Three south east London restaurants have been named as finalists to win at the British Burger Awards.
The British Burger Awards highlight the best of the UK’s burger businesses, celebrating burger spots for their creativity, quality, customer loyalty, and franchise excellence.
This year 10 venues were shortlisted for the best London restaurant, with three of them in south east London.
The public will have a chance to vote for their favourites, with the winners announced at the awards ceremony in September this year.
A spokesperson for the awards said: “The British Burger Awards continue to honour the boldest, most passionate burger brands in the UK.
“These finalists are setting standards, building loyal followings, and raising the game in a highly competitive space.”
Here are this year’s finalists:
Burger & Beyond, Borough
Arch 231, Borough Yards, SE1 9FJ
Known for their no-compromise flavour, Burger & Beyond is a popular burger spot serving a menu of options including dry-aged beef patties, crispy pancetta, rich bone marrow and onions, layered with gourmet sauces and served in demi-brioche or toasted focaccia buns.
It’s not just beef either — fried chicken and vegan options are also on the menu.
Heard. Smash Burgers, Borough
1 Flat Iron Square, Borough, SE1 0AB
If you think fast food can’t be fine food, Heard. is here to challenge that idea.
Founded by Jordan Bailey, a two Michelin-starred chef, Heard. is about taking one of the most recognisable comfort foods in the world and applying a fine-dining level of care.
Everything — from the beef (ethically sourced from regenerative British farms) to the buns (butter-toasted and made with roast potato flour) — is obsessively chosen and transparently sourced.
Even their vegetarian options reflect this level of thought, using house-made patties built from fresh, seasonal produce.
The menu is deliberately tight, with each burger fine-tuned to balance texture, fat, acidity and heat.
Whether you’re after sharp, spicy, umami-packed, or indulgently rich, there’s a burger here that feels composed like a dish from a top restaurant, not a grab-and-go bite.
And while the dessert offering is minimal — just one standout ice cream sandwich — it’s executed with the same finesse.
Heard. isn’t about choice overload; it’s about doing a few things exceptionally well.
The Lord Nelson
243 Union Street, Southwark, SE1 0LR
This classic pub in Southwark serves up a creative burger menu with options like wild boar, lamb and beef, as well as vegan options and toppings like peanut butter and pineapple.
