Whether you’re a fully loaded burger type of person, or a ‘no bun, hold the cheese, no lettuce and no tomato, patty well done’ type, Birmingham has a wealth of burger options to suit all tastes. Feeling carnivorous? Check. Want to limit your carbs? Check. Want to try a vegan patty? Check.
1. Meat Shack
Hidden away on a side street near to the Hippodrome Theatre, why not eschew the classic pre-theatre option of Chinese food before your show and enjoy a tasty burger instead? In fact, the burgers are so good you don’t even need the excuse of visiting the theatre to pop in and enjoy the street art on the walls. With beef, chicken and veggie options, they promise they use only the best and, apparently, ‘filthiest’ of ingredients. We’re pretty sure this is just a turn of phrase, so don’t be put off. And for the love of all things holy, make sure you sample the halloumi fries.
2. Original Patty Men
Hmm, we’re seeing a theme here. Original Patty Men class themselves as ‘purveyors of filth’. Once again, they have an excellent hygiene rating and very tasty burgers so just disregard this badge of honour if you’re germ conscious…
Located next door to Kilder Bar on the outskirts of Digbeth, Original Patty Men consistently ranks as one of the best burger joints in Brum, and it’s not hard to see why. A small but well-honed selection of beef or chicken burgers, with one veggie option, are simply delicious. Shout out to the pineapple hot sauce. And although not burgers, their wings are top notch – every Wednesday they do a special Wing Wednesday offer; they’re the perfect accompaniment to your burger. Make sure you roll up your sleeves – these burgers can get messy, but are well worth it. (Perhaps not the best bet for a first date…)
3. Bonehead
Delightfully, er, rustic inside, Bonehead makes up in fried chicken what it lacks in comfy seating. The food is so delicious that you’re not at your table for long, anyway! With frequent specials and all manner of fried chicken variations (plus a veggie burger option!), Bonehead are experts in turning rowdy tables silent as they savour their food. Their wings are the stuff of legend, and it’s actually now illegal to go to Bonehead and not have their waffle fries. We’re being serious, don’t make us dial 999.
4. The Rose Villa Tavern
Repping the Jewellery Quarter on the burger front is the Rose Villa Tavern. Their menu specialises in American delicacies. By delicacies, we mean fried chicken, hot dogs, nachos and burgers. They even have salads, but the American kind, so they’re full of cheese and bacon; we’re not sure they class as salads. Anyway! Their burgers boast the classic beef and chicken versions, plus no less than THREE vegan options - a funky Moroccan fella, ‘Beet It’ beetroot burger, and a BBQ jackfruit stunner. You can even have a cheeky alcoholic milkshake to wash it all down with. We apologise in advance to your arteries.
To look out for:
1. Andy’s Low n Slow
Word on the street is that Andy’s Low N Slow, legendary street food stalwart on the scene for years, has reached his Kickstarter goal and is on the hunt for a location for his bricks and mortar restaurant. While we wait impatiently for that, in the meantime you can catch him and his mouth-watering meaty goodness at Digbeth Dining Club. Sorry to all veggies/vegans – this one’s definitely not for you!
2. Burger Fest
Seasonal Markets, of ‘Cheese Fest’ fame, should soon be announcing their annual Burger Fest – a whole day dedicated to Birmingham’s love for some sort of patty between two buns. We’ll keep you updated when the dates get announced for this. Be pre-warned – go hungry or you’ll be disappointed that you can’t sample everything!
And if you have to visit a chain?
1. Five Guys
You really can’t go wrong with a Five Guys if you just want a good solid burger, no messing about, plus approximately 4 litres of drink (why don’t they do smaller cups?? Who is *that* thirsty?). You’ve also got two locations to choose from – Bullring or Grand Central. Their fries are pretty legendary too.
2. Byron Burger
Pretty consistent for a decent burger, Byron has something for everyone and usually has good offers on for budget-friendly student burger bargain hunters. Their Birmingham restaurant is just off Victoria Square so this is a good central location that should please everyone – alongside the meaty usual suspects, they also have a veggie option and three vegan options; you can even swap any of the patties out for a vegan one!
3. Brewdog
Brewdog’s just for beer, right?! Wrong, my friend. They have a great selection of burgers, one even featuring black pudding, plus four vegan options, one hilariously named ‘Hail Seitan’. We’re sold. Mondays are 2-4-1 on vegan burgers, so a perfect opportunity to give the meat-free life a go. They also handily suggest beers to match their burgers. Don’t mind if we do.
