Where to Eat the Best Burger in Edinburgh

In the world of food, there’s nothing quite as satisfying as munching your way through a burger. Juices running over your hands, sauce around your lips. It’s not pretty, but the taste is pure beauty.

Lucky for Edinburgh locals, there’s an abundance of burger restaurants around the city. People can savour this lip-smacking goodness just about anywhere, sure. But to differentiate the supreme burgers from the sub-standard, we’ve picked out our favourites.

It’s tough to pick, but here at Quisine we love the classics. So our bet is that the best burger Edinburgh has on offer is likely a supreme Scotch beef patty number.

But all is well if you fancy something else. Our list of restaurants also serve burgers with succulent chicken, smoky pulled pork, halloumi heaven and many veggie or vegan patties. Get amongst it!

Burgers and Beers Grillhouse

Local flavours and top-quality produce drive the stunning menu at Burgers and Beers Grillhouse, a low-key eatery on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile. Their beef patties are 100% Aberdeen Angus from the award-winning Buffalo Farm in Auchtertool – just one of their trusted suppliers.

Burger details

Order: The Mac Attack with a beef patty, Scottish Cheddar cheese, mac n’ cheese fritter, Virginia sweet-cured bacon, lettuce and beer mustard. Price: £13.45 – 18.95 Patties: Aberdeen Angus beef, chicken, vegan

Open Monday to Sunday, 11am – 10pm, in Edinburgh Old Town

Bubba Q

The team behind Bubba Q are bringing their true passion to Edinburgh and locals couldn’t be more into it. The speciality is American-style BBQ, in all its smokey and slow-cooked glory. Brisket, ribs and wings are of course recommended – but the burgers are the stand out here. Little wonder why it was one of Quandoo’s favourite restaurants in 2018.

Burger details

Order: The Wholly Smokie with a beef patty, smoked beef brisket, gherkins, mayo, lettuce and sweet BBQ sauce. Price: £9 – 10 Patties: Beef, beef and haggis, chicken, vegan

Open Monday to Sunday, 12pm – 9 or 10pm, in Edinburgh Old Town

Spatch

Spatch is a neighbourhood bar and eatery that offers the hospitality of a pub alongside an expertise in serving spatchcock chicken. With a dedication to keep things local and sustainable, the quality of food and drink here is excellent. From Scottish craft beers to succulent meat preparation, these guys are doing contemporary eating right.

Burger details

Order: The Cluck Norris with breaded chicken breast, BBQ pulled chicken, Virginia smoked sweet-cured bacon, gem lettuce, beef tomato and mayo. Price: £11.95 Patties: Beef, chicken, halloumi

Open Monday to Sunday, 12pm – 11pm or 1am, in Edinburgh Old Town

The Lioness of Leith

The Lioness of Leith is a modern pub with a simple premise – gourmet burgers in the heart of Leith. One gander through their menu and you can tell they’re not lying about the ‘gourmet’ part of it. There’s free-range and herb-fed chicken, artisan veggie and vegan options, and 100% Scotch beef patties made in-house using flank and skirt steak from Findlay’s Butchery.

Burger details

Order: The Kimchi with crispy buttermilk chicken, homemade kimchi and wasabi mayo. Price: £7.95 – 15 Patties: Scotch beef, free-range chicken, vegan, halloumi, falafel

Open Monday to Sunday, 12pm – 12 or 1am, in Leith

Bread Meats Bread

Serving honest food with full on flavours, Bread Meats Bread have hit the nail on the head. Starting out in Glasgow, they’re now in Edinburgh and quickly became a city favourite. They offer the most extensive burger menu on our list, with diverse fillings and delicious creativity. Beyond the award-winning burgers though, their signature poutine is a must-try!

Burger details

Order: The Pepperoni with a beef patty, pepperoni slices, Scamorza-smoky mozzarella, marinara sauce, jalapeños and parmesan. Price: £8 – 12 Patties: Beef, chicken, vegan, halloumi

Open Monday to Sunday, 12pm – 10pm, in the West End

Lucky Pig

Were happy to say that most restaurants on our list serve vegan burgers. Considering Edinburgh’s blossoming vegan market, it certainly makes sense. But if you’re after a 100% vegan burger joint, the clear winner is Lucky Pig. Located inside the bustling bar Paradise Palms, these guys serve Southern-style soul food.

Burger details

Order: The Schnitzel Burger with spiced panko seitan, tzatziki, cashew cream, iceberg, red chilli and charred lemon. Price: £8 Patties: Black bean, seitan, tofu, jackfruit

Open Monday to Sunday, 12pm – 10pm, in Edinburgh Old Town

Red Squirrel

Red Squirrel is a snazzy bistro-style gastropub serving some seriously divine burgers. Artisan flavours are evident in all of their options, with over 15 on the menu. Expect burgers to be graced with ingredients like buffalo mozzarella, harissa yogurt and prosciutto. Part of the Fuller Thomson restaurant group, you can also get stellar burgers at their sister restaurant Holyrood 9a.

Burger details

Order: The Black Deer with a venison and black pudding patty, Dolcelatta cheese, balsamic onion chutney and rocket. Price: £9.75 – 13.25 Patties: Scotch beef (both mince and brisket), chicken, lamb, venison, haggis, falafel, mushroom, halloumi

Open Monday to Sunday, 9am – 12 or 1am, in West End

Lebowskis

First originating in Glasgow, Lebowskis took Edinburgh by storm upon arrival in 2009. Their burgers are legendary, from breakfast pork patty burgers during weekend brunch to Jamaican Me Crazy jerk chicken numbers. Also a respectable bar in its own right, the drinks list at Lebowskis is fun and funky, with over 30 varieties of White Russians available.

Burger details

Order: The signature Lebowski with an aged rump steak mince patty, lettuce, beef tomato and sweet red onion. Price: £10.95 – 15.95 Patties: Beef, chicken, tofu, pulled pork, veggie

Open Monday to Sunday, 11am – 1am, in the City Centre

The Cambridge Bar

One of the city’s best pubs, The Cambridge Bar also serves some of the best burgers in Edinburgh. That’s quite a feat when you consider Edinburgh’s top-quality hospitality scene, but these guys have kept it simple and locals love them for it. Homemade burgers, beers on tap and live sport is sometimes all you need for a great night out.

Burger details

Order: The Camembert with a buffalo patty, camembert cheese, cranberry sauce and mayo. Price: £9.45 – £12.45 Patties: Scotch beef, chicken, buffalo, venison, haggis, veggie, halloumi, mushroom

Open Monday to Sunday, 12pm – 11pm or 12 am, in Edinburgh New Town