In Luxembourg, the hamburger, next to a Mettwurst and Thüri... – pardon, Grillwurst – is the undisputed icon among the wide range of fast-food snacks now on offer. Be it from a drive-in, at a village fair, a sporting event, simply at home, or on a garden barbecue, the burger found its way into our food culture many years ago and is now known, loved, and indispensable among young and old all over the world. Quick to make, simple, and tasty.
To be honest, few dishes have ever been suggested as often for the RTL Readers’ Choice survey as this absolute cult classic. And judging by the number of people who took part this year, that enthusiasm was no coincidence. Whether from a food truck, a bistro, a restaurant, or anywhere else serving a good burger outside the home, suggestions came flooding in.
And now the votes are in, too: Here are your top 10 places to enjoy a burger in Luxembourg.
All venues ranked in the top 10 will receive a sticker recognising them as one of Luxembourg’s best. More than 3,500 people took part in the survey.
Opened: August 2017
Address: 5 Bousserstrooss, 9144 Esch-sur-Sûre
Contact: 26 88 95 43
Online: https://www.fluxburgers.com/
Most popular burgers: Smash cheeseburger with Flux sauce or Andalouse (No fixed menu, burgers are fully customisable)
Popular belief has it that if you have an idea, a dream you want to make real, you should go to the United States. But the fact that the American Dream can also become reality on the Hierheck in the north of Luxembourg is clearly demonstrated by the burger diner Flux.
Gregory Reinertz, himself 50% American, simply went ahead and opened a burger restaurant next to a petrol station on a country road, fully embracing the US diner look, something that was clear to him from the outset: “They make burgers like nowhere else in the world. And when I was young, I always had a bit of an entrepreneur in me, something I inherited a lot from my father. I had always wanted to open an old-school diner.”
Reinertz, known to many simply as Greg, spent much of his childhood travelling to the United States every summer with his mother. From a young age, he developed a sense for what makes a good burger.
While traditional Luxembourgish dishes such as Bouneschlupp and Kniddelen have their place, the inspiration Reinertz repeatedly gathered in the US, particularly in terms of burger innovation, stayed with him. He wanted to bring something similar to Luxembourg, especially north of the centre, effectively creating a small piece of America on the Hierheck.
His father had always wanted to open a chip shop, but when the opportunity presented itself, Reinertz acted quickly and decisively, he explains in an interview. Flux focuses entirely on smash burgers, a burger style that is currently very popular and originates from the United States. The patty is placed on the grill and pressed flat with considerable pressure, making it particularly thin and especially crispy around the edges.
Customers can also fully customise their burgers, choosing the bun, meat, sauce, and side dish themselves – all at a fair price. This combination is central to the Flux concept and has proven successful. Since July, a second diner has opened in Ettelbruck, followed by a third in Bür just a few weeks ago. There have also been initial thoughts about possibly opening a location in the city, though no concrete plans exist yet.
The concept is further strengthened by the use of high-quality local and regional products, including Angus beef as standard, offered at the lowest possible price. Flux has clearly struck a chord with customers, with word of mouth spreading quickly. Even the world-famous British YouTuber and rapper KSI visited Flux last year and appeared impressed, as shown in a video shared online.
Maintaining consistently high quality remains essential, Reinertz said in an RTL interview, both for the burgers and the side dishes, day after day, without sacrificing creativity in burger creation.
Flux has also broken a record in this year’s edition of the ranking, receiving more votes than any candidate before. The diner secured first place, earning praise for the entire team in what was described as a remarkable achievement.
Opened: 2002 (Kitchen open since 2005)
Address: 2 Rue de la Boucherie, 1247 Ville-Haute Luxembourg
Contact: 23 66 84 06
Online: https://www.urban.lu
Most popular burgers: Smash-Burger and Beast-Burger
Urban opened in 2002, with its kitchen operating since 2005, and is located at 2 Rue de la Boucherie in the very heart of Luxembourg City. Smash burgers have been served there since 2007, long before the trend reached Europe, according to co-founder Tom Hickey: “We smashed a lot of Burgers over the last 20 years and we did it before it became a ‘trend’.”
Urban has existed for 23 years, and being ahead of its time is something in which the team takes pride.
Customer preferences vary throughout the year, but at present the smash burger is particularly popular, alongside the “Beast”, a substantial burger topped with slow-cooked beef brisket. The brisket is cooked slowly and continuously for 12 hours before being added to the burger.
Hickey comes from a butcher’s family and emphasises the importance of quality meat. Ideally, he says, meat should be high-quality and local, with a good balance between meat and fat. The patties at Urban contain 15% fat and are seasoned only with salt and pepper. The aim is simplicity paired with high quality and flavour.
The burger bun also plays a crucial role. At Urban, buns are made in-house using sweet potatoes, resulting in very soft, tender Japanese-style buns. While they resemble brioche, they are distinctly different. Combined with house-made sauces, they form what Hickey describes as the perfect burger.
Opening: Abrëll 2019
Address: 1 Am Dueref, 7651 Heffingen
Contact: 26870706
Online: Facebook-Säit
Most popular burgers: Jalapeño Burger and Special Burger (with bacon and egg)
A Bau opened in April 2019 and is located at 1 Am Dueref in Heffingen. The café is run by Martine Schmit, previously the owner of Little Woodstock. Visitors immediately notice the alternative charm of the venue, a concept Schmit has long embraced.
Originally operating solely as a café, Schmit found post-Covid that this was no longer sufficient to attract customers. Burgers emerged as a natural addition, as they can legally be offered as a snack. What began as a response to economic change developed into a passion, with the burger selection steadily expanding.
Eventually, the concept evolved into introducing a new burger each month, which would then be removed again at the end of that month.
Schmit attributes A Bau’s strong performance in the Readers’ Choice ranking to a loyal regular customer base, many of whom have become friends over time, as well as promotion via QR codes. However, she stresses that the product itself is just as important. Fresh ingredients are used, and the burgers are creative without becoming overly experimental. Finding this balance is key, and customers are sometimes invited to act as test tasters.
One recent limited-time burger featured Munster cheese and onion confit. Ultimately, the special burger proved to be the best-selling option.
Although A Bau opened only a year before the Covid pandemic and subsequently experienced a downturn due to a lack of customers, current visitors appear fully convinced by the offering. Given the many burger options available in Luxembourg, making it into the top 10 is seen as a significant achievement.
Address: 17 Rue de Bonnevoie, 1260 Gare, Luxembourg
Contact: 26190070
Online: Facebook-Säit
Address: 90 Rue de la Gare, 4460 Belvaux Sanem
Contact: 28203684
Online: Facebook-Säit
Mail: info@grillbuddys.lu
Contact: 621282566
Online: Facebook-Säit
Address: 120 Rte d’Arlon, 8008 Strassen
Contact: 20304202
Online: https://letzeburger.lu
Address: 21 Rue de la Liberation, 3510 Dudelange
Contact: 28208897
Online: https://www.peakyy-burgers.lu/
Address: 31 Rue Hiel, 6131 Junglinster
Contact: 621411182
Online: https://twinz.lu/
Address: 25 Rue Notre Dame, 2240 Ville-Haute Luxembourg
Contact: 26959244
Online: https://www.thespot.lu/de/
Several venues narrowly missed out on the ranking, including Melteez in Differdange, Northbay in Bonnevoie, BB’s Diner in Grevenmacher, and Lënster Stuff in Junglinster.
