There’s nothing better than a big juicy burger to sink your teeth into. A good burger is worth going out for, but a great burger is worth traveling for. Located at the junction of interstates 75 and 16, the city of Macon, Georgia deserves much more than a quick stop on your road trip. The downtown Macon area has musical heritage, quirky boutiques and – my favorite – great restaurants. Here are the top three downtown Macon, Georgia restaurants for the best burger that you don’t want to miss.
Macon lies 1 1/2 hours from Atlanta and only a few hours from Savannah, making it a great Middle Georgia destination. The outskirts of the city thrives on agriculture, which easily supplies the hip downtown area restaurants with fresh local produce. Local chefs start with bustling lunch crowds and end their evenings with patrons who are looking for unique culinary experiences.
The energy of the restaurants spill into the streets as evenings approach, with live music, and the streets are the easily commuted. Guests can enjoy every course at one restaurant or work their way through the downtown area without getting back into the car. That’s one of the many reasons the downtown Macon restaurant scene is so great.
Visiting the downtown Macon, Georgia area is a food paradise.
The city of Macon doesn’t mess around when it comes to a great burger. Each year (in November) the local Macon, Georgia restaurants come together in friendly competition to put their best burger forward for the Macon Burger Week. Guests can score burgers for $10 that range from your classic all-American burger to the creative “cupcake burger.” Try them all and cast your vote for the city’s best burger.
The burger cupcake at Felicia’s Cake Factory is a sweet ending!
Where To Find The Best Burgers In Downtown Macon
When you’re visiting the downtown area, you’ll want to secure a parking spot along the main roads, which will give you easily walking access to the shops and restaurants. Download the Passport Parking app on your mobile device, to pay for any of the metered parking. You can easily walk, within a few miles, to each of these great Macon, Georgia restaurants.
Sink your teeth into the best burgers of Macon, Georgia.
Ocmulgee Brewpub
Don’t be fooled by the casual walk-up-to-order dining atmosphere of the Ocmulgee Brewpub because they’ve got a history of winning the annual Macon Burger Week. They’ve got both indoor and outdoor dining options, with a family-friendly vibe. Made from the finest grains, hops and yeast, their craft brews are the perfect accompaniment to their burgers.
They prepare each burger to order and every bite is worth the wait. You can create your own burger or order from their vast selection of unique chef creations. I ordered the Eat A Peach burger ($14), which is topped with peach pico de gallo, smoked bacon, pepper jack cheese and creamy basil aioli sauce. You can truly taste the premium angus ground beef, making it juicy and tender.
The “Eat A Peach” Burger at Ocmulgee Brew Pub.
Honorable mentions on the menu include their truffle fries, which you can order as a side with any burger, and the snack selections. We sampled the Pimento Cheese and Chicken Salad snack, along with the piping hot homemade Fried Pork Skins. The snacks provide a great appetizer, with very generous portions, for $6 – $10 price range.
Find huge snack portions at Ocmulgee Brew Pub, like the Pimento Cheese and Chicken Salad.
Macon Beer Company
The Macon Beer Company is proud to be the city’s first brewery since prohibition times and claim that they offer the freshest beer in Macon. This sit-down restaurant offers a hipster vibe with a diverse menu that offers way more than just burgers. Patrons can grab a seat at the full service bar for a glass of seasonal craft beers or opt to grab a table, with brunch hours available.
Their High on the Hog burger is a Macon Burger Week special that includes double beef patties. It’s topped with white and yellow cheddar cheese, beer braised onions, crispy pork belly, bacon jam, shredded lettuce, pickles and their house burger sauce. It’s definitely a “double fist” type sandwich as you’ll need both hands to eat it!
The “High on the Hog” Burger at Macon Brewery.
Both of the burgers we ordered were served on an everything bagel bun and that really added an extra touch of flavor. There’s nothing boring about the burgers at Macon Beer Company and they think beyond the beef. From the bun to the toppings, every aspect of their burger is designed for flavor.
Looking for something to munch on beyond your burger? The Pretzel Bites were ordered all around us and we couldn’t resist trying them too. They’re served hot and fresh with a great chew and include your choice of dipping sauce.
Order the Pretzel Bites as an appetizer at Macon Brewery.
Satterfield’s Barbecue
You can’t visit Georgia without trying some of our world famous BBQ. Barbecue is an important part of culture and history in our state. It’s part of our southern soul food that brings the community together, as everyone tastes what the pitmaster has made fresh for the day. Satterfield’s Barbecue prepares everything from scratch while sourcing from local Macon farms.
Satterfield’s BBQ brings the best of barbecue and burgers together for a tasty treat. Instead of traditional grilling, Satterfield’s slow smokes their burger meat to add extra flavor. It also helps the meat come out more tender. The “Big Satt” burger for Macon Burger Week features an all-beef patty with shredded lettuce, minced onion, homemade pickles, American cheese and their special BBQ thousand island dressing.
The “Big ‘Satt’ Burger” for Macon Burger Week at Satterfield’s BBQ.
The dressing just makes the burger even more juicy and this is one you might even need a fork for. Satterfield’s is definitely one of the original Macon Georgia restaurants and they’ve been serving customers great food for decades. They’re also part of the Georgia BBQ Trail and a can’t miss spot.
Ready to plan your Macon, Georgia food getaway? Visit MaconGA.org
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