The best burgers in the UK: Part Two

Last week I brought to you the Best Burgers in the UK: Part One where I explained how my love for meat patties, toasty buns and ALL of the completely unnecessary but totally delicious toppings lead me to enlist the help of some of my favourite foodies. I’m on the hunt for the best burger joints around the country and here is the second installment of my findings…

LONDON: Connie (Connie Consumes) – Dip & Flip

Dip & Flip (Tooting, Brixton, Battersea, Wimbledon): When I saw that our cute little local cafe had closed to make room for a burger joint, I was already skeptical but even more so when I saw that their ‘thing’ was to slap some roast meat into their burgers and serve them with gravy. It all sounded a little too gimmicky, but then I had to eat my own gravy-soaked words when I finally trotted round the corner and sunk my teeth into a Dip & Flip burger.

One bite and I was a convert, happy to be ride the gravy train any day of the week! While I’ve had the roast beef Dip & Flip a couple of times, my favourite is their green chilli cheeseburger as I love the combination of juicy patty, oozy cheese and lashings of chopped green chillies, and always with a side of fries and gravy!

ESSEX: Hannah (Hanna Talks) – Bill’s Restaurant

When it comes to a meaty, fulfilling and delicious burger, Bill’s is my go-to to satisfy that crave! I adore the Buttermilk Chicken burger, served in a toasted sesame brioche bun. The chicken is tender with a deliciously crunchy buttermilk coating, sandwiched with fresh salad, creamy slaw, crunchy bacon and melting cheese. Sweet potato fries are a must too; with their crunchy, sweet and soft goodness! If you’re looking for a comforting and delicious burger, then this one is for you!

BIRMINGHAM: Simon (Meat and One Veg Blog) – Flying Cows

Given that the majority of Birmingham believes the best burger competition is a two horse race, I am going to go left field and say that it’s finest beef and patty is to be found on a car park in Digbeth. I’m not taking anything away from either OPM or The Meat Shack, but for me Flying Cows is the burger I will choose from anywhere if given the choice. Reminiscent of Bleecker at their very best, the key to Flying Cows is the simplicity of it all.

Dry aged beef, charred on the outside and as pink as a Eurovision party in the centre, with the sweetest of bacon and thick slice of oozy Swiss cheese. All sandwiched between a little salad and a bun that holds its shape throughout the quick eating.  The meat comes from the family farm and you can tell; it’s farm to plate in full effect. No wonder they have just won Best Burger at the British Street Food Awards. They’ll have a site of their own soon – I have no doubt about that – but for the meanwhile hunting them out at Digbeth Dining Club is all part of the fun.

CARDIFF: Lee (Füüd Blog) – Burger Theory

It pains me to say it, but the best burger in Cardiff isn’t Welsh – our premier patty hails from Bristolian imports Burger Theory.

They’ve been in business on our side of the border as a semi-permanent pop-up at Kongs video arcade/bar for over a year now, and since opening night they’ve been wowing the Welsh capital with a mind-boggling array of burger options – including a couple of stellar veggie options.

Thanks to the amazing Prairie Girl (southern fried chicken breast with Frank’s hot sauce and blue cheese dressing), it’s one of only a few places where I’d willingly consider troughing a chicken burger.

As ever though, I’m all about the beef. The Blue Cow is my personal favourite – a beef & jalapeno patty with bacon, blue cheese, chipotle mayo and ketchup.

Some will frown on the idea of adulterating the king of all meats with anything except maybe onion, but the jalapeno gives the beef a gentle lift rather than walloping it into submission with a massive chilli hit. The creamy blue cheese is a nice counterpoint too.

The bacon is satisfyingly crisp rather than rubbery, and that all-important structural integrity is there in spades – far too many ‘gourmet’ burgers have a tendency to flop onto your plate as a meaty mulch after a few bites.

These buns are tons of fun.

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Catch up on Best Burgers in the UK: Part 1, featuring Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield!