Burger Review – Riverside Lunch...

Address: 1429 Hazel St, Charlottesville, VA 22902

Phone: (434) 971-3546

Website: https://www.facebook.com/Riverside-Lunch-127204539912/

ALERT: Never, in a lifetime of eating and reviewing burgers, have I ever made the following claim: 

This could possibly be the BEST BURGER I have ever had.

Riverside lunch is that good. Unimposing, but conveniently located just minutes off the highway, I stumbled on Riverside Lunch from a recommendation. We were staying the night in Charlottesville to visit the historic Thomas Jefferson’s residence Monticello in the morning, and were looking for a quick bite for dinner.   Riverside Lunch did not disappoint.

The burgers are extremely simple: fresh ground beef, packed into a ball and smashed on to the griddle: not just any griddle, and the cook mentioned. 

They have been seasoning this grill with quality meat for over 20 years, and that is truly one of the most important parts. In fact, the cook indicated that he has taken all of the ingredients home on several occasions to make burgers for himself and cannot replicate the taste. 

The burgers come dressed as you might expect, standard burger toppings. They offer two types of buns – a standard (but excellent) soft roll that is toasted on the grill and a sub bun French roll.  They call it their cheeseburger sub, and it would certainly be my recommendations.  

As we were talking with the wait staff and cook (the service was amazing), my extremely loud booming voice obviously carried throughout the restaurant, as a Riverside Lunch regular (Jeff, who would also like me to point out that his is very good looking) bought our dinner for us! Thank You, Jeff – very much appreciated.

I was so enamored with Riverside Lunch that we delayed our trip by an hour and headed back there after touring Monticello – a delay that was completely worth it. I dreamed about that burger all night that night, and couldn’t get it out of my head (for the record – I still can’t). The second time was as good – if not better – than the first.  

To say that I recommend Riverside Lunch is the all time understatement. I am rarely as shocked and pleasantly surprised by a burger as much as I was with the one here. I have been scheming a way to go back there for some work trip or something – I will be there again. Until then, please continue to support this amazing small business so it will be there when I eventually get back in the area!