Hudson’s Nova has two killer burger menus on offer, from both Boomin Barbecue and Private Sector Provisions. Boomin dishes up its signature smoked burgers topped with crisp pickles and a thick blanket of cheese; Private Sector does an array of smash burgers, including a fast-food dupe doused in “Mak” sauce. Keep an eye on Facebook for schedule updates.

The Angry Line Cook is a St. Paul-based food truck — keep an eye on its calendar for upcoming appearances throughout the Twin Cities. Saucy and gooey, two standouts here are the Angry Burger (dressed with pickled Fresno peppers and chili oil for a little kick) and the Other Burger (smeared with flavor-packed beef stock aioli).

Red Cow, known for its burgers, has five locations around the metro, including the North Loop, Uptown, 50th and France, and Wayzata. The standout here is the 60/40 burger, which is made with a 60 percent to 40 percent ratio of beef and ground bacon, yielding a savory, juicy patty. A smear of briny beer mustard cuts through the fat.

Dream Creamery pairs its lineup of nostalgia-infused ice cream flavors with the perfect salty complement: cheesy, gooey smash burgers. Classic cheeseburgers are available, while the Dream burger piles on garlic dill pickles, griddled and raw onions, special sauce, and American cheese.

Francis’s vegan burgers have exploded in popularity since the bar and restaurant opened in Northeast Minneapolis. The menu includes an Impossible patty stacked with fried seitan bacon, a garlicky black bean burger, even a Juicy Lucy stuffed with vegan cheese.

Animales Burger Co. is now stationed at Bauhaus Brew Labs. These patties are thoughtfully seasoned and juicy, the thick-cut pickles lending tangy, sweet notes. Punch them up with herb aoili or creamy, mustardy gold sauce. Keep an eye on Instagram for frequent specials.

Chef David Fhima’s new North Loop restaurant is styled as a traditional French brasserie, serving classics like French onion soup, steak au poivre, frog legs Provencale, and a rack of lamb served with Dijon cognac beurre blanc. For more of a bar food (but still upscale) menu, head downstairs to the basement bar, where along with dishes like lobster deviled eggs, bacon and brie clafoutis, and a jambon beurre, the $23 Oui burger is an indulgent, refined version of the staple.

Station No. 6 food truck roves around the metro, parking in spots like Burnsville, Savage, and New Hope on the weekend. It’s a great spot for barbecue, too, but the smash burgers are must. Try the Spicy Boi Smash: a juicy patty topped with sweet and spicy aioli, pepper jack, jalapenos, and Thai chili pepper.

Petite León may be best-known for the Yucatán peninsula-influenced menu that made chef Jorge Guzmán a 2022 James Beard finalist for best chef Midwest. But Guzmán, former head chef of Surly’s Brewer’s Table, also serves a mean burger. Le Petite Cheeseburger, a double patty served simple and juicy with sweet notes from caramelized onions and pickles, is among the best in town.

Hamburguesas El Gordo is the little local chain with three locations, serving Mexican street food like tacos, elote, hot dogs, and some of the best burgers in Minneapolis. Visit the original Cedar Avenue location for a huge, delicious, burger loaded with lettuce, onions, avocado, tomatoes, mayo, ketchup, and mustard, and add on from there — the Del Gordo adds cheese, ham, bacon, and pickled peppers; while the Hawaiian adds pineapple and mozzarella to all of the above. Or, keep it simple with a classic cheeseburger — there’s also a vegan version.

Pau Hana’s luxe burger is, truly, ultra luxe — it’s topped with cheese, shallot aioli, and foie gras truffle butter in an irresistible triple-layer. If foie gras isn’t your thing, the L&I burger omits it, but keeps the cheese and creamy aioli.