Wahlburgers' Best Burger Outperforms Its Signature

Wahlburgers is the brainchild of a highly talented family, each with their own claim to fame. Mark and Donnie Wahlberg made it big in the film and music industry, while brother Paul applied his talents in the culinary arts, opening the burgeoning Wahlburgers chain. While you can find everything from appetizers and salads to sandwiches and shakes, Wahlburgers burgers are the specialty that warranted an inclusion in the restaurant's name. We tasted and ranked eight burgers from Wahlburgers according to each burger's quality, cooking style, flavor, and cohesion. While you might think the signature Our Burger and Our Smash Burger would reign supreme with classic toppings and preparations, the first-place spot goes to one of Wahlburgers' most creative menu items: Pepperoni Smash.

Our favorite Wahlburgers burger is the unique pepperoni smash burger, combining two of America's favorite foods: pizza and burgers. Debuting in 2025, the pepperoni smash burger is relatively new compared to the signature originals, and features two certified Angus beef patties, provolone cheese, crispy julienne pepperoni, and is garnished with garlic butter and rosemary tomato jam. This burger epitomized umami-richness, with the beef, pepperoni, and sweet and savory tomato jam providing a balanced flavor explosion. The smash patties had the perfect crusty, caramelized edges and offered a thickness that didn't overwhelm the other ingredients. The spiciness of the pepperoni complemented the savory beef patties and creamy, slightly smoky flavor profile of provolone, while the garlic butter and herb infused tomato jam really accentuated the Italian pizza flavors.

The pepperoni smash burger is the epitome of classic American fusion cuisine and the height of culinary creativity, winning it an easy first place in our ranking of Wahlburgers' burger varieties. And you can play up the Italian flair the burger offers by ordering Italian-inspired starters and sides. For example, Wahlburgers makes truffle tater tots, as well as truffle fries, which are tossed in truffle oil, garnished with parmesan cheese and parsley, and served with truffle aioli. The umami-rich flavor of truffle and nuttiness of parmesan would pair perfectly with the garlic butter, Italian-seasoned tomato jam, and spicy pepperoni. Since all sides and appetizers are sold separately, you could request the appetizers come with your burger if you want to treat them like sharable sides.

The best drink pairing for pizza is beer, and burgers and beer are an equally winning match. Luckily Wahlburgers offers various types of beer for you to choose, from light and crisp lagers to more complex IPAs. Wahlburgers isn't as widespread as other popular burger chains, but you can buy Wahlburgers signature beef patty blends at grocery stores like Kroger. So, if you don't have a location near you, you can always recreate the pepperoni smash burger at home with the help of store-bought pepperoni, provolone, and brioche buns. You can swap tomato rosemary jam for your favorite store-bought pasta sauce brand and garlic butter for store-bought garlic mayo.