London, Burgers, Etc Restaurant Guide

“Sustaining their excellent reputation”: these NYC-style steakhouses offer a solid and comfortable, rather than a particularly vibey environment, but when it comes to the quality of their meat – sourced in the UK, US and Spain; and dry-aged on-site – they are “second to none”; and the City branch, in particular, slugs it out with its nearby rival Hawksmoor as a favourite haunt of carnivorous expense-accounters. “Expensive but always a treat”.

Huw Gott and Will Beckett “do the ‘casual excellence’ thing very well indeed” and their still über-fashionable steakhouse chain (founded in 2006) occupies a niche in the hearts of London’s fooderati like no other, with its “distinctly clubby” (“big, loud and busy”) style, its “to-die-for cocktails” and its “top steaks”: British-bred and “char-grilled to perfection over wood fires, with deliciously indulgent sides”. Ratings for such a phenomenon have sometimes seemed middling in comparison to its renown – a reflection of the very full pricing that’s always been their policy. That said, despite some accusations that “it’s all gone downhill in recent times”, its grades actually bounced back significantly in the last survey, and remain in line with its past best. The City branch in particular shines. “Dark dens and out-of-this-world quality beef are the cornerstones of dealmaking. What deal would not reach a happy ending fuelled by a perfectly cooked rib-eye, grilled bone marrow, and beef dripping fries?”

In less than 20 years, Danny Meyer has transformed his New York City hot-dog cart into a global fast-food brand giant with eight outlets in London – including a Covent Garden flagship that was revamped earlier this year. Ratings remain remarkably solid for “a chain that does what it’s supposed to do”.

“There is no finer burger in town: end of!” – Zan Kaufman’s tiny group “keeps things simple… and they smash it!”. “If you want mega-stacked, crazy combos, with layers and layers of toppings falling out of the side, there are numerous other (excellent) options in London. But if you want the best patties, made with the best aged beef, un-mucked-about-with and served by a bunch of nice people, then Bleecker is just the best there is”.

The cut-price surf ’n’ turf at this “fun, relaxed and reliable” operation “never fails” – “have a lobster roll as a starter, then a burger as a main”. Under the same ownership as the Goodman steakhouses, the London-based chain has consolidated to nine domestic branches plus the Smack lobster roll delivery-only spinoff, while expanding internationally in the US, Middle East and southeast Asia.

The cut-price surf ’n’ turf at this “fun, relaxed and reliable” operation “never fails” – “have a lobster roll as a starter, then a burger as a main”. Under the same ownership as the Goodman steakhouses, the London-based chain has consolidated to nine domestic branches plus the Smack lobster roll delivery-only spinoff, while expanding internationally in the US, Middle East and southeast Asia.

There’s “clear blue water between Patty & Bun and other wannabe mass burger offerings” – the only drawback is “you have to queue all the time”. Having started out as a pop-up, the small chain has grown to eight branches and two spin-offs: Smash Patty and Jefferies, a chicken specialist. The core of the offer is “burgers dripping in all the good stuff, loud tunes, friendly vibes and lots of napkins”. Top Tip – the “legendary lamb burger always makes me smile”.

There’s “clear blue water between Patty & Bun and other wannabe mass burger offerings” – the only drawback is “you have to queue all the time”. Having started out as a pop-up, the small chain has grown to eight branches and two spin-offs: Smash Patty and Jefferies, a chicken specialist. The core of the offer is “burgers dripping in all the good stuff, loud tunes, friendly vibes and lots of napkins”. Top Tip – the “legendary lamb burger always makes me smile”.