocci, Ferrovecchio is for hamburger enthusiasts and foodies alike. This place attracts many locals in the neighborhood who are addicted to their fries. Enjoy one of their delicious cocktails or craft beers with your meal. If you’re planning to go on the weekend, booking in advance is recommended.

Fonzie

Fonzie is an American burger joint inspired by the 1950’s. It has a fun and informal atmosphere that’s great for anyone, couples, friends and families. Choose from a menu of over 20 different hamburgers, including vegetarian and vegan options if you’re not a meat eater. All the patties are homemade and kosher. Spread out in five locations, you’re sure to find one near you. An ideal spot for a quick bite or a leisurely break, as you wish!

Ham Holy Burger

A supporter of the Slow Food Movement, Ham Holy Burger has a ton of options on their menu. They have three locations, including a very convenient one in Rome’s central Termini Station. Their service is pretty fast (you order with an Ipad), making it a great grab-and-go spot. The prices are a bit more expensive as you pay extra for all sides or substitutions. Nevertheless, the service is reliable and the food is a consistent quality.

The Hard Rock Cafe

This world-wide chain is perfect for those looking for a break from the typical Italian food spots. Here you can enjoy a rock ‘n roll atmosphere with kitschy musical accoutrement, bedazzled walls, on-screen concerts and the sound of English (admit it expats, sometimes you just want to hear the sounds of home!). They also have a hearty veggie burger topped with portobello mushrooms and roasted red peppers.

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