Trends come and go, but Londoners will never be tired of a truly great burger. So, here are the burgers that you really need to be seeking out right now.
The cheeseburger at The Latimer
North Kensington - 274 Latimer Rd, London W10 6QW
The entire Spiteri family got together to open this West London pub to great acclaim earlier this year. And while the main, seasonal menu is fantastic, the pub also has an extremely strong bar snacks menu that's well worth knowing about. Alongside some excellent masala haddock bites you'll also find this pickled chilli cheeseburger, which we're hearing is almost worth the trip alone. Inside the bun is an aged beef patty with pickled chillies, onion, cucumber pickles, American cheese and sliced baby gem in their house sauce.
The off-menu burger at Vesper
Clerkenwell - 274 Latimer Rd, London W10 6QW
When Jackson Boxer opened Dove in Notting Hill, the chef's off-menu burger very quickly became one of the most sought-after items on the menu. So when he opened Vesper, he decided to see if lightning could strike twice and created another off-menu burger there. And, once again, it's become one of the restaurant's most popular items. Like the Dove burger, this is in very limited supply, with only 10 available each day. The burger here is brushed with beef stock laced with Parmesan rinds, and then finished off with Gorgonzola and a peppercorn sauce with added cognac. If that sounds like a must-order, make sure to arrive early...
The OG smashburger at Lagom
North Kensington - 274 Latimer Rd, London W10 6QW
Elliot Cunningham's Lagom may have moved on from Hackney Church Brewery, but the chef has found a new home in Dalston at The Three Compasses, where he's put together a "buns" menu that is almost solely focused on burgers. The original smashburger makes a return appearance here - ideally you'll want it in its double-patty form - and it remains one of London's best. That said, there's a lot more to explore in this new menu, like his lamb or fried chicken burgers. You should also make sure to look out for specials. There was recently a chicken Caesar burger that looked amazing, while the Queenie Bun mixed up scallops and black pudding. Yes, we know that's not actually a burger, but still!
The bacon jam cheeseburger by Addie's at The Edinburgh
Stoke Newington - 125 Newington Green Rd, London N1 4RA
Addie's has seemingly come out of nowhere to become one of London's hottest new burger spots, but there's actually some burger heritage there as the man behind it used to work with Yeah Burger (and more recently Top Cuvée). He's taken over the food at The Edinburgh pub on Newington Green and created a burger menu that has had people falling over themselves to come up with new ways to hype it up. The dry-aged beef has the extra marbling that comes from being from grass-fed native and rare breed cattle, their buns are baked locally, and everything else is made in-house. That includes their house sauce, which is made with confit garlic and horseradish. Any of the burgers here are going to be winners, but the leader is the bacon jam cheeseburger with two dry-aged smash patties, double American cheese, pickles and his own bacon jam.
The pub also has a pretty phenomenal Monday-Wednesday deal of beer and a burger for £15, which seems rude to ignore, frankly.
The smashburger at Dante
Mayfair - Brook St, London W1K 4HR
The burger at Dante is very much on the high-end side of new burgers (it costs £29 on its own), but it's still one that's well worth trying. You'll find it on the menu at the newly permanent restaurant at Claridge's and it comes topped with caramelised onions and Provolone cheese. Although it's described as a smash burger, it really is more of a traditional burger. And we very much appreciate that it comes on its own silver platter. If you want it alfresco, head on out to the new summer terrace where it goes well with a glass of Aussie Pinot Noir.
The patty melt at Johnny Boy's
Stoke Newington - 3 Northwold Rd, London N16 7HL
Johnny Boy's is a Californian-inspired diner that comes from Julian Denis, the man behind Facing Heaven. It does have what is, by all accounts, a very good burger on the menu, but we're reserving our praise for his excellent patty melt. It's a 1/4lb beef patty with caramelised onions, Swiss and American cheese, all within toasted milk bread. Let us tell you it's a phenomenal creation, and if this is anything to go by, the more standard cheeseburger on the menu (using the same patty) should also be a winner.
Subscribe to hear the latest from Hot Dinners
