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 record was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record. 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.
The details, verified.
- 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
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.
Every award, on the record.
Each Centurion Award is its own dated annual record, and staying current means clearing the bar again each new year. The verification above is from the latest published award. Open a year for that year’s citation.
2025 Centurion Award
Best Burger in Columbus Columbus, OH · Awarded under the 2025 evaluation View the 2025 award →Awards run one calendar year and renew only if the business clears the bar again. Selection is by published criteria, never for sale.
Visit The Thurman Café
A signal you can check.
This page is the standing record for The Thurman Café (2025). It was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. It wasn’t voted on or sponsored, and selection is not for sale. Owners can claim the listing or ask us to remove it. For hours, bookings, and live reviews, go straight to the business itself.
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 for free to manage it, correct it, or remove it. If you want the award kit (badge, certificate, and announcement), you pay after you claim. Through December 31, 2026, publishing is $99. The evaluation itself is free. The $99 covers the first year only. Renewals are $199/year. That fee never buys selection.
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.