Finding the best burger in London without falling for hype

There’s one thing Londoners will happily argue about. And that is deciding on the the best burger in London.

Everyone has a favourite burger. Everyone insists their spot is the one.

So I do what any reasonable person would do. I start trying the supposedly best burger restaurants in London, one by one, and I rate them with an untamed gusto.

Smash burgers, pub burgers, halal burgers, sloppy grease bombs, big whoppers with thick patties. I’m eating my way through the hype to answer the only question that matters.

What is actually the best burger in London?

And here’s the thing. Not all viral burger spots deserve the crown. Some are brilliant. Some are solid. A couple are… fine.

Still, that’s the fun of it. Join us as we dive into bun-to-meat ratio, judge sauce choices, and appraise fillings.  .

Right. Napkins ready. Let’s rank.

Quick info on the best burger in London

• Best smash burger in London: Supernova
• Best pub burger with proper char: The Plimsoll
• Best halal smash burger in London: Heard
• Best wild card burger: Hanbaagaasuuteeki
• Best big burger: Flat Iron green chilli cheeseburger
• Best sloppy messy burger: Bleecker double cheeseburger

Read on to find the best burger restaurant in London.

Supernova, Mayfair

For the best smash burger in London

Rating – 5/5

Supernova is my benchmark when it comes to the best burger in London.

The Supernova burger arrives confidently, like it knows it’s about to ruin other burgers for you.

What makes it land is the ratio. Two very smashed patties with lacy edges, juicy centre, and just enough bun to hold things together. American cheese melts into the crevices gloriously.

My favourite at Supernova is the Classic burger with its mustard and ketchup, and pickles and onions for cut-through. The House burger leans creamier with a signature sauce. Both are incredibly moreish.

If you’re chasing the best burger in London and you love a smash burger that feels complete, Supernova is the restaurant to beat.

Read more
What Makes the Supernova Burger So Damn Good?

The Plimsoll, Finsbury Park

The best pub burger in London

Rating – 4/5

The Plimsoll burger gets straight to the point with its Dexter beef patty, cheese melted into meat, raw and cooked onions, and chunky gherkins.

The bun compresses cleanly. It eats easily.

Then the char on the patty comes through. It’s properly dark, chewy, and complete with the most delicious smoky bits.

And as a bonus, the fried potatoes at Plimsoll are also outstanding. Think crackled skins, fluffy interiors, and loads of sea salt.

This one is for when you want a burger that still feels like a pub burger, but also feels like someone in the kitchen really knows what they’re doing.

Read more
The Plimsoll Burger Deserves Your Full Attention

Heard, Soho

The halal smash burger that gets it right

Rating – 4/5

Heard is one of the most important additions to the London burger scene if you’re looking for halal options without compromise. The halal burgers are clearly marked and cooked separately, which makes it feel intentional rather than an afterthought.

Start with the Boring Burger, complete with two lacy, smashed patties, aged cheddar, onion, pickles, Heard sauce, soft glossy bun. It’s classic, balanced, juicy, deeply satisfying.

There’s also the spicier Heard Burger with jalapeno hot honey and Ogleshield funk, which is delicious but heavier.

If you’re building your best burgers London shortlist, Heard belongs on it, especially if halal matters to you.

Read more
Heard Burger Soho is The New Halal Spot to Know

Junk, Soho

Smash patties done well, but order smart

Rating – 3.5/5

Junk is a theatrical burger spot in Soho. It’s interiors are sheatherd in steel, and give industrial capsule vibes.

And the burger menu is built around size as letters: M means two patties, L means three, up to XXL with five.

The patties are the best part, showcasing proper smash technique with those trademark crisp lacy edges and juicy centre.

But here’s the thing: don’t get seduced by the truffle option unless truffle is your whole personality. The truffle overwhelms the beef and turns the burger one-note.

That being said, Junk is absolutely a fun Soho burger fix. It’s just not my pick for the best burger in London because it doesn’t always get the balance right.

Read more
Inside Junk Soho and its Smash Burger Menu

Hanbaagaasuuteeki, Victoria

Come for the excellent shrimp burger

Rating – 4/5

Hanbaagaasuuteeki, with it’s pan-asian inspired burger twist, is doing something different in a city flooded with classic burgers.

The Shrimp Kong ‘Baga’ stacks a thin beef patty with plump crispy shrimp, and somehow it works like the best surf-and-turf storyboard. It’s got a banging sweet-savoury sauce, a little heat, and nori for umami depth.

It’s the standout burger here by a mile, and the miso fries are the sidekick you didn’t know you needed.

If your burger cravings lean adventurous, Hanbaagaasuuteeki earns its place in any best burger in London roundup.

Read more
Don’t Miss the Shrimp Burger at Hanbaagaasuuteeki

Dumbo, Shoreditch

The viral spot that just doesn’t land for me

Rating – 3/5

Dumbo is burger spot I wanted to love – but when I try it, it’s… fine. Yes, the Dumbo burger has a competent smash burger, crisp edges, decent structure, but it just doesn’t rock my boat.

The special sauce is creamy and slightly tangy, but not memorable. And compared to Supernova (my benchmark), Dumbo feels a fraction less satisfying.

To be clear: plenty of people love it. If you’re in Shoreditch and curious, go for it. I just wouldn’t cross the city for the Dumbo burger.

Read more
Trying the Viral Smash Burgers at Dumbo, Shoreditch

Flat Iron

The big burger for people who want a proper mouthful

Rating – 4/5

If smash burgers are the sleek sports cars of the burger world, Flat Iron’s Green Chilli Cheeseburger is a chunky 4×4 with swagger.

It’s got two thicker patties, melted Gouda, fresh green chillies, shredded lettuce, pickles, and smoked chilli mayo. This burger is tall, juicy, and it’s built for people who want to really bite their burger.

The green chillies with the cheese is a fantastic combo – bright, punchy, and it makes the richness feel thrilling. If you like a bigger burger with thicker patties, this is absolutely one of the best burger in London contenders.

Bleecker, Victoria

For the sloppy, messy, glorious grease moment

Rating – 4/5

If you want a sloppy, messy, fat-fueled burger, then the double cheeseburger at Bleecker Burger will do you right.

If there is anything more pleasing than grasping the slippery, cheese-lubricated Bleecker Burger in your hands and taking that first, hot bite, I have yet to experience it.

That’s it – that’s the vibe. Embrace the mess.

Read more
The Ultimate List – 39 of the Best Things to Eat In London

So what’s actually the best burger in London?

After trying my way through the most talked-about burger restaurants in London, here’s what I’ve learned.

London has an abundance of very good burgers. Almost too many. You can get a decent smash burger on any corner now, which is both a blessing and a curse, because it makes the truly great ones stand out even more.

Some burger restaurants nail balance so perfectly that you finish the burger and immediately want to come back for another. Others go heavy on the gimmicks, or the size, or the sauce, and you end up thinking: enjoyable, yes – but would I crave it tomorrow?

And that’s the real test for me – the cravability. It’s the burger that lingers in your head after you’ve washed your hands and sworn you’re done with burgers for a week.

For me, that crown still goes to the Supernova smash burger. It’s the most consistently satisfying, properly balanced example of a best smash burger London contender. The kind of burger you’d happily eat again the next day without feeling bored.

But the rest of the burgers are also good, because the best burger in London isn’t always one burger.

• Want pub comfort with char? Plimsoll.
• Want halal smash done right? Heard.
• Want a big, tall mouthful with chilli-cheese brilliance? Flat Iron.
• Want messy, dripping, glorious chaos? Bleecker.
• Want something unexpected that actually works? Hanbaagaasuuteeki.

So yes, there’s a winner. But there are also excellent reasons to keep eating burgers.

Which is wildly convenient for me.

Which spot is your go-to for the best burger in London? Let us know!