Tucked along Main Street in Newington, Connecticut, GoldBurgers is the kind of place that doesn’t need a flashy sign or a celebrity chef to draw a crowd.
It runs on something far more powerful — jaw-dropping burgers made with locally sourced, freshly ground beef, a menu so creative it’s practically a love letter to burger lovers, and a warm, no-nonsense vibe that keeps people coming back week after week.
How GoldBurgers Won Newington’s Hearts
It all started with one man and a very big idea. Matt Crowley, a passionate Newington local, founded GoldBurgers in 2009 — a moment he himself described as a tough time to open a restaurant, but a perfect moment to get into the burger game. 🍔
About five years after opening, Executive Chef Tim Marotto walked in — not for a job interview, but simply because something on the Specials Board caught his eye.
Chef Tim, a formally trained culinary professional, shared the exact same food philosophy as Matt — a deep commitment to quality ingredients, fearless creativity, and the belief that a burger could be so much more than a patty between two buns.
Together, Matt and Tim transformed GoldBurgers from a great little burger counter into a full-on craft burger destination — the kind of place that food lovers drive across the state to experience. 🚗💨
What made it truly special was a commitment to doing something deceptively simple — making every single ingredient count.
The beef is freshly ground daily through a proprietary blend crafted at Bogner Quality Meats in Manchester, CT, while the chicken patties are sourced from locally owned Stew Leonard’s.
Couple all of that with house-made sauces, a rotating Specials Board, and a kitchen culture that pushes creative boundaries daily, and you have a recipe for community obsession.
The best hidden gem burger joints in Connecticut have a way of becoming deeply personal to the people who find them, and GoldBurgers is proof of that.
Food Highlights 🍔
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Double GoldBurger: The signature masterpiece — two griddled beef patties, lettuce, onion, pickles, American cheese, and the iconic tangy mustard-based GoldBurger Sauce, all on a seeded roll with potato chips layered right on the burger for an addictive crunch.🥇
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Double Blue & Gold: A bold, upscale twist featuring fresh blue cheese crumbles and crispy fried onion straws stacked on two beef patties. 🧀
- Double Nerd: Not for the faint of heart 🌶️ — diced jalapeños, Louisiana hot sauce, pepperjack cheese, GoldBurger Sauce, Buffalo sauce, and potato chips all piled onto a double beef patty.
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Double Rodeo: Spicy BBQ sauce, cheddar cheese, crispy bacon, and two onion rings perched right on top of double beef patties — this one’s smoky, messy, and proud of it. 🤠
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Single Bacon Jam: A fan-favorite for a reason — chipotle mayo, cheddar cheese, and house-made bacon jam with French fries loaded on top of the burger. 🥓
- Double HoneyBBQ: Grilled onions, bacon, American cheese, and sweet honey BBQ sauce layered over double beef patties — a crowd-pleasing classic that balances sweet, smoky, and savory. 🍯
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MacPatty: The wildcard that everyone talks about — a single beef patty topped with a fried macaroni and cheese patty, nacho cheese, jalapeño, pepper jack cheese, and mac sauce on a seeded roll. 🧀🍟
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ChickenCoop: The go-to for chicken lovers 🐔 — a seasoned chicken burger with cucumber dill sauce, Swiss cheese, lettuce, and tomato on a seeded roll.
- Double Mushroom: A more refined, earthy choice — Swiss cheese, grilled mushrooms, crispy fried onion straws, steak sauce, and roasted garlic mayo.
Atmosphere
GoldBurgers is refreshingly, unapologetically no-frills — you walk in, order at the counter, grab one of the handful of tables or a counter stool, and your food gets brought right out to you on a plastic tray. 🪑
It’s clean, bright, and casual — the kind of place where you can show up in jeans and a T-shirt and feel completely at home, whether it’s a Tuesday lunch or a Friday dinner date.
Small in size but enormous in personality, GoldBurgers seats just a few tables inside with a handful of outdoor spots — meaning the cozy, intimate energy makes every visit feel like you’ve been let in on a secret. 🤫
Bottom Line
Five reasons to make the trip to GoldBurgers: locally sourced, freshly ground beef that you can actually taste; a wildly creative menu with something for every kind of eater; house-made sauces that elevate every bite; a friendly, welcoming counter experience; and genuinely fair prices. 🍔🔥
Address:
1096 Main St, Newington, CT 06111
📞 (860) 665-0478
🕔 Open Tue–Sun, 11 AM–9 PM (closed Monday)