The stars of the show at this gourmet burger shop are not the buns (though they are excellent) but the thick, juicy, smoked patties in the middle. And yes, they were brought up right: they’re prime, grass-fed beef. Consider the Maui, topped with pineapple, a fat slice of ham, fried onions, spicy pepper jack, plantains, and barbecue sauce. Or perhaps you prefer two patties and smoked pork belly, onion jam, cheddar and gouda and housemade aioli.

When a fancy steakhouse (in this case the The Capital Grille chain) has a burger baby, you’d expect the offspring to be great. Indeed: The Capital Burger’s burgers are made with beef from connoisseurs Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors, and they arrive to the table juicy and perfectly cooked. The bacon cheeseburger, made with Vermont cheddar, candied smoked bacon, and tomato jam, is a winner.

This neighborhood restaurant in Somerville is a favorite for so many reasons — the wonderful staff, the impeccable jukebox selection, the goat stew. The double cheeseburger is right up there: two 4-ounce patties, caramelized onions, shredded lettuce, and cheese, with or without bacon. It is a glorious tower of comfort food, engineered with finesse, each element in perfect proportion. Once you start eating, it’s messy, beautiful chaos.

There it is, amid the sushi, ramen, and other Japanese dishes at this Fenway hangout from Tim and Nancy Cushman of O Ya. What’s a cheeseburger doing on a menu like this? Making diners very happy, which would seem to be a big part of the goal of a place that calls itself a “rock ‘n’ roll tavern.” There’s wagyu beef in the patty, which gets topped with American cheese and Japanese-style dashi pickles for perfect melty-gooey cultural synthesis.

At Little Donkey, the burger is treated with every bit as much respect as dishes like grilled Mediterranean sea bass and wagyu tartare. The results are burger brilliance. Griddled dry-aged beef is topped with American cheese, buffalo pickles, and fried jalapeno chips, served on a potato roll slathered with onion-y mayo. It’s a symphony of flavors and textures, high-low restaurant cooking at its best.

Tables are squeezed in tight, and every inch of space is covered with memorabilia, old signs, even a long list of famous diners (Jackie O, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Shaq, Joan Baez – the list goes on). After 60 years, the Bartley family sold their burger joint to Josh Huggard in 2021, and the burgers and onion rings remain first-class. Do yourself a favor and try the thick and luscious Oreo milkshake.

This iconic all-vegetarian diner in Central Square has five veggie burgers (all can be made vegan) on its menu, from a portobello patty melt to a towering seitan “chicken” sandwich between two mac and cheese waffles. But the Galaxy Burger, made with beets, lentils, and mushrooms, is a standout: hearty and delicious, served on plush, slightly sweet buns slathered with vegan garlic mayo.