The 27 best burger joints in the UK

Times

25-07-2025

Name me another food that has had such an exhausting series of reinventions as the burger. I think you'll struggle. When I was a teenager in the 2010s, there were just two restaurants on the high street (Byron and GBK) that served patties with a decent meat content. Elsewhere it was flavourless, often defrosted grey slabs.
In the 15 years that have followed, Britain's burger scene has been through numerous makeovers. Burgers have been upscaled to comically tall stacks of patties oozing cheese, Americanised with the arrival of Five Guys and Shake Shack, and downsized to crispy, smashed versions — the latest viral preference characterised by squished patties and supremely crunchy edges. There's a whole new set of burger-related terms to remember too: do you know your 'Oklahoma' (smashed but with onions pressed into the patty) from your 'Cali' style (classic with the addition of bacon and avocado)?
Yes, all these burgers are essentially still just a patty in a bun, but the ones I grew up eating didn't have hundreds of influencers queueing for hours or crowds loitering in front of restaurants, as they did in Shoreditch last month when Dumbo, the cult Parisian smashed-burger joint, opened its first London outpost.
Among their fans, chefs that make burgers are treated with the same reverence as artists. When Jackson Boxer launched a burger made from 50-day aged beef at his west London restaurant, Dove, London's foodies, including Nigella Lawson, made a beeline for Notting Hill. Boxer only makes ten burgers per day. Some diners, he told me, even rearranged flights in an attempt to bag one. I've been twice and still wasn't fast enough.
How did we get here? You can trace it all back to Honest Burgers, which opened in Brixton, south London, in 2011 and was one of the first restaurants to change the burger's image from fast food to top-quality dish. 'They were simplistic and homemade. They came with chips and they were all made from British meat,' says the chain's cofounder, Tom Barton. 'We knew we were doing something exciting when AA Gill came and reviewed us. He slated us and gave us two stars, but we just couldn't believe he'd come.'
The latest is a hybrid burger at Heard in Borough, south London, that has been created by the Cornish chef Jordan Bailey, who helped Sat Bains secure two Michelin stars before opening his own two-star restaurant in Ireland. 'We roll the patty onto the grill rather than smash it on. It creates the crispy edges, but the centre is still thick enough that you can have it medium rare,' Bailey explains.
These burgers are very good. When Heard opened this spring, I went three times in a fortnight. But they aren't my only favourite. Here are 26 others to try.
• Read more restaurant reviews and recipes from our food experts
NationwideThe restaurant group that changed how Britain thought about burgers with its simple, premium recipe. It has also opened its first smashed burger outlet, Smash + Grab, by Liverpool Street station.honestburgers.co.uk
London, Leeds and BrightonMEATliquor was smashing burgers way before it was considered cool. And after trying its Dead Hippie (mustard-fried double beef patty, American cheese and pickles), your life won't be the same.meatliquor.com
Hereford, Shrewsbury, Cheltenham and BathThis restaurant group has the royal seal of approval. Well, not quite, but the Queen's son, the restaurant critic Tom Parker Bowles, did visit the Cheltenham branch last year and gave its 'splendidly beefy and lusciously messy' cheeseburger four out of five stars. thebeefyboys.com
FalmouthThis family-run burger spot is a local favourite, using free-range Cornish beef from the award-winning butcher Philip Warren and buns from the local bakery Da Bara. meatcounterfalmouth.uk
Newquay and TruroThe menu here is small — just six kinds of burgers, plus milkshakes, soft-serve ice cream and fries — but everything is brilliant. Don't forget the spectacular chips, including ones that come loaded with brisket. No wonder it's known as Cornwall's best burger place. herdburger.co.uk
PlymouthLaunched in London then moved to Plymouth, this spot is inspired by southern Californian coastal culture. zephyrburgers.co.uk
BristolHead to the Fierce & Noble brewery and you'll find these award-winning burgers. Order the Crispy Chilli Cheese. dannysburgers.co.uk
Eight branchesLondon's most talked-about burgers since the chain's owner, Zan Kaufman, opened the first site in Spitalfields Market. Its most famous creation, the award-winning Bleecker Black (50-day aged beef and black pudding), isn't on the menu any more, so go with the equally delicious Bleecker Blue (beef patty plus blue cheese). bleecker.co.uk
Eight branchesAnother London favourite to tick off. The burgers are ridiculously good — try the Double Miso, above — but the sides such as the rarebit crumpet and the brisket spring rolls should not be overlooked either. blackbearburger.com
Finsbury ParkTwo minutes from the Tube station you'll find this place serving the Dexter: a brilliant cheeseburger in a glistening brioche bun that is so popular in north London, it practically has its own fan club. @the.plimsoll
• Paris's best burger is coming to London. I went to try it
ShoreditchIf you like burgers and you live in London, the arrival of Dumbo from Paris won't have passed you by. Diners have been known to queue at the French original for hours. What you'll find when you get to the front of the line is just one smashed cheeseburger, a veggie burger and French fries. dumboparis.com/shoreditch
BoroughHeard has been quietly blowing south Londoners' minds since it opened in April. The burgers are filled with double smashed patties using British meat from regenerative farms and homemade pickles. heardburger.co.uk
Notting HillIf you manage to get one of the ten burgers made here each day you are in for a treat: a double-ground patty weighing 220g and made from rib caps of 50-day aged cows, aged brisket, chuck and frozen suet. dove.london
HackneyGo for a lesson in how to make the perfect smashed burger by Lagom's chef-patron, Elliot Cunningham. The meat, mustard, mayo, vinegar slaw and American cheese work together in delicious harmony. @eatlagom
SohoWith just two smashed burgers on the menu (plus fries and desserts), it might be hard to understand why, after two years, people still queue here. Once you've tried them, though, you instantly get it.supernovaburger.com
GlasgowThis place on Great Western Road keeps things simple with its customisable smashed burgers. There are just three on the menu, they only make 100 a day, and they are simply delicious. @smashedwest
Edinburgh and GlasgowOrder the Top Dog, made with rare-breed beef patties, bone marrow, black truffle mayo and Roquefort butter. You may need a lie-down afterwards. el-perro-negro.com
• Britain's best burgers — according to top chefs
ManchesterWhen I ask friends in Manchester where to get the best burgers, there's a mix of answers: Broskis, Almost Famous, BUN. Burgerism, however, comes up almost every time. Six burgers, plus two fried chicken options and three plant-based patties. Outlets in Stockport and Salford too. burgerism.co.uk
DoncasterAs the name suggests, these are less burgers than towers of smashed patties with cheese. Order the Dirty Barbie for an explosion of American cheese, espresso and bourbon sauce, crispy onions and streaky bacon. meatcastles.com
Newcastle and LeedsFor US-style burgers, head to Meat:Stack where you have a choice of 11, seasoned with homemade sauces and sandwiched into potato buns. meat-stack.com
NewcastleThis restaurant in a car park in Byker is only open on Friday and Saturday for brunch and then burgers. It's worth the wait, though. @2kniveskitchen
NewcastleOne of Newcastle's best spots for burgers like the Beef Dip (shredded brisket, steak patty and gravy) and the Flying North — three smashed patties, American cheese and bacon. thetannersarms.co.uk
LeedsAt the Northern Market, you will find arguably the best place for smashed or chicken burgers in Leeds. Try one of its bestsellers, the spicy Clucky Buffalo Volcano chicken burger. @bigbunsuk
PenarthThings can get messy when you order one of these dry-aged smashed burgers, which come with their insides spilling out. And that's a good thing. Look out for monthly specials such as the chorizo and pineapple jam burger. @toms_smashed_burgers
BelfastWith just four items on the menu, Bunsen keeps things simple. There are no smashed patties or trendy flavours. Instead, this Irish chain focuses on more traditional takes — and does them extremely well. bunsen.ie
Worcester and HerefordServing classic burgers and monthly specials made with top-quality, locally sourced patties of prime beef, fresh buns and scratch-made sauces. burgershop.restaurant
NottinghamFor chicken burger fans. Go for the fried chicken (no grease, just crunchy coating and juicy meat) and stay for the soft serve. mollis.uk