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The burger has become one of London's most fiercely debated dishes, with a clutch of cult joints turning out patties good enough to queue for. This guide covers where to eat the best, from smashed-patty specialists to British-beef stalwarts.
The cult patties
Bleecker, which started as a food truck, has a near-fanatical following for its beautifully simple, deeply savoury burgers. Patty and Bun is another modern classic, famous for its Ari Gold cheeseburger, and Black Bear Burger and Burger and Beyond both grew from markets into beloved bricks-and-mortar spots. These are the names London's burger obsessives argue over.
British beef and pub burgers
Honest Burgers built its reputation on British-beef patties and rosemary-salted chips, and its many branches make it the easy, reliable choice. Some of the city's very best burgers, however, come out of gastropubs and steakhouses, where a serious kitchen applies dry-aged beef to a short, perfect burger. It is always worth asking whether the pub does one.
Which is the best burger in London?
Bleecker and Patty and Bun are the two names most often cited by London burger fans, both serving simple, superbly executed patties. Honest Burgers is the most consistent for a reliable British-beef burger across the city. The best is genuinely a matter of taste.
Where can I get a good cheap burger in London?
The cult joints such as Bleecker offer serious quality without fine-dining prices, and market stalls and food trucks often serve excellent burgers for less. For a sit-down option, Honest Burgers is dependable and fairly priced.
Where to go next
For a bigger cut of beef, see the best steak in London, or browse the best restaurants in London.
