The Thurman Café
Best Burger in Columbus · OH
Home of the Thurmanator since 1942.
The Thurman Café has been a German Village tavern since 1942, but it's the burgers that made it famous — towering, two-patty monsters topped with everything, none more notorious than the Thurmanator. A "Man v. Food" visit turned the neighborhood joint into a national bucket-list stop.
Still family-run and packed nightly, the Thurman is the 2025 Centurion Award winner in Columbus.
What they're known for
- The Thurmanator
- Towering two-patty burgers
- German Village tavern since 1942
Customers said it first.
A Centurion Award verifies the public record that’s already there. Read the reviews yourself on the platforms below.
Public-record snapshot as of July 2026. Live ratings are always current on each platform.
Why this business cleared the bar.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record. Founding cohort: evaluated in 2026 on public evidence available then, labeled 2025. Selection follows the published criteria; The Thurman Café met them on that evidence. The business can claim the listing or ask us to remove it.
- ✓Years in operation. Operating in Columbus since 1942 — 84 years of continuous business.
- ✓Sustained online presence. An established local institution with a consistent public footprint — listings, coverage, and word of mouth in Columbus.
- ✓Established customer track record. A deep public track record: Columbus has kept The Thurman Café busy for 84 years.
- ✓Liked by customers and the community. Genuinely beloved by Columbus regulars and visitors alike — a bona fide community favorite.
- ✓Recognition in the local community. Named best burger in Columbus for 2025 for the Thurmanator and more than 80 years of the same family's German Village tavern.
The specific data behind this award, and the exact thresholds, stay internal so the standard can’t be gamed. Read the methodology.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. Own this business? Claim the listing to manage it, or ask us to remove it.
Award record
2025 Centurion Award
Best Burger in Columbus Columbus, OH · Awarded under the 2025 evaluationVisit The Thurman Café
The details, verified.
Clean, checkable facts about The Thurman Café.
- Legal / trading name
- The Thurman Café
- Category
- Restaurant
- Founded
- 1942, Columbus, OH
- Founders
- The Suclescy family
- Location
- 183 Thurman Ave, Columbus, OH 43206
- Centurion Award
- Best Burger in Columbus — 2025
- Record last verified
- July 2026
A signal you can check.
This is a dated award record published by The Centurion Awards after reviewing public evidence for The Thurman Café against the 2025 criteria for its market and category. The business did not have to apply for this page to appear. It wasn’t voted on or sponsored, and selection is not for sale. The criteria are public. Owners can claim the listing or ask us to remove it. If an award stops holding up, we may revoke it. For anything current, like hours or bookings, go straight to the business itself.
Frequently asked questions.
What is The Thurman Café?
Family-owned German Village tavern since 1942, home of the towering Thurmanator burger and waits locals accept happily.
Is The Thurman Café award-winning?
Yes — The Thurman Café is the 2025 Centurion Award winner for Best Burger in Columbus, a verified, criteria-based award. Named best burger in Columbus for 2025 for the Thurmanator and more than 80 years of the same family's German Village tavern.
Where is The Thurman Café?
The Thurman Café is in Columbus, OH.
Run a business like this one?
If you’ve put in the years, you may already qualify. Evaluation is free, private, and never for sale.