Join me on my journey sampling the best burgers in Cambridgeshire. I will be ranking them on my own personal preference, mostly for fun (so don’t take it too seriously).
Every burger on this list is exceptional and worthy of a visit. Bad burgers don’t make the list.
Update: As this list grows, I have now decided to tier, rather than rank. There is so much burger quality in Cambridge and it is getting harder to list burgers in order because they are all good in different ways. I consider all the burgers in the same tier to be equally good but for different reasons.
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Tivoli, Chesterton Road
The double classic burger from Tivoli really took me by surprise. I wasn’t expecting such a delicious burger in a place known for pizza and mini golf, but the team’s uninhibited attitude towards cheese and sauce worked a treat, perfectly pairing with the thick, juicy beef patties. It is also refreshing to have a burger that isn’t smashed during this current smash burger craze. You can even “make it hot” with chipotle mayonnaise, jalapeños, and buffalo sauce for an extra few quid. This one is definitely worth seeking out. Watch out as it did fail the structural integrity test!
Wonky Burger from Wonky Kitchens @ The Cambridge Blue
Wonky Kitchens now replaces Gorilla & Lamb at The Cambridge Blue with a mighty double smash burger served with an abundance of gooey cheese, thin-cut chips, and an absolutely amazing coleslaw. The burger is the strongest and sturdiest in the list, credited to the hardy buns sourced from Norfolk Street Bakery, giving you the peace of mind that this densely packed burger won’t collapse on you while enjoying your Belgium beer in the Cambridge Blue garden. You can tell all the ingredients used are quality, the only criticism is that it was a little dry.
Herbies – Swavesey (A14)
American style burgers served in a fun and colourful restaurant – a true homage to the good ‘ol US of A 🇺🇸
All burgers are made with 6oz of smashed beef and a side of fries in a basket. There are some exciting choices, including my personal favourite, Marty’s Combo Burger, a burger made with Frankfurter hotdogs. Burger bun strength isn’t up to much, so watch out for ordering heavy duty burgers, like the chilli burger, as they tend to disintegrate.
Full review here
Mina Pan-Asian, Cambridge
Mina is known for its extravagance and dining showmanship, offering an experience as well as a meal. They previously offered a rather gawdy gold covered burger that was so incredibly stuffed with quality ingredients that it collapsed under its own weight. Since their new Pan-Asian menu they have reinvented the burger into something more humble but significantly more practical, juicier, and punchier. It is a real lesson in “less is more” and is now one of the best burgers in this part of Cambridge. Genuine Angus beef is used and comes with chips slathered in their signature Mina glaze that are as exciting as the burger itself.
Full review here.
Gourmet Burger & Fries, Mill Road
Gourmet Burger & Fries offers a wide selection of burgers with styles from across the world (think Korean and Tex Mex). They use locally sourced butcher quality meat and the brioche bun is as soft as it is strong, leading to a structurally sound burger no matter how much it is loaded. The restaurant is predominantly a takeaway but there is also seating indoors. The menu is surprising value for central Cambridge, which is where its cost to quality ratio makes it stand out.
The Grill Peri Peri – Mill Road
What makes The Grill Peri Peri so special is that the burgers aren’t even the centre piece of their menu. While other restaurants on this list are specifically burger joints, The Grill Peri Peri does a wide selection of pizzas, chicken, and lamb chops.
Yet, somehow they have managed to produce a humble looking smash burger that utterly melts in your mouth. Better still, they do incredible sauces that take two hours to prepare every morning which really bring the burgers (and all their other dishes) to life.
Full review here.
Smash & Grab – Chesterton Road (food van)
Spotted outside Thirsty on Chesterton Road, this double smash burger is soft, gooey, and well sourced, with their beef coming from B. Searle & Sons butcher in Sawston. The burgers aren’t huge but you won’t be disappointed with the flavour!
Full review here
The Alexander Arms – Gwydir Street
The Alexander Pub is a place you would not expect to find a top quality burger but I was simply blown away by their Canadian style ‘Celine Dion‘. What I like most is their maple syrup, which adds an extra sweet dimension to the burger. Everything was done to a great quality and the burger options were all interesting with real personality.
I’m not the only one who is a fan of The Alexander Burgers, with other Cambridge Foodies also claiming this to be the best burgers in the city.
Full review here.
‘Build Your Byron’ burger @ Byron Burger
Byron is a solid all-rounder burger chain with locations across the country. While some say they may lack the character of a small independent and a chain might not embrace local sourcing, you cannot deny that they do a mean burger. Better still, they will let you design one from the ground up with their ‘Build A Byron menu’…and that was their biggest mistake when they invited me! 🤣
Smashburger – Hills Road
Smashburger are new to the scene but have already made a big splash in Cambridge with their classic take on the iconic smash burger.
Pictured above is their double Ohio Burger which is made with fresh mince that is crushed in with onions on a butter fried pan, giving it that crispy texture in an already crispy style of burger. Seeing the burger sticking out in different directions while the bun holds together perfectly just goes to show the thought and understanding that goes into making a quality burger.
Full review here
Sabro’s – Smokey Samson burger – Soham
Sabro’s offers a superb burger that ticks all the important boxes. It’s a monstrous size, looks great, and has a complex texture of soft gooeyness mixed with a satisfying crunch (mostly credited to the abundance of crispy onions). Their rich BBQ sauce gives it a lovely smokey punch and the burger bun itself holds together really well throughout, preventing it from being too messy. It’s hard to fault!
Full review here.
The Taj Tandoori – Cherry Hinton Road
The Taj Tandoori is not only one of my favourite Indian restaurants but is also one of my favourite burger joints too. Their infamous Shamee Burger fuses together the very best of what makes a burger and Indian/Bangladeshi food great.
This is more than just a burger with a bit of spice in it. The team at The Taj have really thought about every ingredient throughout and how they can make it truly Bangladeshi. It consists of a spiced lamb patty, with grilled paneer, an onion bhaji (for that added crunch), and is then topped off with tamarind sauce in a brioche bun.
Better yet, the Taj Tandoori is BYOB, so not only can you bring your favourite beer alongside it, but you also save a bundle compared to standard pub pint prices, making a night out here exceptionally good value.
Full review here.
Butch Annie’s – Market Passage
Butch Annie’s offers organically reared grass-fed beef from a small farm – a huge flex for a burger!
The burgers are simple but incredibly succulent and bursting with flavour. Mostly credited to the steak mince it is made from.
It also comes with a selection of craft beers from our very own local brewery, Brewboard.
An absolute must!
Pigcasso – food van
What makes Pigcasso so special for me is that it’s a little different from other burger joints…in all the right ways. They manage to give you a generous portion of pulled pork that screams flavour. The succulent texture is where their burgers really shine and actually has me day-dreaming about them days later…Thinking about it now, I really need to visit again! 🤣
Full review here.
Anto’s Burgers (food van) – Reviewed at Sutton, Ely
Smash burgers made with locally-sourced butcher-quality beef and absolutely packed to the brim, making this an absolute must for any burger fans out there! Make sure to try the “Mr Burger” for a huge dollop of spicy n’duja that will bring your burger experience to life!
Provenance Kitchen, Whittlesford
Provenance Kitchen has finally entered the burger game with their new small plates menu, and it is a proper result for us foodies. They are using Hertford beef brisket that is rolled, cut, and tucked into a Grain Culture bun with some mustard mayo and gem lettuce, served up with house fries.
It is a refreshing change from the usual smash burger craze. There is a real purity in the simplicity here; it lets the quality of the meat stand proud instead of being drowned out by layers of cheese and heavy sauces. It is straightforward, honest food, and it really works.
Steak & Honour – food van
Simple, big, and brilliant burgers. Steak & Honour offers locally sourced buns from our very own Grain Culture bakery and pasture fed Norfolk beef. Their ‘Steak & Honour sauce’ really packs a flavoursome wallop too! No wonder they are the most popular food van in Cambridgeshire!
Full review here.
Higgsy’s Redneck Burger- Peterborough
Higgsy offers “redneck style” smash burgers served in their brand new restaurant in Peterborough. Their burgers consist of smashed steak from the Bookers butcher, crispy bacon, and frankfurter hotdogs. When combined, it builds up to an amazing and unapologetically trashy burger experience (in all the right ways), neatly stacked, and impossible to put down. A unique burger experience that is well worth the journey from Cambridge!
Full review here.
Grill Plug – Cambridge
Grill Plug’s smash burgers have made a real impression on me during my recent experience and they only seem to get better with every visit.
The team at Grill Plug really pays attention to the details, especially with their ingredients (such as ordering beef that has been locally sourced from a small farm) and incredible sauces that are used in abundance. If you love burgers and haven’t given them a go yet, then you are doing yourself a real disservice!
I’ll let the pictures do the talking!
Full review here.
Buffalo Joe’s – food van
The chicken burger that holds its own in the top tier!
Everything about this burger screams perfection. Its centrepiece is a huge piece of juicy fried chicken with a beautifully crispy skin. This is then topped off with candied bacon, to give it an exciting sweet and savoury taste, all in one. The bun does a great job of holding it all together, even though the chicken is double its size.
It’s rare to see a burger look better in person than in the picture (are you listening, McDonalds?)
The Ultimate Griddle Bar Burger – The Griddle Bar & Meathouse, Ely
Coming in hot is a burger from Ely’s most exciting new restaurant. Griddle Bar & Meathouse offers an immense burger consisting of two succulent house-made beef patties, sweet pork belly, with black garlic ketchup, caramelised onion, gooey melted cheese and artisan bread from our local bakery – Grain Culture.
Everything about this works, from the complex sweet and savoury flavour from the pork belly and beef patties.
Between Buns – Royston
Between Buns offer an incredible burger experience that is good enough to travel across the county border for.
Their “French Canadian” blew me away, with its double 3 oz smash burger patties (made from beef chuck), melted brie AND American cheese, maple glazed smoked bacon, crispy onions, smoked mayonnaise and to top it off, a cranberry compote.
This delicious concoction produces an incredibly indulgent, yet surprisingly complex flavour of sweetness and savoury, crispy and juicy, gooey and crunchy, pork and beef, with a solid burger bun that can hold it all together perfectly…even after a 15-20 minute drive.
Buren – The Buren Burger + Streaky Bacon Chop, Mill Road
It is unsurprising that a burger from the Steak & Honour team is in the top tier. This simple and straight forward burger doesn’t try to be edgy or innovate but simply offers well sourced ingredients prepared to perfection in big portions.
I cannot recommend their streaky bacon chop enough, especially for a mere £3 extra, which is essentially a pork steak slapped on top…I mean, look at it! The only issue is eating such a loaded burger without making a total mess! 🤣
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