The Stn. Burger at this Financial District spot is the type of iconic dish every restaurateur wishes they offered. With pasture-raised beef cloaked in garlic aioli, beet chutney, pickled onions, aged cheddar and a fresh blanket of crisp lettuce, it's meaty and rich, savoury and sweet with poppy zips of tang that make it destination-worthy eating.

On the patio, in the cozy room, with a pint, martini, (even water?), there's no wrong way to order the double prime rib burger at this Riverside hangout. Sure, the patty arrives dribbling cheddar, topped with special sauce, caramelized onions and the correct amount of pickle, but even if the team served it plain, you'd devour every bite.

Smash burger stans look away. The specimen served at this industrial-chic Harbord Village restaurant is high and gloriously mighty, flaunting fluffy, house-baked bread and a deftly seasoned, podgy beef cheek patty. The addition of provolone, gochujang mayo, pickles and kimchi means perfect burger harmony, with fat balanced by an acidic punch in every bite. 

Craft beer draws diners to this Danforth East pub, where a creative approach to cookery translates to burgers flavoured with a rash of ingredients — from sweet quince and goat cheese to jalapeno cheese sauce and pickled cabbage. Visit on Mondays, when burgers are on special, and there's no telling what the team might cook up.

True to its name, the Basic Burger at this popular Danforth pub is a familiar combination of top-quality, house-ground beef and traditional toppings, with the option to zhuzh things up with cheese, bacon, onions and mushrooms. Juicy, drippy and deeply comforting, the dish makes a strong case for simplicity.

The eponymous burger at this Roncesvalles Village restaurant takes pride of place on a menu of seasonal, fresh, scratch-made fare. A hefty two-hander, this one brings ground chuck and cheddar, caramelized onions, aioli, lettuce and a sweet, soft brioche bun together for a star turn among a host of greats.

Dry-aging gives a beef chuck burger extra oomph at this laid-back King West spot. Like everything the team makes, it's a quality dish made laudably well. Take one greedy, zingy bite — with cheddar and charred onion aioli, maple black pepper bacon and guindilla pepper — and dare to disagree.

Ossington's casually cool settle into this all-day spot for bacon-infused burgers likely to leave greasy memories of dinner on their dope duds. No matter. There's nothing like practice to get the hang of stuffing a serious amount of beef, onions, pickles, cheese and remoulade into your face without losing a crumb.

At this Corso Italia spot, bulgogi meets burger in a beautiful cross-cultural mash-up, available with one or two patties. Slathered with sweet and savoury bulgogi aioli, hard-seared beef is then dressed with cheese, pickled onions, tomato and lettuce. Grab the napkins — this one promises to be messy.