The three best burgers in Bristol
The results are in from our month of burger research
Best-of lists have come under fire recently, and for good reason. People have been pointing out that such articles are inherently subjective and written more for SEO than to genuinely inform. Both are true. Every opinion about food is subjective; every restaurant review is just one person’s opinion.
Also true is the fact that magazines and websites need eyes on them in order for them to function, and often to generate revenue. This is why best-of lists are so pervasive — because people click on them. We want information in a neat and easily digestible format, and thus the best-of list prevails.
So, let’s season our cynicism. This isn’t just clickbait. We dispatched our writers across the city, munched our way through towering stacks of beef and brioche, and then roped in you, the public, to settle the score. Hundreds of pounds lighter and several food comas later, we’ve got the answer to the question on everyone’s lips: Where can you find Bristol’s best burger?
In first place: Squeezed, Wapping Wharf & Wiper and True taproom
Squeezed stands proud at the top of the podium for Bristol’s best burger. The winner of the National Burger Awards in 2019 swept the board: almost every Sauce writer picked it, it tied for top on Instagram, and it gobbled up nearly half our Substack votes.
Squeezed specialise in topping their umami-driven beefy burgers with standout sauces; the kind that would make founder Alex Hayes a rich man if he sold his soul and bottled them for Tesco. Squeezed made the only burger I’ve ever felt compelled to write a love letter to, and it remains the best burger I’ve ever had in my life. Let us all pray that Alex does not follow through on his threats to leave the restaurant world to become a teacher.
In second place: Danny’s, Fierce & Noble
In a close second place with a shiny silver medal is Danny’s, home of Bristol’s best smash burger. Danny’s received the same number of votes on our Instagram poll as Squeezed, but slightly less on our Substack poll (32 per cent compared to Squeezed’s 46) and was not voted Bristol’s best burger by any of the Sauce writers, though many expressed their admiration.
But if it’s a crisp, caramelised skirt you’re after — Dan is the man. We are very lucky in Bristol to have many award-winning burgers — Danny took home burger chef of the year in 2021 and burger of the year just twelve months later. Not only this, but at Danny’s you can get your hands on one of the best sides in existence: chips and gravy.
In third place: Fat Dad’s Kitchen, The Gallimaufry
Fat Dad’s Kitchen came in a very honourable third place, receiving an enthusiastic hand up from one of our Sauce writers, but tying with Popti on the Substack vote at 5 per cent and with Oowee, Asado, Prime and Milk Bun on our Instagram poll.
I am personally of the opinion that Fat Dad’s suffers here from being lesser-known on the Bristol burger circuit — another reason that best-of lists based on public votes are often pretty useless. I think that Paul’s burgers are creative, deeply satisfying and, when served with the dirtiest of dirty fries, almost unbeatable. I will not be remotely surprised if we see Fat Dad’s Kitchen taking home a National Burger Award trophy in the next year or two.
Honourable mentions
In a very particular order:
Popti Bros, Mina Road - St Werburghs has more than its fair share of great burgers, but that doesn’t mean you should look past Popti Bros. In fact, next time you’re plotting a trip to the golden arches — head here instead. You won’t regret it. Read The Bristol Sauce review.
Oowee, various locations - If you’re vegan or just particularly partial to a plant-based patty with your garlic-butter-drenched waffle fries, Oowee has the burger for you. With most of their restaurants being geared towards takeaways — we wouldn’t recommend it as the place to plan a romantic date, rather a late-night situationship with an Impossible patty and a lot of vegan cheese. Keep an eye out for Oowee’s collaborations with other Bristol restaurants, which are always worth a significant detour. Read The Bristol Sauce review.
Prime by Pasture, Redcliffe - One of the only burgers where you can shake hands with the butcher before you’ve taken a single bite. Prime by Pasture may be one of the newest burgers in town, but it’s already a safe bet, has a good buzz about it and would be well worth a trip, especially if you’re a fan of elaborate breakfasts. Read The Bristol Sauce review.
Milk Bun, Clifton - Milk Bun represents the more glamorous end of Bristol’s burgers and their refined take on indulgent stacks is well suited to their home in Clifton Village. While nothing is particularly life-changing, it’s the kind of place you can take your parents (tried and tested) to enjoy a glass of wine with your burger and silently fight over the last of the dirty fries.
Fattso, Old Market & Bishopston - Currently operating from The Stag and Hounds pub in Old Market and The Sportsman in Bishopston, Fattso is also the creator of nationally award-winning smash burgers. The Stag and Hounds or The Sportsman is the place to go when you’re hungover and need a deliriously dirty burger fix without missing Super Sunday.
Asado, Colston Street - Those who find themselves grimacing at having to order fries separately should make their way to Asado, where well-seasoned rosemary fries come with every burger as standard. Their hefty, South American-inspired patties are cooked over fire delivering a suitably smoky hit with every bite.
So there we have it. Best-of lists may be inherently flawed, but if you’ve made it this far, I’m afraid you’re part of the problem. And you might as well be a problem with a burger in hand, now, mightn’t you?
All words and photos by Meg Houghton-Gilmour
Read next:
The 11 best pizzas in Bristol
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Gotta say, we've been fans of Danny & his excellent crew's efforts since he was a one-man band, hurtling about the yard at F&N, on his single-minded mission to smash the smashie! We rooted for him when he go on the bus up to London, with his box of special things upon his knee. And lo & behold, prizes were won, due to excellence & hard work - oh yes!
And he seems too to have a mystical ability to survive the "F&N effect" whereby those who do business with the owner find him impossible & greedy. We say Well Done Danny and Thank You for all the hard work.
In my dream world, it be fun if the geezer of Ballistic Burger called Greg does attempt the DannyBurger tribute and meet up for a burger-themed chat. Alas he live in San Diego...
Fattso #1 for me, but you can't have everything