London is home to the best burger in the world, and the second best, according to The World’s 101 Best Burger Places 2026 list. Bleecker and Black Bear, the winner and runner-up, both feature in our top 10. The city's burger scene has transformed dramatically over the past 20 years. Once dominated by fast-food chains and uninspired pub offerings, it now boasts a vibrant array of options. The turning point came in 2011 with the opening of Meatliquor, which introduced Londoners to the Dead Hippie, a burger that remains iconic. Today, the city offers everything from thick gourmet patties to smashed, new-age creations, with quality chains like Shake Shack, Honest, and Five Guys alongside hyped-up restaurants such as Dove, One Club Row, and Canal. Here are the 10 burger restaurants that define London's current scene.
Jupiter Cheeseburger
Jupiter Burger, from the team behind Dom’s Subs and Rasputin’s bar, is inspired by 1950s googie architecture. Located in Netil Market, it offers a London take on In-N-Out Burger. The beef from Hill and Szrok is smashed into a thin patty without overdoing it. Served in Martin’s potato rolls with twice-cooked fries, the £10 cheeseburger and £12 Jupiter burger are excellent value. For extra flavor, try the hot baby peppers. Address: 13-23 Westgate Street, E8 3RL.
Tommi’s Cheeseburger
Tommi’s in Marylebone serves classic, old-fashioned burgers as an antidote to smashburgers and brioche. This Icelandic brand grills beef patties hot and fast, placing them in soft white buns with lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise. The simplicity is key. Address: 30 Thayer Street, W1U 2QP.
Dumbo Cheeseburger
Dumbo, often considered Paris’s best burger joint, does smashburgers well. Dry-aged beef from HG Walter is smashed onto hot plates, creating a juicy center with crispy edges. Topped with diner cheese, pickles, chopped onions, ketchup, and mustard, it’s a burger as it should be. Address: 119 Bethnal Green Road.
Supernova Cheeseburger
Supernova in Soho has generated massive social media hype. Originally lunch-only, it’s now open all day. Options include a patty with American cheese, mustard, and ketchup, or one with an intensely flavored in-house sauce. Stick with the plainer version to appreciate the crisp patty. Address: 25 Peter Street, W1F 0AH, or 39 Thurloe Place, SW7 2HP.
Four Legs at The Plimsoll
The Dexter Cheeseburger at this Finsbury Park pub is a standout. A single beef patty in a brioche bun with American cheese, homemade sauce, diced onion, and gherkin uses high-quality Dexter beef. The result is a refined version of a McDonald’s burger. Address: 52 St Thomas’s Road, N4 2QW.
Bake Street Smashburger
Bake Street, a coffee shop by Rectory Road Overground, serves smashburgers only on weekends. The beef mince is pressed hard on the griddle for a charred crust, served in a brioche bun with cheese, ketchup, mustard, and shallots. Owner Feroz Gajia also oversees burgers at Manna in Arcade Food Halls. Address: 58 Evering Road, N16 7SR.
Bleecker Blue Burger
Bleecker, founded by New York native Zan Kaufman, started as a food truck and now has multiple locations. The secret is rare-breed, grass-fed beef cooked to order. The blue cheese burger complements the tangy, bone-aged meat. Various locations.
Blacklock The Blacklock Burger
Blacklock’s house burger, formerly a secret order, is now on the menu. It features two beef-and-bone marrow patties with Ogleshield cheese and Montgomery Cheddar in a sesame-seed bun, elevated by vermouth-caramelized onions. Various locations.
Meatliquor Dead Hippie
Meatliquor, with nine locations, introduced London to sloppy burgers. The Dead Hippie features two beef patties fried in French’s mustard, with lettuce, American cheese, diced white onion, gherkin, and secret sauce. Accompanied by onion rings, pickles, and fries. Various locations.
Black Bear Black Bear
Stew and Liz Down’s sit-down burger joints in Brixton, Westfield, and Clerkenwell use beef from South West farms, oak-smoked bacon, and fresh buns. The Black Bear burger has two smashed dry-aged patties with bacon, onion jam, Kraft-style cheese, and garlic mayo. Various locations.
