Restaurants

Black & Blue Starting price £10 for the classic burger, £9 for vegetarian, but that includes your chips.
Burger Impressive flavour, cooked as ordered. They are made in-house daily from good English beef.
Bun A soft white bap.
Fixings and fillings The classy salad featured mache, chard, iceberg and a wedge of wally (or a pickle to us Brits).
Most intriguing The foie gras burger (£13), but we most enjoyed the guacamole version (£11).
Fries A letdown – puffy, airy chips that had little potato flavour and swiftly went cold. Can and must do better.
Atmosphere Generous booth seating, exposed brickwork and on-the-ball staff make it relaxing, almost sophisticated.
Verdict A reliable oufit that would be welcomed in most ’burbs but the burger prices don’t really add up against this competition.
Rating 3/6
Black & Blue, 90-92 Wigmore St, W1V 3RD (020 7486 1912/www.blackandbluerestaurants.com). Bond St tube. Feature continues

Cattle GridStarting price £6.50.
Burger Huge, but slightly rubbery in texture.
Bun Big – very big. Topped with sesame seeds.
Fixings and fillings The usual; this is primarily a steak joint that does burgers as a sideline.
Most intriguing Harissa burger, £7.50.
Fries Not oily, though ours were a little flaccid and not as hot as we would have liked.
Atmosphere This new cut-price steak restaurant next to Balham station clearly hopes for a roll-out; the low prices ensure a steady flow of hungry, time-poor locals.
Verdict Okay as a steak joint, but with lots of burger competition in the area, it doesn’t cut it as a burger destination.
Rating 2/6
Cattle Grid, 1 Balham Station Rd, SW12 9SG (020 8673 9099/www.cattlegridbalham.com). Balham tube/rail.

The Diner Starting price £5.
Burger A juicy patty bearing the marks of a ridged grill.
Bun Lightly toasted.
Fixings and fillings The burger’s served open, so you can see the filling and pick out anything you don’t like the look of – a nice touch.
Most intriguing Cajun chicken burger (£6.50). How do they know it’s cajun? Did they catch it playing an accordion?
Fries Crunchy outside, fluffy within.
Atmosphere Like a Stateside diner, funnily enough. But with service that is more decorative than efficient – half an hour for a burger to arrive?
Verdict Great hangout, not so good for fast food, with perfectly decent mid-range burgers. The spacious new Camden branch is worth a look.
Rating 4/6
The Diner, 18-20 Ganton St, W1F 7BU(020 7287 8962/www.goodlifediner.com). Oxford Circus tube.

Dollar Grills & Martinis Starting price £8.50 for the ‘au natural’ which includes fries and salad.
Burger Chopped (not minced) Scottish steak available in a choice of 200g or 250g sizes. Great flavour, but the cooking was inaccurate.
Bun Generously covered with sesame seeds and toasted.
Fixings and fillings The tippety-top salad includes an interesting array of leaves and vegetable ribbons – and is enough that you needn’t order sides, despite what the waiter suggests.
Most intriguing One burger features cashew sauce, buffalo mozzarella, bacon and avocado, but we couldn’t resist an Argentinian-themed sirloin special with mushrooms and shallots.
Fries The golden, crunchy house fries are very agreeable.
Atmosphere Appealingly louche with a lengthy list of cocktails, sparkly scatter cushions, neon signs and the finest fishbowl view of Farringdon Road to be had in the capital.
Verdict Great value and fun.
Rating 4/6
Dollar Grills & Martinis, 2 Exmouth Market, EC1R 4PX (020 7278 0077/www.dollargrillsandmartinis.com). Farringdon tube/rail.

Ed’s Easy Diner

Ed's Easy Dine

Starting price £4.95.
Burger Not frozen, but delivered fresh every day to Ed’s two central London branches.
Bun Pappy white bread, in the traditional style.
Fixings and fillings Crisp wavy-edged lettuce, tomatoes sliced thin, and the gherkin thoughtfully placed on the side. The cheese in the cheeseburger, however, is processed and gloopy.
Most intriguing ‘Upgrade to bison meat’ (with less cholesterol and higher protein) ‘£1.50, any burger’.
Fries Golden, plump, dry.
Atmosphere Jolly, ‘Happy Days’ look, and feel, with engaging and upbeat staff.
Verdict The Soho branch (open since 1987) is great for atmosphere, but with the advances of the chains, the burgers are no longer in pole position.
Rating 3/6
Ed’s Easy Diner, 12 Moor St, W1D 5NH (020 7434 4439/www.edseasydiner.co.uk). Leicester Square tube.

Fine Burger Co Starting price £5.60 for the ‘London original’ but keep an eye out for special offers such as 50 per cent off on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Burger Made from locally sourced beef including Aberdeen Angus, Suffolk Red Poll and Hereford cattle from East Anglia. The 6oz patties have a highly seasoned flavour you may take to, or not.
Bun Well crusted with seeds.
Fixings and fillings Lettuce, beef tomato, onion are standard and the London original includes tomato relish.
Most intriguing A build-your-own option (from £7.95 for beef) lets you choose any three toppings, so you could have salami with satay sauce and tzatziki if you wanted, though that would be silly.
Fries Go for the skin-on Maris Piper chunky chips rather than the cheaper skinny fries.
Atmosphere Staff are smiley and sweet but the purple paint and dark wood decor is looking a little shabby and the acoustics are poor.
Verdict A decent place for a lunchbreak.
Rating 3/6
Fine Burger Co, 330 Upper Street, Islington, N1 2XQ (7359 3026/www.fineburger.co.uk). Angel tube.

Gourmet Burger Kitchen

Gourmet Burger Kitche

Starting price £5.95 for the ‘classic’.
Burger Aberdeen Angus Scotch beef from grass-reared animals – them’s good eatin’.
Bun Generous sourdough buns daubed with sesame seeds and the dark bars of the chargrill.
Fixings and fillings A wavy layer or five of crisp iceberg makes even the simplest burger precariously tall.
Most intriguing New biodynamic buffalo and wild boar burgers from Laverstoke Park Farm.
Fries GBK’s golden crunchy chips (£2.75 a bowl) are finger- and thumb-sized – and you’ll find it hard to keep you fingers and thumbs off them.
Atmosphere The decor that inspired so many imitations now looks a little unimaginative but the Frith St branch is surprisingly serene, sky-lit and well-maintained.
Verdict Still one to beat. Coffee is not GBK’s strength, however.
Rating 5/6
Gourmet Burger Kitchen, 15 Frith St, W1D 4RF (020 7494 9533/www.gbkinfo.com). Tottenham Court Road tube.

Ground Starting price £5.70 for the ‘classic’.
Burger 7oz of Scottish grass-reared Aberdeen Angus – prime indeed. And all the chicken’s organic.
Bun Sesame-flavoured, made by an artisan baker, delivered daily and served chargrilled.
Fixings and fillings Red onion, tomato, lettuce, mayo and fresh-tasting, homemade relish come as standard and there’s a bucket of additional options.
Most intriguing Look on the specials board for combos such as Baltic salmon burger with beetroot, paprika, sour cream and dill, and the chicken Kiev burger offered on our visit.
Fries £2.50 for a pail of rich-tasting shoestring fries but tempting alternatives include chips made from parmesan-flavoured polenta, and courgette.
Atmosphere We love the simple, tasteful decor (all rustic wood, chunky metal chairs and glass), grown-up staff and connoisseurs’ drink options such as Tyskie beer from Poland (a special) and five-scoop ice-cream shakes.
Verdict Please open more branches. Go on, go on, go on.
Rating 5/6
Ground, 217-221 Chiswick High Rd, W4 2DW (020 8747 9113/www.groundrestaurants.com). Turnham Green tube.

Haché

Haché

Starting price £6.50 for ‘steak au naturel’.
Burger Not strictly. It’s French-style chopped steak (haché). And next time you wonder what the French have ever done for us, this would be the answer.
Bun Soft, square ciabatta style.
Fixings and fillings Expect rocket, tomato, red onion and mayo, plus an artfully arranged collection of leaves immediately to the left.
Most intriguing There’s tuna and cod options, plus crispy duck burger with cucumber and hoi sin sauce. Our £10.95 venison and brie combo was no better than the regular beefsteak version, and on another visit we found a vegetarian burger disappointing.
Fries Best practice is to opt for the potato wedges with garlic mayo and salsa (fabulous) rather than the frittes or chunky chips .
Atmosphere cream-painted wood panelling gives it a homely New England vibe; bright, hard-working staff help overcome the squeeze of tables.
Verdict A terrific local that attracts a diverse Camden Town/Primrose Hill crowd.
Rating 5/6
Haché, 24 Inverness St, NW1 7HJ (020 7485 9100/www.hacheburgers.com). Camden Town tube.

Hamburger Union Starting price £3.95.
Burger ‘Natural reared, grass fed’. Then chargrilled.
Bun Lemon-shaped ciabatta-style bun; nice.
Fixings and fillings Wrinkly lettuce, smear of mayo on the bun, rings of red onion.The Monterey Jack cheese is surprisingly decent too.
Most intriguing Chorizo with piquillo pepper and rocket in a bun: £6.15. Or fajita burger (chicken or beef): £7.25. Or how about citrus-marinated halloumi cheese burger: £6.95?
Fries Crisp, plump and dry, just the way we like them; or skinny, if you must.
Atmosphere Chain restaurant, but in the case of this branch, often with pumping R&B or dance music at (too-loud) volume.
Verdict A decent burger and chips for your money.
Rating 4/6
Hamburger Union, 64 Tottenham Court Rd, W1T 2ET (020 7636 0011/www.hamburgerunion.com). Tottenham Court Rd tube.

Hard Rock Café Starting price £9.25 for the most basic 7oz burger, which includes fries and salad, but frankly if you’ve queued, you may as well cough up the extra £3 for one of the 10oz ‘Legendary’ jobbies. They’re much better.
Burger The 10oz burger was cooked just right, the 7oz was overdone.
Bun Authentically American in that they have a sweet, cakey, buttery flavour. Blerrgh.
Fixings and fillings Ours included the most insipid, pale tomato this side of the Mediterranean, but the pickles are welcome.
Most intriguing The hickory BBQ bacon cheeseburger, and the hickory-smoked pulled pork sandwich.
Fries Seasoned French fries (the best part of the meal), which you can swap for onion rings if desired.
Atmosphere Raucous, with plenty of vintage live rock performances on the flatscreens, effusive staff and, of course, rock memorabilia galore.
Verdict We’re not sure why the regulars can’t keep away, but you can’t deny it’s rockin’ all over the world.
Rating 2/6
Hard Rock Café,

Maze Grill

Maze Grill

Starting price Maze Grill burger with fries and salad: a whopping £13.50.
Burger They wouldn’t serve it rare or even medium rare: rare is a health hazard, apparently.
Bun Nice firm buns. And that’s just the waiter.
Fixings and fillings Lovely garlic mayonnaise, sauces in tiny individual bottles, well-seasoned salad leaves – a real treat.
Most intriguing Being surrounded by people who think nothing of spending a hundred quid or more on a Wagyu steak.
Fries Served in a metal beaker, but otherwise unextraordinary.
Atmosphere Rich, corporate Mayfair, suits and pearls.
Verdict Jason Atherton’s super-smart steak restaurant may be the most sumptuous place for a burger in London, but it’ll cost ya.
Rating 4/6
Maze Grill,13-15 Grosvenor Square, W1K 6JP (020 7495 2211/www.gordonramsay.com/mazegrill). Bond St tube.



Tootsies Grill Starting price £8.95 for a classic burger with bacon and Monterey Jack cheese, and chips are included. Pay an extra £1 12noon-5pm Monday to Friday and you can have a starter or dessert from the set-lunch menu too.
Burger A dark brown, glistening patty just over a centimetre thick. Sadly our medium order arrived well done and a bit rubbery, topped with a plasticky slice of cheese.
Bun A toasted sourdough sesame seed number with the chargrill bars clearly visible.
Fixings and fillings Leaves of little gem lettuce prettily arranges like petals plus a double layer of tomato and mayo. The trug of condiments includes American- and Dijon-style mustards, ketchup, mild tomato-chilli relish and a sickly sweet onion jam.
Most intriguing The new ‘smoked’ burger with chipotle ketchup (£9.95), or ‘the works’ which includes pineapple, egg and beetroot.
Fries Golden but bland – we found they needed a lot of salt.
Atmosphere There’s something of a seaside thing happening here, with shiplap panelling and large black-and-white photos of happy days out on the water. The staff are friendly and kind, which helps diffuse the corporate feel.
Verdict Not the best burger in town but that set lunch price sure sweetens the deal.
Rating 2/6
Tootsies Grill, 196-198 Haverstock Hill, NW3 2AG (020 7431 3812/www.tootsiesrestaurants.com). Belsize Park tube.

Ultimate Burger

Ultimate Burger

Starting price The classic, £5.65.
Burger A large patty of moist, medium-cooked Scottish beef.
Bun Sesame-topped sourdough, with an attractive toasted colour on the outside.
Fixings and fillings Blob of chutney, red onion ring, proper cheese, a big tomato slice: all present and correct.
Most intriguing Thai chicken with hoi sin sauce, bean sprouts and herbs.
Fries Crisp on the outside, soft within, quite fat, made with real potato. Just what chips should be like.
Atmosphere Slick, efficient chain restaurant.
Verdict This chain isn’t really the ultimate, but a very decent burger and chips nonetheless.
Rating 4/6
Ultimate Burger, 34 New Oxford St, WC1A 1AP (020 7436 6641/www.ultimateburger.co.uk). Tottenham Court Rd tube.