Toronto's best burgers: six standouts across tavern-style, smashed and hand-ground patties

The best burger in Toronto balances tiers of seasoned, cheese-cloaked meat, crisp veggies, punchy pickles and sauce dollops atop a perfectly pillowy bun. Textural contrast — whether charbroiled or smashed, tavern-style or Oklahoma — matters more than dogma. Here's where to find them.

At a space-themed Leslieville takeout spot, tavern-style patties are made from dry-aged beef ground in-house. The signature Space Cadet pairs two patties draped with real cheddar cheese, atomic sauce, pickles and onions. For vegetarians, craggy, falafel-style Martian burgers are on offer.

In Liberty Village, hand-ground and hand-smashed burgers are crafted with all your favourite fixings. The subtle differences between the OG and the American warrant careful consideration, especially if you're particular about whether onions arrive fresh and diced or griddled.

A multi-location chain that's been serving nostalgia classics for a decade centers its menu on fresh beef ground on-site, seasoned, then pressed and griddled into the kind of crisp smash patty that sparks loyalty. The signature Rudy, towering Big Rudy, and fried onion-topped Crudy remain the draws.

In Queen West, the Financial District and beyond, a diner-inspired local chain sizzles beef with a philosophy of restraint: quality beef, American cheese, onions, pickles, ketchup and mustard. If you crave outré toppings or newfangled combinations, look elsewhere. If supreme solace lives in that synergy, this spot has your number.

On West Queen West, a Matty Matheson destination specializes in caramelized AAA beef with American cheese, white onions, pickles and signature sauce. The standard 3-ounce smash patty suffices for most; the still-pink-in-the-middle 7-ounce Matty offers those requiring more substance.

With quick-service locations in King West and Little India, signature smash patties anchor the menu. Order yours with simple garnishes or go wild — spicy back bacon, garlic mayo, spicy ketchup, hot peppers — either way the aggressively squashed 4-ounce beef patties steal the show.