The Best Burgers in Oregon: Portland Taverns, Carts and More (2026)

The best burgers in Oregon are in Portland, a cheeseburger town where neighborhood taverns, food carts and chef-driven restaurants all have a claim. Start with the smash burger at Tulip Shop Tavern, the small steam burger at Canard, and a cart double from Farmer and the Beast. For a regional chain locals grew up on, there's Burgerville.

This roundup is built from the restaurants in our Portland burger guide, grouped by style, plus one statewide pick. Portland restaurants come and go, so check before you go.

Quick picks

• Best smash burger: Tulip Shop Tavern.
• Best restaurant burger: Canard's steam burger.
• Best food cart burger: Farmer and the Beast.
• Most Portland: the peanut butter burger at Killer Burger.
• Best regional chain: Burgerville.

How Portland does burgers

Portland's burger scene reflects its broader food culture. Food carts have long been a way for cooks to start small, and burger carts fit right into that. Neighborhood taverns are the other pillar, and a bar burger with fries and a local beer is a classic Portland meal. Local sourcing comes up a lot too: several spots highlight Northwest beef or local bakery buns, and many menus include vegan or vegetarian options.

The city is easy to explore by neighborhood. Downtown and Nob Hill sit on the west side of the Willamette River. Across the river, the inner east side, including Kerns and East Burnside, has a dense mix of restaurants and bars. Northeast neighborhoods like Hollywood, plus North Portland, round out the map.

Smash burgers

• Tulip Shop Tavern: a North Portland neighborhood bar known for smash burgers and craft cocktails. Willamette Week readers voted it Portland's best burger in 2025.
• Pleasure Burger: opened downtown in 2024, pairing crispy, juicy burgers with waffle fries.
• Bless Your Heart Burgers: a Northeast Portland spot using Northwest beef for its smash burgers, with a Carolina-style option on the menu.

Read smash burger vs. regular burger to compare styles.

Food cart burgers

• Farmer and the Beast: one of the city's best-known burger carts, in the Nob Hill food cart pod. It serves beef, tuna and vegan burgers with hand-cut fries and milkshakes. Order at the window and eat casually.

Chef-driven burgers

• Canard: chef Gabriel Rucker's restaurant on East Burnside. Its small steam burger with pickles, onions, mustard and American cheese has a devoted following.
• Güero: best known for tortas in Kerns, but its hamburguesa, a smash patty with ham and avocado, is worth ordering too.

Browse more on our best gourmet burgers page.

Local favorites and creative burgers

• Killer Burger: born in Portland in 2010 and known for combining burgers, bacon, pickles and peanut butter. It has several locations, including one in Hollywood, and serves food at Providence Park and the Moda Center during events.

If the peanut butter burger sounds strange, our guide to the best burger toppings covers other unexpected combinations.

Statewide: Burgerville

Burgerville opened in 1961 in Vancouver, Washington, just across the Columbia River from Portland, and celebrated its 65th birthday in March 2026. It has about 40 restaurants across Oregon and Southwest Washington. It's known for sourcing much of its menu from local farmers and producers. It's a dependable stop on an I-5 road trip and a useful baseline before you try the independents above.

How to plan a Portland burger day

1. Start west. Pleasure Burger downtown and Farmer and the Beast in Nob Hill are both west of the river.
2. Cross to the inner east side. Canard and Güero are close together around East Burnside and Kerns.
3. End in a tavern. Tulip Shop Tavern in North Portland is a natural evening stop.
4. Go to Killer Burger before a game. It serves food at Providence Park and the Moda Center during events.
5. Check before you go. Portland's restaurant scene changes quickly.

What to order at each stop

• Tulip Shop Tavern: a smash burger and a craft cocktail.
• Canard: the steam burger. It's small, so consider ordering two.
• Farmer and the Beast: a beef burger with hand-cut fries and a milkshake.
• Güero: the hamburguesa with ham and avocado, or a torta for your friend.
• Killer Burger: the peanut butter burger, at least once.
• Bless Your Heart Burgers: the Carolina-style option for something different.

Make a Portland-style burger at home

Canard's steam burger is a good one to copy: a small patty, simple toppings and a soft, steamed bun. Our guide to how to make sliders covers the steaming trick. For a tavern-style smash burger, try our ultimate smash burger recipe, and for a meatless option, the plant-based smash burger. Cook ground beef to 160°F for USDA-recommended doneness.

Know a great burger in Eugene, Bend or on the coast? Suggest a spot.

FAQ

What is the best burger in Oregon?

In Portland, Tulip Shop Tavern won Willamette Week's 2025 reader vote, and Canard's steam burger is one of the most loved restaurant burgers. Statewide, Burgerville is the regional chain many Oregonians grew up with.

What is Killer Burger's peanut butter burger?

It's a burger topped with peanut butter, bacon and pickles. It sounds odd but it's a Portland favorite.

Are there good food cart burgers in Portland?

Yes. Farmer and the Beast in the Nob Hill food cart pod is one of the best known, with beef, tuna and vegan options.

Is Burgerville only in Oregon?

No. It started in Vancouver, Washington, and has restaurants in both Oregon and Southwest Washington.

Where is the best smash burger in Portland?

Tulip Shop Tavern in North Portland, Pleasure Burger downtown and Bless Your Heart Burgers in Northeast Portland are the top picks.