I'm a chef... here are FIVE best burger joints in the UK

I'm a chef... here are FIVE best burger joints in the UK

• Five burger experts share their favourite spot to eat them across the UK

Tucking into a stacked burger that is oozing with sauce and full of flavour is a joyful experience for millions of Brits.

While a classic burger is a go-to meal for many, the virtual guarantee of being able to find one anywhere you go makes it extremely difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff - and that's just concerning the quality of the bun!

Fortunately for anyone who is keen to find the ultimate British burger, five different chefs and food connoisseurs have shared their favourite patties - with a mixture of unknown and well-established names on the list.

Read on below for their top recommendations and check out to see if you are local to any of the spots to have been pinpointed by chefs for their top-notch burgers.

Whole Beast, The Montpelier pub, Peckham, south London

George Wood, head chef at Brix and Bones in Norwich, said: 'My best ever? The aged cheeseburger at Whole Beast [Sam and Alicja Bryant's residency at The Montpelier pub in Peckham, south London].

'It's made with Norfolk wagyu mixed with dry-aged rib cap, which has loads of marbling. They press the meat hard, but it's not quite smashed.

'Then it's American cheese, bread and butter pickles, diced onion and fermented chilli burger sauce. One of those rare food moments that almost brings a tear to your eye, it tasted so good.'

The Meat Shack, Birmingham

Meanwhile, Stu Deeley, head chef of Smoke at Hampton Manor in Solihull, West Midlands, recommends The Meat Shack in Birmingham city centre.

Mr Deeley said: 'They get the ratios and seasoning right every time, and every bite is as delicious as the first.

'That's a skill. Go for the Dutch Piggy – a good char, then they flip, add Edam cheese and streaky smoked bacon, pickles and sauces, top with the bun.

'Their blue cheese sauce is my favourite, and the bread is like milk bread, bouncy and light.'

Danny's Burgers, Bristol

Barbecue expert and food writer Melissa Thompson chose a spot in the south-west of England when plumping for her favourite burger.

She said: 'One of the best burgers I've ever had was at Danny's Burgers in Bristol.

'It was their take on an Oklahoma smashed burger where fresh onions are smashed into the patty as the meat is pressed into the grill, making the beef and onion as one.

'It had the perfect crust, the taste of lovely dry-aged beef shone through, and it was all brought together with American cheese – because a burger isn't the time to get fancy with cheese. Pickles too, for hits of acidity.

'I prefer a simple burger which means the basics – the beef, bun and accompaniments – need to shine. And this one shone brightly.'

Smash N' Slide, Northolt

Mursal Saiq, chef and co-founder Cue Point London, picked out a takeaway burger business that opened during the coronavirus pandemic.

He said: 'I can't get Smash N' Slide burgers out of my mind. It's a takeaway on an industrial estate in Northolt, a lockdown project run by husband and wife Zubair and Shanaz Rahim.

'Three patties, onions, cheese, pickles, perfect seasoning and a stunning crisp edge every time.

'Amazing. So simple, so tasty, zero gimmicks. The beef is native-breed, grass-fed and halal. I don't get there as often as I'd like but I honestly can't stop thinking about them.'

Bleeker, London

Last but by no means least, David Carter, the chef and founder of London-based Smokestak, opted for a big-name brand that is hugely popular with burger fans across the capital.

David said: 'A good burger? You need a damn good bun and a damn good patty made with proper meat from a proper animal, with proper dry-ageing.

'For me it needs to be a one-hander, not too fiddly or everything just spills out. Bleecker Burger nails it – mine’s a bacon double cheeseburger [which holds the current title of National Burger of the Year].'