The Best Burger Joints in Cologne

Day and night, burger fans queue outside Die Fette Kuh, lured by juicy meat and tasty toppings. The 200-gram beef burgers come with avocado and sesame-mayonnaise (Teriyaki Burger), homemade BBQ sauce and caramelised onions (BBQ Bacon Cheese) or chili con carne, cheddar cheese and jalapeños (Chili-Cheese Burger). Vegetarians will be happy to hear that most burgers are available as veggie options. Add some fresh thin-cut fries or some coleslaw, and you’re in burger heaven. The weekly specials are particularly creative.

For the staff of Freddy Schilling, making burgers is a craft. Their organic beef is grilled on lava rocks, the sauces homemade, the buns freshly baked and all ingredients sustainably grown. With their no-fuss Purist Burger, the intense meat flavour has priority, while Bruno’s Burner is smoky with jalapeños, and the spicy Big Kahuna comes with grilled pineapple and melted cheese. Vegetarians and vegans can swap beef for a vegan patty, and gluten-free buns are available. Portions are opulent, but if you’re hungry, you can add a side.

In the middle of the traditional brew houses and pubs of the city’s Old Town square, the two girlfriends behind Fräulein Herborths create burgers that stand out. The grass-fed beef comes from local farmers, and the firm-to-the-bite bun is a crossover between brioche and pretzel. The Italian Job is topped with tomato, mozzarella and ham. Local patriots are won over by the Kölsche Jung with black pudding, fried onions and mustard. Add a side of homemade fries and a craft beer for the perfect meal. Most burgers can be ordered as a vegetarian version.

A quick look at the menu and you will realise that you won’t be getting any beef here. Bunte Burger has specialised in making extravagant vegetarian and vegan burgers that get even omnivores’ mouths watering. Their burgers consist of homemade buns spread with pesto and yummy patties that vary with every item on the menu. Some are soy-based, others are made from mixed beans (Desperado Tex Mex Burger), polenta and dried tomatoes (Don Corleone Italo Burger) or even jackfruit (Pulled Jack BBQ Burger).