LDNGuide
The Best Burgers In London To Try Right Now
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
Years of excessive exposure to meat, gherkin, and cheese has meant we’ve earned the very official title of Expert Burger Eaters. Yes, it’s 100% legit, please don’t look it up. And as expert burger eaters, we’re going to tell you about some of the best burgers in London.
THE BURGER SPOTS
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
If you’re into burgers, chances are you’re familiar with California-based In-N-Out Burger and its thin patties and not-so-secret menu. And chances are you wish you could try one of their burgers without jumping on an 11-hour flight to LAX. Thanks to Bun & Sum, an LA-style takeaway burger spot, you can have the next best thing in Mile End. The crispy, juicy smashpatties are stuffed between soft buns, and topped with everything from brisket or pastrami to a straightforward slice of American cheese. There’s no seating but the burgers are worth standing around and dripping consommé on your white trainers for.
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
Burnt Smokehouse has the kind of BBQ platters that the Instagram algorithm feeds you in your hungriest moments. But the burger is our favourite thing to get here. It’s so juicy and buttery that by the final bite, your bottom bun will have all but disintegrated. Hunker down in the archway under Leytonstone Station and you’ll find yourself elbow-to-elbow on a too-small shared table with strangers, trying not to make eye contact as you stretch your jaw biting into your double smashburger patty. But asking your new friends for a napkin through a mouthful of salty, moreish chicken salt fries is all part of the fun.
photo credit: Buk
For those who have never been big fans of the ultra-thick beef patty, a smashburger means finally having all the right ratios. And Buk’s special burger has a thin but substantial, flattened beef patty, a double portion of melted American cheese, plenty of creamy, chilli house sauce oozing over the patty, and sweet caramelised onion to top it all off. This burger laughs in the face of the Big Mac. And we laugh in the face of anyone who hasn’t been to this laid-back Camden burger spot and tried it. Oh, and all the meat is halal.
photo credit: Giulia Verdinelli
Four Legs made their name at The Compton Arms where they helped create and nurture a delicious and fun kind of pub eating. At The Plimsoll, a boozer in Finsbury Park, Four Legs have taken their winning combination of one of London’s best burgers and floral crockery to the next level. The Dexter burger is an outstanding piece of beefy, buttery craftsmanship. It’s all meat, cheese, sauce, and gherkins. No lettuce. If you’re not into McDonald’s-style burgers, you may not like this. But the odds are, you will.
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
Arcade, a food hall near Tottenham Court Road station, is from the people behind Brigadiers and Hoppers, and it’s where you’ll find Manna and its perfectly formed smashburgers. Yes the Nashville hot chicken is delicious, but when you’re in the mood for a dressed-up quarter pounder, their smashburger is an excellent move. Heavy on the cheese, it’s also got plenty of pickles and some diced onion for good measure. Get a side of waffle fries as well, because… waffle fries.
photo credit: Giulia Verdinelli
We’d love to tell you how often we order Beer + Burger, but our doctor might be reading this and at our last check-up we said we’d try this thing called “moderation”. But we can tell you that, err, it’s a lot. Like, a lot. Our go-to order is the cheeseburger. It’s slightly charred, a little moist, and sloppy in a deeply satisfying way. Honestly, we might just order one now from one of its four locations across north east London.
photo credit: Giulia Verdinelli
Why settle for one burger when you can have two? Hint: don’t. The best part about this British Afghan BBQ spot in Walworth, is that they’ve got a burger to suit every mood. There’s the classic beef patty, smashburger, and the 16-hour smoked brisket bun. Or if you’re dedicated to eating beef in as many forms as humanly possible, you can add a beef patty to the brisket bun for the best of both worlds. There’s no wrong answer, but just know that their brisket is some of the best in London.
photo credit: Nanny Bill's
Let’s talk gravy. It’s the under-appreciated food spouse of our nation. Nanny Bill’s in London Bridge understands this, and for that we salute them. Their Dalston Dip burger comes with a pot of thick signature gravy to smother your burger in. It's a mess, just ask any t-shirt we’ve ever worn while eating it. But it’s also such a stellar change from your average double cheeseburger. Plus, the soft, seeded buns might be our favourite in London. Viva la gravy burger revolution.
photo credit: Aleksandra Boruch
This American diner on the High Street in Uxbridge isn’t for those times when you could have a burger. It’s for those times when you want a burger that will result in unbuttoned jeans. Don’t let the hefty menu distract you. You want their signature Red Iron Burger. It’s got layers—yes, layers—of melted cheese, a juicy beef patty, house burger sauce, jalapeños, and it comes with a generous side of thick-cut chips. Count us in.
Right, bear with us because you’re about to get a glimpse into our deeply indecisive nature. Decisions? Very, very tricky. Especially when we’re asked to choose between Meatliquor’s cheeseburger and their Dead Hippie burger. One, a classic of the genre—super cheesy with plenty of red onion, just the way we like it. The other—spicy, with two beef patties fried in mustard. We cannot choose. And neither should you. Try them both at the diner/dive bar spot near Oxford Circus.
From the moment you smell the beef sizzling, you know you’re in for a good time at Blacklock. The chophouse in Soho is an expert in all things meaty, and the big burger is an obvious winner. The seeded bun is especially good, and we're also very pro the gherkin ratio which leans towards heavy, but isn’t overwhelming.
photo credit: Karolina Wiercigroch
Burger & Beyond in Camden makes deceptive little buns. They’re palm-sized and filled with charred, but juicy, smashpatties. You’ll look at one and think, I can put away two. Au contraire our bun-loving friend, these little fellas are rich, smeared with smoky or burnt butter mayo, and dripping in American cheese. Of course you could just get a single patty, but where’s the fun in that?
