Burgers are essentially a simple food, and the hallmark of a good sandwich is the quality of its basic ingredients. The beef is the most important, and our favourite places only use the best for their patties, but everything from the buns to the relish should be freshly made and flavoursome. Here are some of our favourite burger restaurants in the UK, but call us for more suggestions near you. And if we've missed your favourite venue let us know - our lifestyle managers rely on member feedback and we're always eager to hear about new places to dine out.
The Burger Joint
32 Cotham Hill, Bristol BS6 6LA
Fancy a free range egg to go with your prime 6oz beef, or a dollop of tzatziki to complement your lamb and mint burger? Rather than present a menu of pre-designed sandwiches, The Burger Joint invites diners to create their own from a wide selection of meats, toppings and sauces. It's a buzzy venue that's committed to elevating burgers from fast food to fine dining, and this single-minded approach is reflected in its ingredients. Almost everything, from patties and buns to toppings and relishes, is freshly handmade, and the seemingly endless ways in which these can be combined offer plenty of reasons to justify a return visit.
Handmade Burger Company
The Waters Edge (underneath All Bar One), Brindleyplace, Birmingham B1 2JB
This award-winning canalside restaurant is fast becoming the bastion of great burgers in Birmingham. The Handmade Burger Company only uses traditionally reared, grass-fed beef and - as its name suggests - all its patties are freshly prepared on the premises. As well as simple hamburgers and cheeseburgers the menu offers a selection inspired by global flavours, from Mexico to Milan, and, as you might expect from the city that invented the balti, there's even an option that puts Birmingham's most famous dish in a bun. The company's empire is slowly expanding, with outposts now open in Solihull, Leicester, Sheffield and Aberdeen - call us to book.
Wannaburger
217 High Street, Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH1 1PE
7/8 Queensferry Street, West End, Edinburgh EH2 4PA
These cheerful, easy-going diners dotted around Edinburgh's historic centre serve, by consensus of critics and customers alike, the best burgers in the Scottish capital. Open kitchens let diners watch the flames sear the 100% Aberdeen Angus beef patties into chargrilled perfection, which are accompanied with homemade relishes and tasty sides (try the onion rings). Child-friendly and welcoming, Wannaburger caters to connoisseurs without a hint of pretention.
Champany
Linlithgow, West Lothian, Scotland EH49 7LU
The Chop and Ale House at Champany, a cosy restaurant-with-rooms just west of Edinburgh, serves a plump, satisfying burger made from the best Aberdeen Angus beef - as you would expect from any self-respecting Scottish steakhouse. The Champany Burger comes with fat chips, punchy sauces and mature cheeses, and practically drips with flavour. It's a sizeable sandwich that will sate the most ravenous of appetites, and there's a good wine list to wash it down with. Ask your lifestyle manager to book a room at Champany if you'd like to make a night of it.
Sam's
20 Fore Street, Fowey, Cornwall PL23 1AQ
This friendly Cornish diner has been serving hamburgers for more than two decades, and its perennially packed tables are testimony to its unshakeable reputation for quality sandwiches. Styled in a swinging sixties theme, with pop memorabilia hanging on the walls, Sam's operates a ‘no reservations' policy, and though there may be a queue for tables the burgers are worth the wait: freshly made from the finest ground beef and chargrilled to taste, Sam's burgers are served with a selection of toppings that range from classics such as cheese and bacon to more unusual combos like egg and pineapple. Head upstairs to the lounge bar afterwards for a digestif.
Simple
G20-21 Smithfield Buildings, Tibb Street, Manchester M4 1LA
This cosy, bustling hangout, with comfy leather sofas and an informal atmosphere, is hidden among the shops and businesses of Tibb Street, and in-the-know Mancunians claim it's the best place in the city for American comfort food. Top-quality beef served with a good selection of sauces and extra toppings are de rigueur at any restaurant that lays claim to gourmet burgers, but a small innovation makes Simple stand out: diners who want to sample a range of flavours can order three mini-burgers topped with different flavours. Perfect for indecisive or curious burger lovers.
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