#FtLionAwards 2024 Burger of the Year shortlist

While having two dishes shortlisted for the previous category, the 5/5-rated smokehouse, Chipsy in London’s Hatch End, has another two items to be included.

Their Smash Burger is made using a special seasoning rub for the patties before being grilled. The result is properly-seasoned beef – itself 28-day aged to deliver that extra depth of umaminess – which, when coupled with the condiments therein, helps to elevate this above virtually 95% of similar such burgers currently being smashed out without end.

The second from Chipsy is this burger of sorts: the Brisket Sando. This had thick slices of beautifully soft and fluffy grilled French toast housing tender slices of beef brisket and an amalgamation of a trio of cheeses that were also grilled to a crisp finish.

Right off the bat, we knew we were collectively biting into something seriously good. Just the umaminess of the cheddar, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses combining with the smoky goodness of the meat, with touches of the sweet and sour courtesy of the pickles, caramelised onions, slaw and sauces, was satisfaction enough. Extraordinary!

Drip in Manchester is a burger place that served us this “extremely good” Philly Cheese. We’ve had many Philly burgers that have just turned out to be disappointing given the quality or the cooking of the meat.

This on the other hand contained tender strips of beef covered in plenty of lightly piquant cheese, sauce and onions; all of which was made better by the addition of a runny egg, which really brought the entire thing together into a coherent whole. A phenomenal sandwich.

Popular Halal food influencer Heyman has opened his own food place in London’s Southall called Heyman Food Arcade.

We went down this year to try his version of the popular dipped Spicy Chicken burger, Nashville style. It was excellent, with the chicken fillet dunked in a “secret spicy sauce” that was very spicy, but with a sour-cum-sweet undertone to it which we really enjoyed.

Not only did the fillet boast a crispy exterior, but was properly saturated, just as it ought to be, with the condiments, such as the gherkin and enough mayo, playing their respective parts to help temper the heat.

Hot Bird in London’s Hounslow was a second joint that did it’s own version of the dipped spicy burger. In their case, the Hot Bird Sauce wasn’t exactly spicy, but very unique in its own right.

After the thoroughly dipping the chicken, it was then plentifully dusted in a seasoning. The result was a burger whose taste was more sour in nature and delicious.

Another place in Manchester, and one which we walked in with absolutely no expectations. Players in Cheetham Hill wasnt’t just rated a solid 4.5/5, but had this Double Century; so named for its beef and chicken combo.

In terms of flavour alone, we immediately recognised after the first bite why this had come so highly recommended. Truth be told, this burger will give most higher-end versions a run for their money, with the moist peri-peri chicken combining with the beef patty to deliver a truly memorable sandwich.

With a drink in for the running, Steak on the Green in London’s Ealing put its sourcing of quality wagyu meat to good use with this beautiful Wagyu Burger.

Here we have the rare case of a restaurant that had the patience in serving a good ol’fashioned hand-pressed patty, in opposition to the cheap and lazy smashed versions that are currently so ubiquitous.

This large and attractive burger housed a thick and juicy Wagyu patty that wasn’t just cooked medium well, but also boasted arguably the most delicious crust we’ve encountered, courtesy of the intense heat of that grill under which it was finished.