The countdown to summer is on, and what better way to enjoy the season than with a burger in hand?
If you don’t feel like firing up the grill, we’ve gathered eight of the best burger spots across Dutchess, Orange and Ulster counties for you to try.
But we want to know if you agree or have your own ideas.
Decide the mid-Hudson Valley’s best burger joint by voting in our poll. Scroll to the bottom of the story or click here to pick which spot has the top-tier burger by 8 p.m. on May 7. You can write in your own answer, too, if we’re missing your favorite. We will announce the results in an upcoming story.
Before you go voting, read about why we chose these spots for our list.
Where to grab a mid-Hudson Valley burger: Here are our picks
Ben’s Fresh | Port Jervis, Orange County
Details: 33 E Main St.; 845-856-9760; facebook.com/p/Bens-Fresh/ and instagram.com/bensfresh_portjervis_ny/
Ben’s Fresh is an award-winning burger spot, most recently being in the top 10 finalists in the 10th Annual Best NY Burger Competition by the New York Beef Council. The burger that won them the spot is dubbed “The Empire State of Prime.” It features a prime beef patty atop a soft pretzel bun. In between, diners found five-year-aged Grand Reserve cheddar, espresso bourbon bacon jam, cherry pepper relish and maple aioli. The spot has other comfort foods, decadent treats and regular specials on deck, such as its recent “May the 4th at Ben’s Intergalactic Specials.” To boot, Ben’s Fresh has a full-service, year-round ice cream parlor, if you would rather stop by to try something sweet.
Buns Burgers | Multiple locations, Dutchess and Ulster counties
Details: Kingston, Rhinebeck, Saugerties and Poughkeepsie locations; bunsburgersny.com
Buns Burgers’ aim is to transform farm-to-table — with grass-fed beef burgers and locally sourced milk and ice cream for their shakes — into quick-service dining. Its first location opened in 2016 in Rhinebeck, and in the decade since, it has expanded to have four locations total, co-owned by Ryan Viator and Sean Weeks. For the menu, it doesn’t get much simpler. There are three minimalistic burgers on the menu, such as the “Original Bun,” including a quarter-pound patty, the classic toppings and their “buns sauce”; a lamb burger option; three chicken sandwiches, including “The Yard Bird-ger”; and a veggie burger option, made with Portobello mushroom. If the realm of hot dogs is more your speed, Buns has you covered with four different options.
Burger Box | New Paltz, Ulster County
Details: 125 Main St., 845-633-8637, burgerboxrox.com
Owned by sisters Stephanie and Tiffany Verney, according to Burger Box’s website, stop in here and you’re sure to find a unique take on a burger and fries. A mac-and-cheese-topped burger with cheddar, sriracha aioli, grilled onion and hot cherry pepper appears to be a decadent option with some heat. “The Conca D’Oro” channels a mix of pizza and burger, with a pepperoni pizza bun, mozzarella, basil aioli and arugula. Of note, this burger spot is using only grass-fed beef from family-owned Kilcoyne Farms, located in Hudson Falls, Washington County. Don’t forget to check out their burger of the month specials, too — there are some insanely creative takes on what a burger can be.
Meyer’s Olde Dutch | Multiple locations, Dutchess County
Details: Beacon and Poughkeepsie locations; meyersoldedutch.com
For this burger spot, think locally sourced ingredients, a homemade and modern take on the classics, and what Meyer’s Olde Dutch claims are the “best fries around,” hand-cut and twice-fried, according to their website. The original Beacon location opened in 2017, and in 2024, co-owners Brian Arnoff and Jeff Silverstein expanded to Poughkeepsie. A fan favorite is the “Double Dutch” burger, with two quarter-pound beef patties topped with bacon, cheddar, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles and house fry sauce. If two patties are too much, there’s a “Single Dutch” burger as well. Another popular pick is the hand-breaded crispy chicken sandwich, with two hand-breaded chicken tenders dusted with their house spice mix, pimento cheese, cole slaw, along with bread and butter pickles.
Moonburger | Multiple locations, Dutchess and Ulster counties
Details: Poughkeepsie, Kingston and New Paltz locations; moonburger.com
What began as a plant-based burger joint now has regular burger and even chicken options, too. The spot’s signature look — nostalgic, but with a unique, futuristic spin — is still the same, but guests can now try “premium” New York beef or “Impossible” burgers, alongside “no-antibiotics-ever,” hand-breaded chicken breast sandwiches, according to the menu. If you want something sweet, Moonburger has an oat milk “Brownie Batter Shake,” featuring a homemade chocolate ganache, and an oat milk “Strawberry Shortcake Shake,” with real strawberries and Biscoff cookie crumbles. Owner Jeremy Robinson-Leon, a 2007 Vassar graduate, also has locations in Nolita, Manhattan, as well as Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
Sundaze Smash Burgers | Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County
Details: 33 Academy St.; 845-600-6078; sundazeburgers.com
If you’re in the mood for a smash burger joint, Sundaze claims on its website to be Poughkeepsie’s first. Located inside The Academy — a food hall, marketplace, bar and entertainment hub — find staple quarter-pound smash burgers like the “OG” Burger, with caramelized onions, American cheese, pickles and “Sundaze Sauce” on a potato bun, or the “Plain Jane,” which is a simple cheeseburger. There are some standout items, too, such as the bacon jam-topped burger dubbed “Bacon Papi,” with caramelized onions and Swiss cheese, or the “Jerk Burger,” featuring jerk BBQ sauce and a corn remoulade alongside pepper jack cheese, slaw and, once again, caramelized onions. If the smash burgers haven’t got you hooked yet, try their seasoned fries and their “Chicken Sammy.”
The Wherehouse | Newburgh, Orange County
Details: 119 Liberty St.; 845-561-7240; wherehousenbny.com
At this eclectic spot, around since 2009, get a burger and one of their 16 rotating draft beers, according to the website. Claiming to be the junction “where herbivores and carnivores can peacefully coexist,” the burger menu has options to replace the regular beef patty with a black bean burger or a turkey burger at no additional charge. Patrons can also upgrade to a “Beyond Burger” for $5 more. Of the 21 burger options, there is something just about anyone will like, from a classic cheeseburger to the “Surf and Turf” burger, with Old Bay-seasoned fried shrimp, or “The Chooch Burger” resting on a garlic buttered bun. Besides burgers, the menu has numerous other bites, and The Wherehouse even has its own merch if you’re really into this spot’s vibes.
21 Burgers and Wings | Multiple locations, Dutchess County
Details: Poughkeepsie and Wappingers Falls locations; facebook.com/21burgersandwings/, instagram.com/21burgersandwings/
This family-owned and operated burger and wing spot took root on Route 9D in Wappingers Falls, but in 2024 opened a second location in Poughkeepsie in what was J. Dominick’s Trattoria on Route 44. You can find a classic burger, but there are plenty of unexpected delights if you want to be adventurous. Some traditional-adjacent options range from the “Cowboy Burger,” topped with cheddar, onion strings, smoked bacon and BBQ sauce, to the breakfast burger with thick-cut bacon and a fried egg dubbed the “Breakfast Over Easy.” For some unique offerings, there is a Korean-inspired burger, a Crab Rangoon-inspired burger and for the spice lovers, you might want to try “The Ghost Burger.”
Decide the mid-Hudson Valley’s best burger joint
Nickie Hayes is the Breaking & Trending News Reporter for the Poughkeepsie Journal and focuses on how to make the most of what the mid-Hudson Valley has to offer. See her most recent articles here. Contact reporter Nickie Hayes: NHayes@poughkee.gannett.com, 845-863-3518 and @nickieehayess on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Who has the best burger in the mid-Hudson Valley? Cast your vote
Reporting by Nickie Hayes, Poughkeepsie Journal / Poughkeepsie Journal
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