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The ranking of the world’s best burgers by Upper Cut Media – the same London-based publisher behind the annual world’s best steak restaurants list – has dropped, with two Sydney spots cracking the top 10.
Named third best burger in the world for 2026 was the American cheeseburger at Café Margaret in Double Bay, by acclaimed chef Neil Perry.
When asked about the secret to creating one of the world’s best burgers, Perry had one clear answer: “Only the best ingredients.”
“We take CopperTree Farms’ beef – a mix of brisket and chuck – grind it daily and hand-form the perfect 160g patty, cook it to medium, and serve it with melted American cheese, rose mayo (spiked with umami and tomato sauce), onion and pickles in a milk bun, with the option to add fresh chilli and bacon,” he adds.
At $29, it’s not the cheapest burger in Sydney, but the quality of the produce, perfect balance of flavours and bang-on seasoning are what make this burger a standout. I’ve had it a couple of times and it’s up there for me (alongside the ones from Eat at ROBs and Paul’s Famous Hamburgers).
In 10th place was The International Burger at The Grill at the swish, three-in-one CBD stunner, The International. Created by award-winning chef Joel Bickford, the burger features an 180g O’Connor beef patty, developed with celebrated butcher Anthony Puharich of Victor Churchill and Vic’s Meat. It’s paired with a soft potato milk bun, aged Australian cheddar and American cheese, and cognac-flambéed caramelised onions with green peppercorns for seasoning. It costs $34, and comes with fries.
First place went to Bleecker Burger in London, followed by Black Bear Burger, also in London.
So, how do they do the rankings?
Upper Cut Media employs 2-4 experienced judges in each continent (North America, South America, Europe, Africa/Middle East, Asia/Pacific). They evaluate each burger on seven key factors, looking not only at flavour and quality, but also guest experience, consistency and innovation. The criteria include meat quality and provenance, burger composition and execution, consistency, guest experience, online presence and reputation, sustainability and responsibility, and compliance with HACCP standards.
A statement on the website says: “We visit and rate the chosen restaurants incognito. Every listed restaurant will be visited at least once by our Steak/Burger Ambassadors before a final decision/tasting by our executive team. Our rankings are based entirely on independent evaluation and follow a strict no pay-for-play principle.”
The top 10 of the world’s 101 best burger places 2026:
1. Bleecker Burger, United Kingdom
2. Black Bear Burger, United Kingdom
3. Café Margaret, Sydney, Australia
4. The Diplomat, Hong Kong
5. Gasoline Grill, Denmark
6. Sip & Guzzle, USA
7. Hawksmoor, United Kingdom
8. Nowon, USA
9. Amboy Quality Meats, USA
10. The International, Sydney, Australia
Check out the full list here.
Whether it’s physically possible to try every burger in the world and rank them, or if this is just a bit of PR burger fun, I’ll leave that to you. One thing’s for sure: I’m now craving a burger.
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