Al’s Burger Shack Hailed as ‘Best Cheeseburger in North Carolina’

The website Fast Food Club named Al’s Burger Shack in Chapel Hill as the best cheeseburger in North Carolina in a new list, which sought the best cheeseburger in every state.

“The beef is locally sourced, the toppings are creative and seasonally inspired, and every burger is cooked with the kind of attention usually reserved for fine dining,” Fast Food Club’s Sofia Delgado wrote, while noting that lines out the door are a “permanent fixture.”

Al’s Burger Shack was founded on National Cheeseburger Day in 2013 and has resided at its location at 516 West Franklin Street in downtown Chapel Hill ever since. The restaurant changed ownership in 2022, with Charlie Farris and Jason Kesler taking over for founder Al Bowers. Under Farris and Kesler’s leadership, Al’s Burger Shack opened an extension in 2025: the bar Puddin’s Beer Shack, located next to its parent business at 104 North Graham Street.

“We are incredibly proud of this recognition,” Kesler said of the Fast Food Club list. “But honestly, this award belongs to the whole Al’s community — our team members who pour their hearts into every burger, and the loyal guests who have made this place what it is. When you see Al’s standing alongside the best burger spots from across the entire country, it reminds you why we do what we do every single day.”

The Fast Food Club list is far from the first time Al’s Burger Shack has been nationally recognized. Delgado notes Al’s has been honored by Bon Appetit and The New York Times, and in 2018 TripAdvisor named the Bobo Chili Cheeseburger not just the best burger in North Carolina, but the best in the entire country.

“The Fast Food Club feature adds to a distinguished body of national acclaim,” the restaurant wrote in a release, “that has made Al’s Burger Shack one of North Carolina’s most celebrated dining destinations.”

Featured image via Town of Chapel Hill

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

‹

Protestors in Chapel Hill Call for Fair Treatment of Black Americans

Wednesday’s march in Chapel Hill started as an idea from Emile Charles and his friend, Isabel Huesa, who were in town. The incoming UNC first-year said he wasn’t sure how many people would show up, but he said something needed to be done in solidarity with protests around the country. “This was put together […]

Carrboro High Students Analyze Police-Race Relations

Nearly 250 people gathered at the Carrboro High School media center Tuesday night to participate in an interactive presentation of a special class project. Sophomores, juniors and seniors in Matt Cone’s “Global Cultures and Minority Systems” class spent the semester studying different cases in which an African-American was killed by a police officer. Cone said […]

Protesters Shut Down Franklin and Columbia Streets

Scores of protesters occupied the intersection of Franklin and Columbia Streets in downtown Chapel Hill Tuesday night, in opposition to the General Assembly passing House Bill 2. The protest began at the Peace and Justice Plaza on Franklin Street then proceeded west down the street until reaching the intersection with Columbia Street. The protest shut […]

In Durham: Peaceful Protest For Police Brutality Victims

Peaceful protests in Durham mirrored actions taken across the country Thursday evening.

7 Brew Coffee to Open Store on Franklin Street Before End of 2026

Franklin Street will soon host a new option for coffee drinkers. 7 Brew Drive-Thru Coffee, a nationwide chain with over 700 locations, will open a new location at 103 E. Franklin Street. A representative for the chain confirmed to Chapelboro that they are planning to open in “late winter 2026.” It will operate out of […]

Combination Jimmy John's, Baskin-Robbins Opens on West Franklin Street

A combination Jimmy John’s and Baskin Robbins restaurant is now open at 143 West Franklin Street in Chapel Hill. 

Combination Jimmy John's, Baskin-Robbins Store Coming to West Franklin Street

A combination Jimmy John’s and Baskin-Robbins store will soon open on West Franklin Street in downtown Chapel Hill. The store is located at 143 West Franklin Street, Suite 90, in the same building which houses Target. The suite was most recently occupied by pūrvelo cycle. Currently, neither Jimmy John’s nor Baskin-Robbins have any open stores […]

Pair of W. Franklin Street Restaurants Permanently Shutter in May

The Central American restaurant The Latin Effect closed on May 28, while Rams Corner closed to Franklin Street customers earlier in the month.

Crumbl Cookies Closes Chapel Hill Location After 3 Years In Business

The store, located in Suite 150 at 133 West Franklin St., first opened its doors in February of 2023. It was open for just over three years.

Al's Burger Shack Hailed as 'Best Cheeseburger in North Carolina'

The website Fast Food Club named Al’s Burger Shack in Chapel Hill as the best cheeseburger in North Carolina in a new list, which sought the best cheeseburger in every state. “The beef is locally sourced, the toppings are creative and seasonally inspired, and every burger is cooked with the kind of attention usually reserved […]

›