Is This Rhode Island’s Best Burger?

Is This Rhode Island’s Best Burger?

A new national ranking is out — and one preeminent culinary publication has deemed what they believe is the best burger in Rhode Island. 

Food and Wine Magazine this week dubbed Stanley’s Famous Hamburgers as tops in its roundup of “The Best Burger in Every State.”

“This list is packed with classic, straight-shooting burgers and the old-school institutions still making them,” writes David Landsel for Food and Wine.

GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST

About Pick

For their Rhode Island selection, Food and Wine writes the following:

Opened in Central Falls during the Great Depression by a recent immigrant from Poland, Stanley's knows hardship. The restaurant survived those first few years, it survived World War II, car culture, and changing tastes. Then came a pandemic, and current owner Louie Alberta had to admit publicly, late last year, that things weren't looking good. 

When Rhode Islanders found out that one of their favorite burger joints was about to go under, they turned out in numbers, donating nearly $20,000 to keep the restaurant afloat. The plan worked, ensuring at least one more generation gets through the door to try the burgers.

The trick here is a method common in other parts of the country, less so in New England—onions are pressed into the meat while on the grill, allowing the two to cook together, adding a burst of extra flavor.

And at Stanley’s, you can get a good deal — or as they recently dubbed it in March, a “hot” deal.

That promo was six Stanleyburgers and one large fry -- for $9.99 plus tax.

You can find RI’s “best burger” at 535 Dexter Street in Central Falls.