Hillman Beer’s grass-fed beef burger is one of the best burgers in Asheville NC. Here’s everything you need to know before your first visit.
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The Best Burger in Asheville NC: Everything You Need to Know About Hillman Beer’s House Burger
Key Takeaways
- Hillman Beer’s house burger is built on grass-fed beef, scratch-made pub kitchen prep, and locally sourced ingredients.
- Both Asheville locations serve the full food menu, with pub-style comfort food designed to pair with their award-winning beers.
- The Hillman ESB, a two-time GABF medal winner, is widely considered the ideal pairing for the house burger.
- Hillman Beer operates at 25 Sweeten Creek Rd in Asheville and 78 Catawba Ave in Old Fort, NC.
- No advance beer vocabulary required. Just show up hungry.
Why Hillman Beer’s Burger Deserves a Spot on Your List
When people talk about the best burger in Asheville NC, the conversation tends to drift toward standalone burger spots or fast-casual chains. Hillman Beer sits in a different category entirely. It is a family-owned craft brewery with a full scratch kitchen, and its house burger is the kind of thing you think about on the drive home.
The burger starts with grass-fed beef, which is not a marketing detail but a sourcing decision that changes how the meat tastes and cooks. Grass-fed beef tends to be leaner with a more pronounced, cleaner flavor than conventionally raised beef. According to Healthline (2023), grass-fed beef contains higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid compared to grain-fed alternatives, which also affects its flavor profile and texture on the grill.
At Hillman, that flavor is the point. Their kitchen does not mask it under excessive sauces or unnecessary complexity. The build is straightforward: quality beef, the right bun, the right toppings, nothing that distracts from the central product. That is exactly what you would expect from a brewery that has spent nearly a decade perfecting time-tested recipes instead of chasing novelty.
The pub atmosphere does the rest. At the Asheville location on Sweeten Creek Road, you are eating near the creek with a pint in hand. At Old Fort, you have more space, better suited for groups or families. Either way, the burger hits differently when the setting is right.
What Goes Into the Hillman House Burger
The Hillman burger is a scratch-made pub burger, which means every component is treated with the same attention the brewing team applies to their beer. The kitchen at Hillman is not operating off frozen patties or pre-assembled shortcuts. What lands on your table came together that day.
The beef is grass-fed, sourced with the same local-first mindset that shapes Hillman’s ingredient philosophy across the menu. The patty is thick enough to hold a proper sear without losing its interior texture, which matters more than most people realize. A well-cooked patty with good beef does not need much help.
The bun selection matters too. At a pub kitchen, the bun is structural. It has to hold up to the burger without disappearing into it or overpowering the beef. Hillman’s approach leans into the classic pub burger tradition: a bun that is present but not the star.
Toppings are deliberate rather than excessive. Comfort-forward, not chaotic. Think of it the same way Hillman thinks about their beer: every element earns its place. Nothing is there for shock value. If you want to explore the full range of pub kitchen comfort food that pairs with the burger, the menu goes well beyond the patty itself.
According to Food & Wine (2022), the defining characteristics of a great burger are beef quality, proper fat content, seasoning timing, and cook temperature control. Hillman’s scratch kitchen checks each of those boxes with what feels like genuine care rather than calculated effort.
The Right Beer to Pair With It
Pairing a burger with the right beer is not complicated at Hillman Beer, because the answer is sitting right there on the tap list. The Hillman ESB is the move. It won a GABF Bronze in 2017 when Hillman was barely off the ground, then came back for Silver in 2018, and took Gold in 2019. Three years, three medals. That is not luck.
An ESB, or Extra Special Bitter, is a British-style ale with a firm malt backbone, earthy hop character, and enough bitterness to cut through fat without fighting the beef. It is one of the most food-friendly styles in traditional brewing, and Hillman’s version has been refined to a point where it works as well with food as it does on its own. You can explore the full Hillman Beer tap list before your visit to see what else is pouring.
“The best beer pairings are the ones where neither the food nor the beer is trying to win. They are just making each other better.”
That is the experience at Hillman. The ESB and the house burger are not competing. They are doing exactly what a good pub pairing should do. If you want something lighter, the tap list always has options, and the staff knows the beers well enough to make a real recommendation rather than a rehearsed one.
For more on how Hillman’s beer philosophy shapes every pour, read about their grain-to-glass approach.
What to Expect When You Visit
Walking into Hillman Beer for the first time does not feel like a transaction. The Asheville location on Sweeten Creek Road is pub-like in the best sense: creekside seating, a layout that encourages lingering, and a vibe that does not rush you. The Old Fort location at 78 Catawba Ave is larger, over 10,000 square feet, with room for families and bigger groups along Mill Creek.
Both locations run full kitchens with the same scratch-made menu. The burger is available at both. So is the ESB.
According to Beer Advocate (2021), brewpubs that invest in real kitchen programs consistently outperform those that treat food as an afterthought in terms of customer retention and visit duration. Hillman’s food program is clearly not an afterthought. It is built with the same standards as the beer.
If you are already curious about the burger, that curiosity is well-placed. Come in, order the ESB, get the burger, and see what a pub-kitchen approach feels like when it is done right. The menu also includes a house-made patty melt, a reuben, kale salad, and falafel wrap, so there is room to explore beyond the burger. But for a first visit, keep it simple.
To see the full menu and plan your visit, check the Hillman Beer website.
Hillman Beer’s House Burger at a Glance
| Detail | What to Know |
|---|---|
| Beef Type | Grass-fed, locally sourced when possible |
| Kitchen Style | Scratch-made, full pub kitchen |
| Best Beer Pairing | Hillman ESB (GABF Gold, 2019) |
| Asheville Location | 25 Sweeten Creek Rd, near Biltmore Village |
| Old Fort Location | 78 Catawba Ave, 10,000+ sq ft facility |
| Atmosphere | Pub-style, family-friendly, community-focused |
Before You Go
Hillman Beer’s house burger is worth the trip whether you are a craft beer regular or someone who just wants a well-made meal in a good room. The grass-fed beef, scratch kitchen approach, and deliberate build put it in genuine contention for the best burger in Asheville NC. Pair it with the GABF Gold-winning ESB, grab a seat near the creek or along Mill Creek in Old Fort, and you will understand why this place has been earning loyal regulars since 2017. It is not trying to be everything. It is just doing a few things very well.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Hillman Beer’s burger different from other burgers in Asheville?
Hillman’s house burger is built on grass-fed beef, prepared in a full scratch kitchen that treats food with the same seriousness as their award-winning beer. The sourcing is local when possible, the build is deliberate, and the pub setting gives the whole experience a different quality than a standalone burger spot. It is a complete meal, not just a plate.
What beer should I order with the Hillman burger?
The Hillman ESB is the natural match. It is a British-style Extra Special Bitter with enough malt depth and hop bitterness to complement grass-fed beef without overpowering it. The ESB took GABF Gold in 2019, Silver in 2018, and Bronze in 2017. If you only try one beer on your first visit, that is the one.
Does Hillman Beer serve food at both locations?
Yes. Both the Asheville location at 25 Sweeten Creek Rd and the Old Fort location at 78 Catawba Ave run full kitchens with scratch-made pub fare. The full menu, including the house burger, is available at both. The Old Fort location offers more space, which makes it well-suited for families or larger groups.
Is Hillman Beer family-friendly?
Yes, particularly the Old Fort location, which at over 10,000 square feet has more room for families and larger gatherings. The Asheville location has a more intimate pub feel with creekside seating. Both locations are designed around community and conversation, and the food menu has options for a range of preferences beyond the burger.
Do I need to know a lot about craft beer to enjoy Hillman Beer?
Not at all. Hillman’s entire approach is built around making craft beer approachable without requiring any prior knowledge. The staff knows the beers and can make genuine recommendations based on what you like. As Hillman puts it, you will not need an advanced beer vocabulary to enjoy what is in your glass.
