The best burger in North Carolina? The ones served at this gas station top Yelp’s list
An old gas station near the North Carolina coast is serving up the best cheeseburgers in the state, a new report finds.
Island Burgers & Bites ranks as the state’s No. 1 place to grab a beef-filled bite, according to results published Tuesday, Aug. 23.
The Carolina Beach eatery topped the list after the restaurant review website Yelp studied businesses with multiple burger-related reviews. It then “ranked those spots using a number of factors, including the total volume and ratings of reviews mentioning ‘cheeseburger’ between January 1, 2022 and July 15, 2022,” results show.
On Yelp, Island Burgers & Bites fans rave about eating juicy patties loaded with cheese, bacon and other toppings, helping it earn more than four out of five stars. Though some customers were skeptical of gas station food, they said the Carolina Beach shop changed their minds.
“Such a good find,” one person wrote on Yelp. “Inside a gas station, don’t judge this book by its cover.”
Island Burgers & Bites lies within a Sunoco store off U.S. Highway 421 in Carolina Beach, a tourist destination known for its boardwalk. Though there’s no space to eat inside, Yelp users reported chowing down on a nearby patio or taking their food to go.
The burger shop has been recognized before. Recently, the Wilmington Star-News gave it a nod on a list of “hidden gems” located within the region’s gas stations.
“The pumps might not have been in use for a while, but the staff in the stainless steel kitchen has been busy with made-to-order burgers,” the newspaper reported in April.
For those not in the mood for burgers, the shop also has fries, hot dogs, cheesesteaks and chicken, according to a menu posted on the business’ Facebook page.
It’s not the first time a Carolina Beach eatery has received praise. In May, Britts Donut Shop was named one of the country’s top places to get doughnuts.
But when it comes to burgers, North Carolina dining spots were snubbed on another recent list.
No restaurant in the state was named among those serving the nation’s “most outrageous” burgers. The rankings included a creation consisting of four patties stacked between Belgian waffles, McClatchy News reported in June.
This story was originally published August 24, 2022 at 12:41 PM with the headline "The best burger in North Carolina? The ones served at this gas station top Yelp’s list."
