Best Burgers in London: Top 10

[Last update May 2016] 

I've been reviewing burgers in London for more than five years. I've seen it, eaten it, and lived it for such a long time - and you, my fabulous readers, have joined me for the journey. So this is my way of keeping tabs on the running tally of my current Top 10 Best Burgers in London 2016, with links to all my reviews and scoring.

Or, for something slightly different, why not check out my waistband busting Biggest Burgers in London:


1. Lucky Chip Kevin Bacon burger 

Lucky Chip Kevin Bacon burger

Lucky Chip Kevin Bacon Burger

Lucky Chip used to sell burgers from a burger van in a car park in East London. The Seabright Arms followed with a pub kitchen residencey, and now they serve on Ridley Road and in the Old Queen's Head pub in Angel. Their Kevin Bacon cheeseburger (pictured above) is, in my view, perfection - from the soft, steamed but toasted bun, to the salty hit of bacon, the melted, sticky American cheese and the flat-top griddled aged beef patty. I challenge you not to have a goofy smile on your face whilst eating it. 

Lucky Chip have a lot of fun with some of their other burgers as well - check out the Tom Selleck, the Charlie Sheen, the Danny Trejo, the Chuck Norris and the El Chappo. The Kevin Bacon costs around £8.50 and his is deservedly at the top of my best burgers in London list.

2. The Bleecker Black from Bleecker Street Burger

The Bleecker Black burger

The Bleecker Black burger cut-through

Bleecker St. Burger like to keep it simple. But with a twist. The aged beef in these burger patties is from one of London's top butchers. The fresh sesame-seeded and toasted bun is robust and crunchy. The beef black pudding from Ireland and the american cheese deliver depth, stickiness and umami to the offering, and their own 'special' sauce brings everything together so cleverly. So why is it one of London's best street food burgers? It's the pride owner, Zan, takes in delivering her medium-rare, super-beefy NYC style burgers that makes them so special. The black Bleecker St. burger van pops up all over London, but they're also permanently serving in Old Spitalfields Market near Liverpool Street Station, so make sure you track them down - it'll make your lunch hour that much more bearable.

3. MEATLiquor burgers

Ok, so I'm cheating here a little bit - MEATLiquor/Market/Mission in London are slinging some really great burgers and there are two that you HAVE to try.

a) MEATLiquor Dead Hippie burger

A lot has been said about MEATLiquor, much of it by me in fairness, and there's good reason for that. Yianni's burgers are legendary, even from the days of the #Meateasy they demanded a cult following, and in MEATLiquor they are just as good. For £8.75, the Dead Hippie is a magnificent mash up of a cloched soft bun, double 'animal' fried patties, thick cut and sharp pickles, mustard, ketchup, american cheese and chopped lettuce. It's a hot dirty mess and I love it. You should have really no excuse not to go.

b) MEATMarket Black Palace burger 

MeatMarket Covent Garden - Black Palace burger

MeatMarket opened in May 2012 and they nailed it from the start with their Black Palace burger. Steamed, griddled onions, squishy glazed white bun and flat top grill seared beef patties combine to form a burger that's much greater than the sum of it's parts. It's beefy, juicy, messy, and frankly the one of the best burgers you'll taste, for £8.50, in London. 

4. Elliot's Cafe burger

Elliot's Cafe burger - borough market.

Elliot's Cafe in Borough Market serves one of London's best kept secrets. It's a burger that combines the just six, brilliantly executed ingredients - dill butter, beer-braised onions, comte cheddar, aged beef (from The Ginger Pig in the market opposite), house ketchup, and a house-baked linseed bun. The burger is ONLY served at lunchtimes, so it's worth taking the afternoon off to make sure you don't miss out. Simply glorious. 

5. Dip and Flip burger

The Dip & Flip burger takes a thick, flat top grilled beef patty and a thick dollop of 'house' cheese sauce, AND throws in an extra thick layer of gravy-dipped roast beef. This is, quite frankly, a masterstroke. You've got a great cheeseburger AND a layer of juicy, moreish roast beef topped with gravy, mustard and ketchup. Couple that with a cabbage slaw to add in a hit of texture and you have something pretty special. Trust me, you won't want to stop eating it. Oh, and it's under a tenner, too!

6. Honest Burgers

Honest Burgers bacon cheeseburger

Honest Burgers is deserving of its place on my best burgers in London list as it delivers a cracking British burger experience. Excellent aged meat from The Ginger Pig, toasted demi-brioche bun and some very English touches (mature cheddar, onion jam) combine to create a great burger package. They've got some stunning rosemary salted chips as well, luckily they come with the burger as you're unlikely to want to share them.

7. Shake Shack burger

Shake Shack - double smoke stack

Shack Stack burger

The magic, and downright moreishness of Shake Shack’s appeal lies in the absolutely fastidious attention to detail, which manifests in itself in the presentation of the food on your plate. It’s an impressive feat for, what is ostensibly a fast food burger joint, to bang out such consistency at the counter. And it’s the colours that make the burgers so mouth-watering – the shiny yellow/brown of the bun enticingly open like a clam shell in its burger pouch. The bright green leaf of lettuce, exactly arranged to show off the waves of the curvy leaf. The double slice of deep red tomato, meticulously cut into almost impossibly uniform widths. The bright, almost neon, yellow American cheese, seemingly symbiotic with the beef. And the seared 4oz burger patties, dark brown with caramelisation as the heart of the burger. It’s all so damn…appealing. 

8. Burger Bear burger 

You can't miss Tom, Burger Bear's founder, on the decks in his burger sunnies, and you won't want to miss him as he cooks up some of the meatiest burgers in London. The Grizzly Bear  gives you a great balance between heavily oak smoked bacon, a slightly sweeter bacon jam, and sticky, american cheese. As well as shredded lettuce with finely chopped onion, pickles, ketchup and French's mustard. The patty is a chuck / rib cap blend which delivers a big beefy hit. Find them in the centre of Old Street Roundabout in a crowdfunded container/diner.

9. Patty & Bun burger 

Patty & Bun Ari Gold burger

After a string of residencies and pop-ups, Patty & Bun has found a permanent home on James Street, and is slowly expanding into other areas. The signature burger is the 'Ari Gold' and it's loving construction and perfectly executed ingredients will put a smile on your face. There's smoky mayo, gooey cheese, top drawer, perfectly cooked beef, and a squashy, secret squirrel bun. Make sure you do yourself a favour and take down a portion of fries with rosemary salt.

10. Hawksmoor Kimchi Burger 

Hawksmoor Kimchi Burger

Hawksmoor has long been known in London as a shrine to meat and deservedly makes the best burgers in London list. The Kimchi burger is an impressive construct, combining Ogleshield cheese with spicy kimchi wrapped around the excellent Hawksmoor burger patty, combined in a Miller's brioche bun. Just brilliant.

11. Bread Street Kitchen burger 

Bread Street Kitchen Short Rib burger

Ok - so this is a bonus 11th burger on my list. This stalwart on London's dining scene has had mixed reviews in recent years with s, and that's exactly what you get with the Bread Street Kitchen short rib burger. This big, juicy, wet bear hug of a patty wrapped in a Miller's brioche bun, all for just £11.50. It's stated its case to be featured on this best burgers in London list. 

So there we have it folks, an ever evolving list of my Top 10 burgers in London to date! 

Bookmark this page, and come back regularly to see who's making it at the top of the London burger scene.