This was my sixth year, and honestly? It hasn\u2019t gotten easier. There are so many good burgers in this city, and although I\u2019m on a constant repeat of \u201cthis year\u2019s winner doesn\u2019t discount last year\u2019s winner,\u201d memories fade.<\/p>\n
The other day, a friend texted me as he and a colleague headed into Ten10 Brewing<\/a> (1010 Virginia Drive in Orlando) for lunch, precisely because they were this year\u2019s Critic\u2019s Pick for Best Burger<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cGotta say, guy on the sidewalk cooking burgers on a Big Green Egg is a first,\u201d he wrote. A laugh emoji followed.<\/p>\n It is. And it\u2019s one of the reasons their Bacon & Bleu burger (that one specifically) took top honors this year.<\/p>\n It\u2019s a great burger, one that Ten10 staffers have plans to make even better soon, but it still doesn\u2019t discount any of the Critic\u2019s Picks in previous years. The sad part: A few of them are no longer available. The happy: These three are. And this story is a reminder to go try them.<\/p>\n It has been far too long since I sampled one of chef\/owner Philippe Villain\u2019s perfectly charred burgers, though the cravings have intensified since he sent along this photo to remind me of what I\u2019m missing. Inside that crunch: a juicy cooked-to-order center comprised of a very specific blend that Villain holds close to the vest. Suffice to say, the ingredients (now in my vault) are very high quality.<\/p>\n At $19 (it comes with fries), it\u2019s honestly a rare find these days: an upscale-restaurant burger with a below-$20 tag. And while that\u2019s not necessarily something to celebrate, things cost what they cost. And there are many $20+ burgers in this city that, quite frankly, can\u2019t touch this one.<\/p>\n Of note, for protein peeps, the very same burger is offered as The Naked Burger at Russell\u2019s brunch. It\u2019s everything the Royale is, without the bun, set atop a salad.<\/p>\n I recommend it as my server did the night I first tried it: with a side of au poivre sauce. It\u2019s nice to mix things up. But this burger is as they made it from the outset.<\/p>\n \u201cRegulars would be very mad if we changed it up,\u201d says Villain.<\/p>\n I get it.<\/p>\n If you go: Russell\u2019s on Lake Ivanhoe, 1414 N. Orange Ave. in Orlando; 407-601-3508; russellsorlando.com<\/a><\/p>\n This decadent, duck fat-infused plate of deliciousness began as a Bites & Bubbles special way back in 2018, in part inspired by chef\/owner Eddie Nickell\u2019s unabashed guilty pleasure: McDonald\u2019s.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d get grief all the time: \u2018You make all this beautiful food, and THAT\u2019S what you crave?\u2019 But, for me, it\u2019s nostalgic. When I was growing up, going to McDonald\u2019s and getting a Big Mac and fries was a treat. I loved it.\u201d<\/p>\n Decades later, he took the classic he loved and made his very own version: two all-beef, duck fat-infused patties, chef\u2019s special sauce, lettuce, raclette cheese, tomato, pickles and onions on a toasted brioche bun.<\/p>\n At first, it was an IYKYK thing.<\/p>\n Nickell would make 12 burgers: one for himself, one for his partner, Nick, and then do a social post: \u201c10 Chef\u2019s Burgers available tonight\u2026 When they\u2019re gone, they\u2019re gone.\u201d<\/p>\n People would literally line up at the door before they opened to get one, so in 2021, it made the jump to menu mainstay.<\/p>\n Back then, it was $14. Today, it\u2019s $17. An undeniable deal.<\/p>\n \u201cBeef and duck fat have gone up like 500 percent since then,\u201d says Nickell, \u201cso we\u2019ve really tried to keep it as approachable as possible.\u201d<\/p>\n Case in point: As the price has increased, so has the size of the burger! The 3-ounce patties of yesteryear now weigh in at 4 ounces apiece.<\/p>\n \u201cOther than making it bigger, it\u2019s the same. When something hits like this, you leave it alone.\u201d<\/p>\n Pro-tip: Bites & Bubbles\u2019 Burger Tuesdays is the best deal in town, I\u2019m happy to share. Order a qualifying cocktail, mocktail, beer or wine, and you can get the Chef\u2019s Burger for just $5. That\u2019s not on the menu, so be sure to ask your server.<\/p>\n If you go: Bites & Bubbles, 1618 N. Mills Ave. in Orlando; 407-270-5085; bitesbubbles.com<\/a><\/p>\n To say the menu at Primrose Lanes has changed since the revamp of Orlando\u2019s classic Colonial Lanes opened is to make a gross understatement. Executive chef Jason Campbell and his team had some interesting ideas about what folks dining here would want, but menus don\u2019t always shake out the way you want them to.<\/p>\n And though I long to experience the gloriousness that was the smoked prime rib sandwich, one I still hope they can resurrect inside a future Team Market Group concept where people will appreciate, there is always the OKC Smashburger to fall back on.<\/p>\n This 2024 Critic\u2019s Pick is still going strong, says Campbell.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it survived because it\u2019s always been a top seller and it\u2019s a classic.\u201d<\/p>\n The gooey handheld pays homage to Campbell\u2019s time out west, a simple but stellar two-patty stack with onions. mayo, melt-perfect American cheese and zingy house-made pickles.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like guests love it because it\u2019s consistent,\u201d he says. \u201cIt\u2019s well-rounded, not fussy and just hits the spot every time.\u201d<\/p>\n If you go: Primrose Lanes Restaurant & Bowling, 400 N. Primrose Drive in Orlando, 407-745-0862; primroselanes.com<\/a><\/p>\n Want to reach out? Find me on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram\u00a0@amydroo<\/a>\u00a0or on the OSFoodie Instagram account\u00a0@orlando.foodie<\/a>. Email:\u00a0amthompson@orlandosentinel.com<\/a>. For more foodie fun, join the\u00a0Let\u2019s Eat, Orlando Facebook group<\/a>.<\/p>\n \t\t\t![\"Ten](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/TOS-L-foodies-burger-ten-10-2026-01-rotated.jpg\")
Ten10’s Brewing’s Bacon & Bleu is Big Green Egg-smoked before it gets a hot skillet sear. (Amy Drew Thompson\/Orlando Sentinel)<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/TOS-L-foodies-best-burgers-over-the-years-01.jpg\")
The Royale with Cheese from Russell’s on Lake Ivanhoe. The neighborhood has seen a lot of changes since this burger took the 2021 title, and yet, this remains. It’s not by accident. (Courtesy Russell’s on Lake Ivanhoe)
\n2021: The Royale with Cheese, Russell\u2019s on Lake Ivanhoe<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/TOS-L-foodies-best-burgers-over-the-years-03.jpg\")
The Duck Fat Burger began as a special at Bites & Bubbles way back in 2018, but quickly became a mainstay and must-have. (Courtesy Bites & Bubbles)
\n2022: The Chef\u2019s Burger, Bites & Bubbles<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/TOS-L-os-foodie-awards-2024-02-1-1.jpg\")
The Primrose Lanes OKC Smashburger has survived multiple menu changes and remains a top seller. (Courtesy Blake Jonez)
\n2024: The OKC Smash Burger, Primrose Lanes<\/p>\n