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The 25 Best Burgers in Indy


From elegant steakhouses to beer-soaked taverns, we toured the town’s eateries with a scorecard in one hand and extra napkins in the other to suss out the city’s 25 best burgers. So pull up a chair, roll up your sleeves, and dig in.

By Beth A. Clayton

Written by: Daniel S. Comiskey, Kim Hannel, Kelly Kendall, Tony Rehagen, Maggie Richmond, Aaron Risch, Amy Wimmer Schwarb, John Schwarb, Julia Spalding, David Zivan
Photography: Tony Valainis


  Boogie Burger

Maui Wowie



As you would expect, given this cozy joint’s name, the menu at Broad Ripple’s Boogie Burger is a smorgasbord of exotic burger-building materials. Chili. Pastrami. Serrano peppers. Even a fried egg. But in the Maui Wowie, this brown-bag burger stand has found the perfect design for delicious. Sweet grilled pineapple is smothered in Swiss and topped with salty ham and a zesty teriyaki sauce that soaks into the soft cornmeal Kaiser bun. Oh, and there’s also a 1/3-pound hunk of Black Angus beef under there. After all, every masterpiece of architecture needs a solid foundation. (927 E. Westfield Blvd., 255-2450)
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  The Capital Grille

The Grille’s Signature Cheeseburger



Those who go straight for the steak at The Capital Grille might be doing themselves a disservice. The signature cheeseburger here is one of a kind, thanks to the 10-ounce hunk of chopped sirloin, which is mixed with ground applewood-smoked bacon and Vidalia onion for a rich, savory flavor. It comes on a lightly toasted brioche onion roll, swaddled in a blanket of gooey Havarti, and accompanied by crisp, fresh butter lettuce, red and yellow tomato slices, onion, and pickles. We usually reach for the mayo, but this burger is so juicy it needs no condiment (though the aioli that comes with the truffled fries is delicious). The melted cheese dripped off the sandwich, and juices ran down our hands, creating a dilemma: Should we put down the sandwich and utilize the (blessedly) large napkin after each bite, or just hold onto the thing (with both hands, mind you) and soldier on? (40 W. Washington St., 423-8790)
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  Broad Ripple Brewpub

Good Medicine Bison Burger



traders point burgerBurgers don’t often come with a side of “virtuous,” but you get a little of that, too, with Broad Ripple Brewpub’s bison burger. The meat is leaner than beef (aren’t you health-conscious?) and locally raised (points for the environment!) but tastes just as sinful as the classic-beef kind. The patty is on the thin side, but it will remain juicy as long as you take the menu’s advice and have it cooked medium. Gooey American cheese is a tasty adhesive that holds the toppings (basic lettuce, tomato, and onion) to the bun. (842 E. 65th St., 253-2739)
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  Tie Dye Grill

Can You Dig It BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger



Hippies forgive and forget easily, don’t they? We confess to never having stopped at the Tie Dye Grill during countless runs up Shadeland Avenue, but that mistake won’t be repeated—not with 10 ounces of Angus beef cooked to our liking and paired with all sorts of good stuff. There’s enough tie dye on the tables and ’60s rock posters on the walls to transport you back to Woodstock, and the theme continues on the menu with burgers named Cheech’s Cheese, Chong’s Chili Cheese, The Magic Mushroom Swiss, Bell Bottom Bacon Cheese, and Garcia Bistro. Our choice overflowed with bacon strips, and our server predicted the medium-rare messiness by bringing extra napkins with the chow. Groovy, man. (1311 N. Shadeland Ave., 353-9393)		   Meat:

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  Weber Grill

Classic with Cheese



The burger we really want is the burger we were served during the long, lazy summers of our childhood, when Dad would slide the juicy disks off the charcoal grill and onto a cushy bun. Chain or no, at Weber, the meat is grilled over an open flame, and that brings it closest. While this single patty is not the largest in town, it packs as much backyard juiciness as any you’ll find. The overlarge dome of a roll needs scooping out, but that’s the only flaw in this super-tasty handheld. Pick a cheese, opt in on the crisp lettuce, tomato, and thin-sliced onion, and ask for extra napkins. (10 N. Illinois St., 636-7600)
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View Comments (4)

Broad Ripple Nightlifer says:
    There is a brand new restaurant open in Broad Ripple on the strip...They have THE best burgers around!!We love Boogie Burger, but Fat Dan's Chicago-Style Deli is neck and neck with them! Try them out!
Drew says:
    The Cheesecake factory has a burger that is about a half foot tall, it's a days worth of meals in itself, and boy is it delicious!
Eater says:
    Tie Dye Grill has the best burgers in Indianapolis!
Purdue Fan says:
    I was dissapointed when I read about the burger at Scotty's Brewhouse. That burger idea was stolen from Triple XXX, a restaurant that sits just off the campus of Purdue University. Triple XXX's "Purvis Burger" was copied by a Scotty's employee from their West Lafayette location for the burger contest the company held last year. The Purvis Burger has been a favorite of Boilermakers for years and its a shame that the real brains behind this special burger isn't receiving the credit.

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