The Louis XIII Burger at Chateau 13 in Bradenton.

There are few foods more universally appealing than a cheeseburger and, fortunately, Sarasota and Manatee counties are filled with restaurants serving ’em. Of course, not all burgers are created equally, which is why we’re constantly on the lookout for quality combinations of beef, bun and tasty toppings. 

We skipped running our annual list of best burgers last year because of the pandemic and returned with more selections than ever after lots and lots of dining out locally. Last month, we featured the 20 best in Sarasota County and now we present our 20 favorites from Manatee County (with some overlap for places with locations in both counties).

As noted before, we included some locally owned chains but not a single national chain. Yeah, we know, Five Guys makes a fine burger. But guess what? These local businesses do ’em better.