🍞 Brioche vs Potato Buns
Buns Updated July 2026
Brioche and potato are the two most popular "upgrade" burger buns, and they're more different than they look. Brioche is rich, buttery and a little fancy; potato is soft, sturdy and gently sweet. Neither is universally better — the right one depends on the burger. Here's the honest breakdown.
What each bun actually is
Brioche is an enriched bread made with eggs and butter, which gives it a tender, cake-like crumb, a golden color, and a faintly sweet, rich flavor. Potato buns use mashed potato or potato flour in the dough, which holds moisture and produces a bun that's exceptionally soft and squishy yet surprisingly strong. Brioche tastes like an indulgence; potato tastes like the platonic ideal of "a soft burger bun."
Side by side
| Brioche | Potato | |
|---|---|---|
| Flavor | Rich, buttery, noticeably sweet | Soft, mildly sweet, neutral |
| Texture | Tender, cake-like | Squishy but springy |
| Sturdiness | Good, until it's over-soaked | Excellent — resists sogginess |
| Toasting | Toasts fast and deep (sugar + butter) | Toasts more gently |
| Best for | Gourmet, rich, beef-forward burgers | Smash burgers, saucy builds, crowds |
| Watch out for | Can overpower a simple burger; burns if toasted too hot | Can be small; less "special" for a fancy burger |
When to choose brioche
Reach for brioche when the burger is meant to feel a little luxurious and the bun is part of the show: thick steakhouse patties, a garlic butter burger, mushroom-and-Swiss, anything where richness is the point. Its sweetness is a genuine asset next to sharp cheese and savory toppings. The one caution: brioche toasts fast because of its sugar and butter, so use slightly lower heat and watch it.
When to choose potato
Potato is the better everyday and crowd bun. It shines under anything wet or greasy — smash burgers, saucy BBQ builds, juicy classics — because it stubbornly refuses to disintegrate. It's also the more forgiving choice if you're cooking for a group and can't toast every bun to order. If you keep exactly one kind of burger bun in the house, make it potato.
The honest verdict
For a rich, special-occasion burger, brioche. For everything else — and especially smash burgers and feeding a crowd — potato. Both beat a plain untoasted grocery bun by a mile. For the full field of options, see our Best Burger Buns guide, and match the bun to your patty with the Patty Size Calculator.
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Frequently asked questions
Is brioche or potato bun better for burgers?
It depends on the burger. Brioche is richer and sweeter — best for gourmet, beef-forward burgers where the bun is part of the experience. Potato is softer and sturdier — best for smash burgers, saucy builds, and feeding a crowd.
Which bun holds up better to a juicy burger?
Potato. The potato starch retains structure under grease and juice, so it resists going soggy better than brioche, which can eventually turn to paste if it's over-soaked.
Why does brioche burn when I toast it?
Brioche is made with sugar and butter, both of which brown quickly, so it toasts faster than a plain bun. Use medium rather than high heat and pull it as soon as it's golden.