Best Burgers in London (& the ones not worth the hype)

A burger may seem like a simple dish, but in reality, it’s hard to find a place that gets every element right to make the perfect burger with all the right accompaniments. We’ve tried most of the burger joints in London and have finally picked our favourites, as well as those that aren’t worth your time.

Which burgers have you tried? Is there one I should add to the list, and which is your personal favourite?

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#4 FIVE GUYS:

With Five Guys, you really can’t go wrong: the quality is consistently top-tier, even abroad, so I’d say it’s always a safe bet.

Burger: 8.5/10 - The meat quality is always flawless, and the ability to customise your burger is perfect for picky eaters. It’s a timeless classic that’s guaranteed to please everyone.

Fries: 4/10 - The fries are good but nothing remarkable, made from real potatoes, yes, but without any fun sauces to liven up the meal, which for me is what’s missing.

Other: Unlimited drinks

#3 SHAKESHACK:

If you know me, you would know that Shake Shack has been the love of my life since it came to London

Burger: 7/10 - The original smashburger that, since arriving in London, I just can’t get enough of. Their signature shake sauce and moist buns make all the difference. That said, the quality of the meat can be hit or miss depending on the location.

Fries: 9.5/10 - Their fries are delicious, and the option of cheese fries takes the meal to the next level.

Other: They offer fun limited-edition menus that keep things exciting, and most importantly, they serve the Arnold Palmer drink (iykyk)

#2 HANBAAGAASUUTEEKI:

This new Asian-inspired burger spot has completed the Victoria burger triangle, joining Shake Shack and Bleecker to create a trio of must-visit burger joints. Having been open for just over a month, I expect it’ll gain serious hype in the coming months, just watch. I’m only waiting for delivery to order again ASAP.

Burger: 9.5/10 -The meat quality was impeccable, the ingredients fresh, and the burger perfectly balanced—it was truly flawless.

Fries: 10/10 - You can choose from three types of fries: classic plain fries and two creative Korean-inspired options. We tried the kimchi fries, and they were both delicious and refreshingly flavourful.

#1 SUPERNOVA: This spot is still relatively new to London’s burger scene, but it has taken the city by storm with its small, simple, yet delicious menu.

Burger: 10/10 - I loved this burger so much that I went back twice in just two weeks. Everything was spot-on—the quality of the meat, the house sauce, the pickles balancing the richness, and the fluffy burger bun. It was flawless.

Fries: 9.5/10 - The fries are like a gourmet take on McDonald’s—so you already know they’re delicious. It’s also the only place in London I’ve found that serves “Pomme Frites” sauce (which is amazing) and, of course, cheese sauce.

Other: Offers Arnold Palmer Drink + Ice-cream Sunday

SUPERNOVA tops the ranking because it’s the only burger spot that nails every essential component: a truly delicious burger, fries with a variety of sauces, fun drinks, and of course, dessert!

Moody Lemon - Hair Scrunchie in Matcha

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NOT WORTH THE HYPE BURGERS:

BLEEKER: 6/10

You might be surprised to see Bleecker on this list, but honestly, I just don’t understand what all the fuss is about.

Burger: 5/10: The burger is cooked closer to medium than well-done, which can be risky with meat, I’ve even heard of a couple of people getting food poisoning. It also contained a lot of fat, making it unpleasant when you bite into gristle. On top of that, it was extremely salty and consisted only of meat and cheese, no lettuce, tomato, or anything fresh to balance out the saltiness. Was it just an off day? I doubt it, as I’ve tried it three times and it was exactly the same each time.

Fries: 6/10: They offer both regular fries and cheese fries, but again, I found them too salty. If I were craving cheese fries, this wouldn’t be my first choice, especially with Shake Shack right across the street, where I know I’d head instead.

Other: They do a lovely lemonade which is always a plus for me

DOVE: 4/10

Out of all the burgers I’ve tried, this was by far the most disappointing. The Dove’s burger is hyped as their star dish and made in limited quantities (full restaurant review here), but honestly, the rest of their menu outshines it completely.

The patty tasted like supermarket minced meat, and for the first time ever, I couldn’t finish a burger. It’s topped only with blue cheese, something I normally love but here it was overpoweringly salty, making the whole thing inedible. With nothing to cut through the richness of the blue cheese and buttery bun, it was heavy, one-dimensional, and just unpleasant.

If you go to The Dove and find the burger sold out, you’re not missing anything. In my opinion, the whole thing is overhyped, probably because of the chef’s famous name rather than the actual quality.

JUNK: Overall grade: 3/10

JUNK is a French burger chain, and when I tried it in Paris, it was incredible. The option to add caramelised onions made a huge difference to the flavour. Unfortunately, the London location was a complete letdown.

Burger: 2/10: In Paris, you can opt for a single patty, but in London, the minimum is two, already a shame in my opinion. On top of that, the caramelised onions have been swapped for fried onions, making the flavour less refined and more overpowering. The real issue, though, was the meat. It had such an unpleasant, off-putting smell that it was impossible to eat. Beef should never have a strong odour, yet this was so intense it was inedible. I’ve never had a burger in London that I couldn’t finish because of the smell and on top of that, for a smash patty which is so small, half of it shouldn't be fat. To me, it was clear the meat was expired, which is shocking especially for a chain and a newly opened location.

Fries: 9/10: The fries were so delicious and light, especially with their house sauce. I could order from them just for that (and their cookies)

Other: From the same owner as Puffy Cookies, you can also order some cookies which made up for the burger fiasco

Levantine - Yasameen (Jasmine) Candle

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