Soulfood: the best burgers in Innsbruck

05 September 2024

Post originally written in: Deutsch

I didn't write this article alone - okay, maybe I wrote it, but I had help with the research. I asked family, friends and acquaintances for their opinions because, as we all know, tastes differ. I did a lot of research into the best burgers in our city, and it wasn't that easy. I haven't eaten meat for about a year now, but if you're thinking, "Thanks, that's it, I want real burgers": firstly, there are excellent vegetarian and even vegan burgers, and secondly, I had help with the tasting, including from the world's biggest meat tiger: my husband. So I'm sure there's a burger to suit every taste!

LUDWIG: Burger enjoyment for every taste

I'll start right away with our favorite and an almost "cult" burger restaurant: the LUDWIG. We were there with the whole family. Anyone who knows us knows that we are not easy guests. Firstly, our dog is almost always with us, secondly, we are not the quietest, and thirdly, the tastes in our family are, shall we say, very different. I don't eat fish or meat, my husband eats all the more, and our youngest son doesn't really eat anything. Difficult!

Family and vegetarian friendly

LUDWIG is one of the few restaurants where we are all happy! Even if it doesn't look like it at first glance, it's great for families. The staff are extremely friendly. The children were given crayons and paper placemats to color while they waited for their food. There were special food offers for the little ones and a large selection of meatless burgers for me. Clearly, the award for the best burger in the vegetarian/vegan category goes to LUDWIG. I ordered a vegan burger with a sweet potato and chickpea patty. Really perfect: crispy and crunchy on the outside, wonderfully soft on the inside. The whole thing was rounded off with guacamole, nachos, fried onions, lime mayo, spinach leaves and sprouts. Sounds fantastic? It was! And I'll just mention in passing that my husband was more than happy with his "meat burger".

Le Burger: the burger restaurant in the DEZ

The second restaurant I would like to introduce to you is part of a franchise chain with branches in Austria, Germany and even Dubai: Le Burger! In Innsbruck, the branch is located in the DEZ shopping center. Shopping and burgers - if that's not a perfect match! I wasn't alone at Le Burger either, but had some help, including the trickiest person I know: my son. First things first: he didn't want a burger, but was 100 percent satisfied with his hot dog. That doesn't happen often and really says something. I had, how could it be otherwise, a vegetarian burger. To be honest, the vegan zucchini patty was okay. But if you don't want to eat meat, LUDWIG or the Swing Kitchen (more on this later) are definitely better places to go. However, Le Burger is very popular with the "meat tigers" in my circle of friends, and my second son and my husband also thought the burgers were great.

Design your own personal burger

The choice is huge, and the best thing is that you can put together your very own burger. First step: choose between hamburger, bacon burger, chicken burger, veggie burger and so on. The second step is to think about which bun you would like. The wonderfully fluffy brioche bun? Or should it be low carb? Then go for the rice cake. There are also high-protein and gluten-free buns to choose from. And now we come to the most important part - at least if my husband has his way: the choice of sauce! And he's right, a good sauce can spice up any burger. It doesn't always have to be fancy, sometimes a really good mayonnaise is enough. Sometimes you fancy a little more spice and opt for a hot sauce. Or you like it more exotic, in which case pineapple curry would be the right choice. Either way, nothing works without sauce. Le Burger never runs out of sauce, because there is a sauce dispenser that you can help yourself to if you run out. In the fourth step, you decide on extras such as onions, vegetables or nachos, for example. If you want even more, you can order additional extras in the fifth step for a small surcharge.

My conclusion: a super-nice restaurant where you immediately feel at home. Exactly the kind of interior I want in a burger restaurant. Special highlight: the rocking benches. Friendly staff, good food and the perfect location if you want to round off a day of shopping with friends.

Another great burger joint in the DEZ area is the Coffeebar Innsbruck. Here you can enjoy hearty burgers, refreshing drinks and rock music in a relaxed, cozy atmosphere.

Swing Kitchen: Real Taste – Real Vegan

Now we come to a fast-food burger restaurant, and no, I'm not introducing you to the latest Burger King branch, but the Swing Kitchen. The family-run company, which aims to replace traditional fast food dishes with more sustainable and healthier alternatives, was founded in Vienna in 2015 by Charly and Irene Schillinger. The company now has 14 restaurants in three countries - a real success story. But what makes Swing Kitchen so special? The menu includes fresh, juicy burgers, crispy nuggets, golden-brown fries and delicious desserts such as tiramisu and cheesecake - real soul food, but vegan! I know that might sound boring to some, but trust me. My husband, the biggest meat tiger and fast food lover, actually answered my question about the best burger in town with "probably the Swing Kitchen". So to all of you who love fast food: Next time you're craving a cheeseburger, try something new!

Glorious Butcher: really good junk food

Sometimes you eat for your body and sometimes for your soul! And sometimes it calls for junk food - simple and delicious! My tip if you're craving it: the Glorious Butcher on Innsbruck's market square. If you're on a low-carb and low-fat diet, you'd better avoid Glorious Butcher: "Sorry, we don't sell salad - except on the burgers." But there's plenty of flavor. Delicious burgers, fries and waffles await you. Whether you choose to sit inside or outside is up to you. You can also take the food to go or have it conveniently delivered to your home. What could be better than snuggling up at home, turning on Netflix and enjoying a burger? Wellness for the soul!

Tips among friends

I have a few more tips for you. As already mentioned, I also asked my friends and family, whose opinions I don't want to withhold from you - especially those of my little brother. He cooks very well himself and loves good food. His recommendations are the Zum Wohl Tirol and the Your Placel at Wiltener Platzl. My blogger colleague Lea has also tested the latter and found it to be good, as you can read in this post. My husband, on the other hand, loves fast food and therefore recommends Bekos Grill-Imbiss.

I'm sure that everyone will find their perfect burger in Innsbruck - whether you're a meat lover, vegetarian or vegan. And just in case you haven't had enough and want to try your hand in the kitchen: Nadja has the perfect burger recipe!