What is it about the beach that makes us crave a big, juicy burger? Fortunately, there are several spots to satisfy that need when you visit Isle of Palms, and Kiawah and Seabrook islands.
At Coconut Joe’s Beach Grill, choose between the more traditional Beach Burger that takes two hands to tackle or the Carolina Burger, topped with bacon, grilled onions, and pimento cheese for a flavor unique to the region. Coconut Joe’s burgers are made with ground sirloin and prepared medium-well.
The Refuge is an oasis in the Isle of Palms that serves delicious coffee and an amazing breakfast. But, don’t underestimate their burger. The Low Tide Burger served on a brioche bun gets rave reviews, as does the Patty Melt.
Located in a strip mall on Isle of Palms, the Long Island Cafe has established itself as a hidden gem of a restaurant. As a favorite of locals and tourists, this spot serves everything from omelets to fresh local seafood. Their burger is made with a half-pound of black Angus beef and served with fresh toppings. Add bacon.
The Dinghy Tap Room and Kitchen is an old-school joint. It’s a friendly but unfussy spot where locals rub elbows with visitors. Order the Dinghy cheeseburger that is served on a toasted brioche bun with a choice of cheese, and all the traditional toppings. Add bacon for a buck and mushrooms for 75 cents. The Dinghy is a late-night spot, perfect for a midnight craving.
On Kiawah Island, Cherrywood BBQ and Ale House serves its Osprey melt cheeseburger with Angus beef, Swiss cheese, caramelized onions, and chimichurri aioli on a sourdough bun. The Cherrywood cheeseburgers Angus beef, cheddar, lettuce, tomato, and onion on a pretzel roll.
Sit out on the deck at The Salty Dog Cafe while chowing down on the prime burger, made with a half-pound of beef and grilled over an open flame. But the start of the show is the Jake-villa burger, which takes that grilled beef patty and tops it with bacon, pimento cheese, slow-cooked hand-pulled pork, fried onions, and barbecue sauce, served on a toasted pretzel roll.
The Salty Dog Cafe also offers a couple of burger alternatives for those who don’t eat beef. Their pesto turkey burger is grilled to perfection, topped with fresh mozzarella, and served on a toasted brioche bun. The black bean burger is also served on a brioche roll and topped with pico de gallo, lettuce, tomato, and onion.
Other favorites include the Fischer’s burger or patty melt at Fischers Sports Pub & Grill on Johns Island, and the big double cheeseburger at The Windjammer on Isle of Palms. And no list would be complete without Poe’s Tavern on Sullivan’s Island, which prepares gourmet burgers with toppings like guacamole, crabcakes, Buffalo shrimp, a fried egg, and more.
Of course, you can just enjoy a burger you grill yourself at a well-equipped vacation property like our five-bedroom AV4-22, which includes a private swimming pool, spacious backyard, and barbecue grill; or the one-bedroom SC2355C condo unit that has access to community grills.