Top 5 places to get a burger in Yorkshire
by Northern Life
Their real origin remains somewhat unclear, but burgers have been around for almost 300 years, according to the oldest recipe from 1758 by Hannah Glasse.
Nowadays we see increasing variation on the traditional burger, for example; serving the patty between lettuce leaves or portabella mushrooms instead of bread. Vegan and veggie burgers are on the rise, using fried halloumi instead of beef, or falafel burgers. So many choices are available now that no matter what types of food you like, you can enjoy a good burger.
So what makes the perfect burger? For me it has to start with a juicy piece of ground beef (6 to 8oz is just the right amount), freshly cooked, still slightly pink in the middle. For the bun – seeded bread or brioche, this tends to be the current popular choice! Cheese! Cheese always has to be involved! A good thick slice of American cheese or mozzarella – yes! And let it melt slightly… I actually prefer this to involving loads of sauce! There also has to be some form of onion, I prefer fried. And I like my burger to have a bit of a kick to it – fresh chillies or jalapenos are just perfect. A crisp, crunchy piece of lettuce and slice of tomato give it that fresh taste. And then of course you can’t forget a good gherkin to finish it off. Ok, now my mouth is watering!
I have visited a number of restaurants in and around Yorkshire to track down that ultimate, feel-good, wow-factor burger and the more burgers I try, the harder it gets to pick a favourite. But if you find yourself in God’s Own County, hungry and wanting to satisfy those cravings, here are my “Top 5 places to get a burger in Yorkshire”.
8oz Burger Co
Sheffield City Centre
Recently opened in May, this South Yorkshire based restaurant, offers a wide variety of burgers to choose from, all served with fries (plain or “properly seasoned”).
“Burgers, Beers, Bliss”
Their tag line is “Burgers, Beers, Bliss”, and this is exactly what I experienced!
I ordered the Macho Nacho burger; Brioche bun, beef, nachos, cheddar, mozzarella sauce, salsa, guacamole, sour cream and jalapenos, served on a metal tray. Sounds messy, but actually it wasn’t that bad, I was impressed. All of this washed down with a pint of Brooklyn Lager on draught. Thumbs up!
An added bonus to the experience – I tried the chicken wings with homemade hot pepper sauce. Different to the usual hot sauce that you seem to see everywhere, an almost mustard looking sauce, with a REAL kick to it! Cold drinks need to be close by if you are willing to try it, but I loved it and even bought a bottle to take home.
MEATliquor
Leeds City Centre
A lot of my friends gave this place as their firm choice of where to get a decent burger.
Located near the Trinity Shopping centre, based underground with dim lighting (hence the not so great picture), loud indie music playing and pool tables dotted around, this place gives a laid back vibe – a perfect place for groups of friends, and people that don’t mind making a bit of a mess eating in front of each other. Because that is exactly what you’re going to do grabbing a burger here, make loads of mess!
Not too much choice on the menu here, which isn’t a bad thing. I went for the Green Chili Cheeseburger; steamed bread buns, beef, cheese, spicy chili butter (with fresh chillies), red onion, pickles, lettuce, mustard and ketchup, served on a metal tray.
Ate every last bit, and even finished my partner’s burger too. So yes, I really enjoyed the food, and actually the atmosphere as a whole. Portions of fries are definitely to share and have to be ordered as extra. I would point out that this is the most expensive of the five, but definitely worth a try.
Byron Hamburger
Most city centre locations
Yes I know – this isn’t an independent restaurant, exclusive to Yorkshire, but I have ALWAYS enjoyed a burger here and the service, especially in the Leeds City Centre branch.
“I really feel that you can’t go wrong when you go to Byron!”
Celebrating their 10th birthday this year, Byron is bringing back 6 of their most-requested specials, so now is an exciting time to visit if you haven’t been before!
My choice of burger here is the Chilli; “Squishy bun” beef, green chillies, American cheese, shredded iceberg lettuce and chipotle mayonnaise, served with a pickle on the side. Oh and I get dried crispy onions as an extra and put them in too. Spot on! Again you have to order your fries as extra here and I would recommend that you share a portion.
I really feel that you can’t go wrong when you go to Byron!
Pax Burger
Lindley, Huddersfield
Recommended by a number of my Instagram followers, this small independent restaurant situated in Lindley is brought to you by chef owner Eric Paxman.
Casual, yet high quality, Pax offers a variety of burgers to try, all served with fries. Pax offer some great cocktails to accompany your meal!
To say I’d not heard of the place before, and given its location, I would definitely recommend booking before visiting. We visited on a Tuesday night and the place was fully booked, however staff were welcoming and accommodated us, first in the bar area then finding us a table in the restaurant only 10 minutes later.
I actually went for their Summer Special, the Rueben; Brioche bun (yes, again), beef, sauerkraut, American mustard, Swiss cheese, pulled ham hock, PAX ketchup, gem lettuce, tomato, and a slice of pickle on the side. Served on a, you guessed it, metal tray! Slightly messy but not enough to put me off, really tasty, and ate every last bit!
Burgers and More
Harrogate, near the City Centre
I was blown away with my experience here. Not only was the food amazing, but the level of service was fantastic, and this soon became my favourite burger restaurant so far.
“Wow. Just. Wow.”
Celebrating its 2nd birthday on national burger day, this independent restaurant is situated a short walk from Harrogate Centre, and delivers a long list of different burgers to choose from (read the menu before you visit to help save some time!). A welcome change, the burgers are served in ciabatta so that they don’t fall apart (you can still choose brioche or bread cake if you wish), with fries (the choice of normal fries or sweet potato fries), and the salad that accompanies your meal is refreshing and fulfilling and not just an afterthought.
The owners pride themselves on serving meals on a good old fashioned simple plate!
After much deliberation I went for the Cheeseboard Burger; opted for the Brioche bun, beef burger stuffed with apple and stilton, topped with mozzarella and fig chutney.
Wow. Just. Wow.
I could not pick a fault with the food, or the service here and I would be more than happy to visit numerous times in the near future.
All of the above burgers & restaurants offered exceptional, memorable food and service and I will be visiting them time and time again. I really would give them my 5 out of 5 rating and recommendation.
Happy burger eating, J
