For the past few months I have been on a heart-stopping quest for the best burger in London. As a die hard burger fanatic, my instincts first told me that I should head to Heathrow for a JFK bound flight to find what I am looking for. But I have actually found quite a few good, some great, and one spectacular burger. This is not altogether surprising, as the UK has some outstanding beef (and cheese and bacon, for you bacon cheeseburger enthusiasts out there) and, like its colonial counterparts, its residents aren’t afraid of a little a lot of cholesterol. Here are the results of my best burger in London search, in descending order of amazingness.

The Greenwich Union‘s homemade 28 day aged Angus burger is the star so far. The meat and bun both hit high marks for quality, texture, and harmony and the accompanying chips were also outstanding. Wash it all down with a Meantime Helles and prepare to be dazzled.

The Hawksmoor‘s famous £15 cheeseburger is made from 100% Longhorn meat, including bits of bone marrow and clod and sticking (neck and shoulder pieces). It is all topped with melted Ogleshield or Stichelton. The quality of the meat was undeniably high, but I found the burger too oily and very heavy.

Lucky Seven‘s single estate prime Aberdeen Angus chuck burgers are pure comfort food: just the right amount of grease, plenty of flavor, and nothing fancy. The ambience of this 1950s American style diner only adds to the great burger experience. If only every meal that cost £7.50 tasted this good.

And now for Haché: Ciabatta buns annoy me, “chicken burgers” are not burgers, and why the hell would a Sicilian burger have Parma ham on it? That said, their 100% prime Scotch beef steak patties are very tasty if you can overlook that rocket has replaced lettuce. Their whole concept of innovation is heavy handed and annoying, but if you stick to the classics, you can find solace in their very good burgers.

Diner (several locations), like Lucky Seven, offers an American greasy spoon feel and the burgers are pretty good and very cheap. This certainly isn’t a gourmet burger it is compact and flavorful, the bun is alright, and its about the best you can do for a fiver.

Byron serves grass fed Scottish beef on large, soft buns. The service is terrific and the burgers are adequate, though not mind-blowing.

Categories: Culture, Food & Wine, London, Meat, Restaurants