Following the sad news of Jimmy Buffett’s recent passing, it seemed a fitting tribute to go in search of the perfect Cheeseburger in Paradise to celebrate the memory of the legendary beach crooner.

As the Margaritaville songster said, “he’d have these wonderful dreams about a big warm bun and a huge hunk of meat” so below are some of the finest Cheeseburgers for you to enjoy along Scenic Highway 30A.

The first stop on our Cheeseburger odyssey is Rosemary Beach. Here, amongst the high-end Grouper and Cubano dishes offered at the Pearl Hotel’s Havana Beach Bar and Grill sits the Mandy Burger, the creation of Chef Matthew Rolens.

The Mandy burger is an 8oz patty made with Brasstown North Carolina grass-fed beef, smothered with pepper-candied bacon, Boursin cheese, and tobacco-fried onions all sandwiched into a toasted brioche bun.

For more beef and cheese treats you don’t have to venture far as Rosemary Beach has several offerings in our homage to the Cheeseburger.

The next stop is The Bourbon Burger at Gallion’s Restaurant and Cocktail Lounge in North Barrett Square.

“Our Bourbon Burger is a mouthwatering house-blended burger crafted by our culinary team which has diners coming back again and again,” said Chef Frank Symanzski.

Topped with Gruyere Cheese, Chipotle Aioli, and Benton’s Bacon & Bourbon Jam, this stacked burger is only available on the lunch menu – but, for those in the know, it can be ordered between 3 pm and 5 pm at Gallion’s adults-only Après Beach bar every day.

A longtime favorite with locals and visitors to Rosemary Beach, Edward’s has a Cheeseburger to challenge all.

Chef Josh Smith has created a behemoth of a burger with his Half-Pound Steakhouse Burger dressed with cheese, bacon, and a fried egg. The super-sized sandwich is available during Sunday Brunch where the half-pound burger patty is grilled to perfection and topped with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, cheese, bacon, and a celebratory fried egg.

If the Tony, white tablecloth surroundings of Rosemary Beach are making you quake at the thought of dripping your mustard and ketchup as you chow down on your handheld treat, Seacrest Sundries may be the place for you.

This laid-back, ‘Mom and Pop’ market and cafe will welcome you in your sandy shorts and sun hat and serve you their 1/3 lb all beef patty to knock your flip flops off! You can tailor it however you want, with or without lettuce, tomato, and pickle, or add bacon, jalapenos, or extra cheese. They will also stuff your pockets with napkins and wet wipes so add sauces, relax, and make a mess!

A little further along 30A is Alys Beach. The glamorous designer town is home to George’s, a suitably upscale restaurant but with a casual approach. Chef Camille Withall has been part of the team at this popular spot for a decade and has brought her signature dishes to the menu.

The lunch menu, divided into Behaving and Misbehaving, sees her Angus Cheese Burger feature on the naughty side. The all-beef patty can be cooked to your preference and topped with any number of toppings including a delectable, creamy guacamole.

Sometimes in life, a detour is required, and venturing off 30A to North Beach Social at the foot of the 331 bridge is worth the trip. Why settle for a single burger when you can have two?

30A veteran Chef Jim Shirley’s team will grill two patties, add their house-created Zippy Sauce and your choice of cheddar, American or Swiss cheese. They will even tolerate you substituting their beef burgers for Vegan patties instead.

Back on the ritzy 30A, Watercolor Inn’s Fish out of Water has a cheeseburger to savor. As one of the 30A area’s only large family-style restaurants and bars with views over the Gulf, Fish Out of Water captures the spirit of the local community – coastal, fun, and unpretentious, and their Cheeseburger lives up to that billing.

Executive Sous Chef, Wichuta “Jule” Theamsuwan selected Raines Farms to source the Louisiana Wagyu Beef Blend for the burgers.

Why choose Wagyu? Wagyu beef is packed with Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids and monounsaturated fats. Scientific research has proven that Wagyu’s “healthy fats” and nutrients could potentially improve your health.

Great news! – No need to feel guilty as you tuck into your cheeseburger watching the well-toned bodies of the sunworshippers and paddleboarders on the gulf only footsteps away.

And as you venture from the East End of 30A to the West, stop by Shunk Gulley Oyster Bar for their eponymous Shunk Burger.

“You didn’t think we just served seafood, did you?” joked Chef Natapong Sappermpun. “Our Shunk Burger is crafted with a premium house blend of certified Angus beef, short rib, brisket, and chuck steak!”

The burger comes topped with Wisconsin’s Neuske applewood smoked bacon, Vermont sharp cheddar, caramelized honey onions, tomato jam, and house pickles with garlic aioli, and is available all day so you can enjoy it sitting on their balcony and watch the sunrise or the sunset.

As you can see, there is no end of options for you to choose from for the perfect Cheeseburger in Paradise on 30A. The choice is yours – as Jimmy Buffett would say: –

I like mine with lettuce and tomato
Heinz 57 and French-fried potatoes
Big kosher pickle and a cold draft beer
Well, good God almighty which way do I steer?

Tried to amend my carnivorous habit
Made it nearly 70 days
Losing weight without speed, eating sunflower seeds
Drinking lots of carrot juice and soaking up rays

But at night I’d have these wonderful dreams
Some kind of sensuous treat
Not zucchini fettucini or bulgur wheat
But a big warm bun and a huge hunk of meat

Cheeseburger in paradise
Heaven on Earth with an onion slice
Not too particular, not too precise
I’m just a cheeseburger in paradise

Heard about the old time sailor men
They’d eat the same thing again and again
Warm beer and bread, they said could raise the dead
Well, it reminds me of the menu at a Holiday Inn

But times have changed for sailors these days
When I’m in port, I get what I need
Not just havanas or bananas or daiquiris
But that American creation on which I feed

Cheeseburger in paradise
Medium-rare with mustard’d be nice
Heaven on Earth with an onion slice
I’m just a cheeseburger in paradise

I like mine with lettuce and tomato
Heinz 57 and French fried potatoes
Big kosher pickle and a cold draft beer
Well, good God almighty which way do I steer
For my

Cheeseburger in paradise
Making the best of every virtue and vice
Worth every damn bit of sacrifice
To get a cheeseburger in paradise
Get me a cheeseburger in paradise
I’m just a cheeseburger in paradise

I like mine with lettuce and tomato
Heinz 57 and french fried potatoes
Big kosher pickle and a cold draft beer
Well, good God almighty which way do I steer?

To dig deep into 30A’s culinary offerings, check out our food features or browse our restaurant directory.