Where to get burgers in Wilmington: downtown and the Cargo District

Last checked Oct. 11, 2026. Refreshed every three months.

Burgers in Wilmington cluster downtown, where five pubs, brewpubs and bistros within a few blocks of Front Street list them, and in the Cargo District on South 17th Street, home of a smash burger shop. Away from the river, fast-food burgers are on South College Road, Shipyard Boulevard and Floral Parkway, and a neighborhood pub serves them in Masonboro and Midtown.

How we made this list. The places come from OpenStreetMap records inside Wilmington’s city limits, the data that also feeds our local directory, plus places in the Downtown Wilmington dining directory and the chains’ own store lists. We kept places whose own menu lists burgers, checked each one against its own website on Oct. 11, 2026, and checked each address against the city limits with the U.S. Census Bureau’s address lookup. OpenStreetMap also shows Burger King, Cook Out, Five Guys, McDonald’s, Red Robin and Sonic restaurants in the city, but their store pages would not load for us, so they are not in the table yet. The list is alphabetical. It is not a ranking or a recommendation, and nobody paid to be on it. Run one of these places? Write to us to correct your entry.

The list

The places

Copper Penny at 109 Chestnut St. is a downtown pub. Its burgers are two quarter-pound Angus patties stacked on a potato roll, served pub style or as a black and blue burger, with fries or slaw.

Fork n’ Cork at 122 Market St. is a downtown restaurant whose burgers are 8-ounce beef patties cooked to order on a brioche bun with house-cut fries, including a pimento cheese burger and a lamb burger. It has a weekend brunch menu and opens at 10 a.m. on weekends.

Front Street Brewery at 9 N. Front St. has been downtown since 1995. Its smash burgers are two 4-ounce patties on a brioche bun, with grilled chicken or a plant-based patty as substitutes, and one is paired on the menu with its Port City IPA.

Hardee’s on Floral Parkway is a location of the burger and biscuit chain, open from 5 a.m. most days.

Hell’s Kitchen at 118 Princess St. is a downtown bar and restaurant that shows games. Its classic burger is a Wednesday special, and it takes online orders.

Ponysaurus Brewing Co. at 214 Market St. is the Durham brewery’s pizzeria and beer garden. Burgers and veggie burgers are half price on Wednesdays.

Wendy’s has two stores inside the city limits, on South College Road and on Shipyard Boulevard, both open into the early morning.

Whiskey Trail Pub & Grill is a neighborhood pub with two locations inside the city, on Masonboro Loop Road and on Lancelot Lane in Midtown. Its menu has a section of burgers grilled on a bun, with money off burgers all day for dine-in customers.

Zeke Smash on South 17th Street in the Cargo District serves smash burgers, fried cheese curds and beer, and supports families affected by childhood cancer. Orders placed from your phone are brought to your table.

Related lists: wings, pizza, Mexican and Tex-Mex, barbecue, breakfast and coffee, sushi and Asian, ice cream and desserts, bakeries, patios and outdoor dining and every list by category. Also: brunch, date night, the business directory and restaurant inspections.

Frequently asked questions

Where can I get a burger in downtown Wilmington, NC?

Downtown places with burgers on their menus include Copper Penny at 109 Chestnut St., Fork n’ Cork at 122 Market St., Front Street Brewery at 9 N. Front St., Hell’s Kitchen at 118 Princess St. and Ponysaurus Brewing Co. at 214 Market St.

Is there a smash burger place in Wilmington?

Zeke Smash at 615 S. 17th St. in the Cargo District serves smash burgers and gives back to families affected by childhood cancer. Front Street Brewery also lists smash burgers.

Which Wilmington burger places are open late?

The two Wendy’s stores inside the city list 2 a.m. closing, and 3 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Hell’s Kitchen stays open to 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, and Zeke Smash to midnight.

Is there a burger night in Wilmington?

Ponysaurus Brewing Co. lists half-price burgers on Wednesdays, Hell’s Kitchen has a Wednesday burger special, and Whiskey Trail Pub & Grill takes money off burgers for dine-in customers.