Superburger

The Superburger location at 1501 4th street has been serving up the best hand pressed burgers in Santa Rosa since after WWII.  Originally this location on 4th street began as a “Dog-E-Diner” owned by the Oates family. The diner was most remembered for its pies which were baked every night in the Oates family’s old house a block away on 4th street.  All the favorite standards were on the menu including hamburgers, cheeseburgers, shakes and Coca Cola as well.  Meanwhile, two blocks away from here was also the original Superburger burger shack located where 4th street, College and McDonald Avenue intersect.   Needing a new home the Superburger owners purchased Dog-E-Diner and changed the signs to Superburger in 1978.  Now managed by Gayle she became locally famous for her cantankerous banter and exchange of friendly and sometimes not so friendly insults with anyone that had the courage to hold her attention.  Gayle faithfully maintained the tradition of serving up old school pies, shakes, and her famous potato salad.  Known as Gayle’s Superburger from 1978 until 2007 the diner thrived as the go to spot for hungry Santa Rosans’ until Gayles’ retirement.   Throughout Superburger’s colorful history the diner has earned Best Burger in Sonoma County more than once as voted by the readers of the Press Democrat.  Most recently in 2012 Superburger regained this high honor.  Post 2007 the flavors of the shakes may be a bit more modern and the burgers a little bit more adventurous than in the 1950s but the shakes still have to be patiently mixed and the burgers pressed one at a time.  Currently the restaurant is owned by two cousins Bill and Destiny who hope to keep charbroiling hamburgers long into the future. No one knows what 2040 will look like but by the time Bill and Destiny retire they may be the last people known to serve a deceivingly simple meal called the hamburger.