Steak & Honour
Steak & Honour absolutely stormed our (totally unscientific) social media poll on where to find the best burgers in town. “It’s hands down @steakandhonour – burgers didn’t exist in Cambridge until they showed up on the scene,” gushed @TheHotLights on Twitter, whilst over on Facebook, one reader replied simply: “I’m not even sure why this question is a thing. Anyone who votes for anything other than S&H mustn’t have tried them… Surely?!”
So, a lot of love from Edition readers – and S&H are definitely one of the most talked about foodie enterprises in Cambridge – but is the hype justified? In short, absolutely. Roaming the streets in their distinctive vintage Citroën H Vans, this gourmet street food outfit has gone from in-the-know hidden gem to bonafide Cambridge legend since they first opened the hatch back in 2012, taking their inspiration from the cream of the London burger scene and bringing it to the street corners and car parks of Cambridge for our eating pleasure.
However long the queue (and trust us, it gets big), they serve up consistently excellent burgers, with succulent, flavour-packed Riverside beef patties, delightfully squishy brioche buns, crunchy salad, tangy pickles and oozing ketchup and mustard, with the optional extra of gooey American cheese. The thin, crispy and heavily salted fries are also ridiculously moreish, and there’s a range of seasonal sides and desserts on offer too. Find them at foodPark Cambridge events, and follow them on Twitter to keep up to date on where they’re flipping.
Cambridge Canteen
A hidden-away countryside restaurant in Whittlesford, Cambridge Canteen has lots of fans for its inventive array of supersized burgers. Inspired by the sights, sounds and tastes of our fair city, each of the burgers is named after a Cambridge University college and packed with locally sourced ingredients.
Sample The Churchill for a wedge of perfectly seasoned sirloin steak with onion and balsamic relish, or try The Wolfson, consisting of locally sourced lean venison with onion and red wine topping. You get to customise your burger, choosing between a toasted brioche, gluten free or Yorkshire pudding bun to encase your patty, as well as a selection of cheeses that includes Gruyère and Emmental to add into the mix.
Five Guys
As far as we’re concerned, all good burgers have their place, from the handcrafted artisan creations to the quick and dirty guilty pleasures. Whilst still essentially a posh burger joint, Five Guys sits more at the fast food end of the spectrum – and their burgers are both stupidly tasty and utterly addictive. The chain is a cult brand in the States, allegedly loved by Barack Obama, first opening UK branches a couple of years back to ridiculous queues and much fanfare.
We can see why Mr President is a fan. The foil wrapped, prime beef burgers are melt-in-the-mouth tender, and there are a ton of toppings to choose between – and you can cram in as many as you like at no extra cost. We’re reliably informed there are over 250,000 possible ways to order a burger at Five Guys – and once you’ve tried one of these sloppy masterpieces, you’ll likely make it your business to sample each and every variant. The fizzy pop selection is rather exciting too (there’s eight types of Fanta!), and you can pick up great hot dogs too.
Butch Annies
This place caused quite a stir when it opened in February, doling out their gourmet burgers for free to hungry shoppers. Canny marketing, since it got half of Cambridge hooked from the get-go. At Butch Annie’s, which can be found in a basement on Market Street, they have a small but perfectly formed menu which is unashamedly all about the burgers. Every component has been carefully thought out, from the freshly baked, seeded brioche buns to the patties, which range from 28 day aged Hereford beef to the pork burgers made from Iberian black pigs – the treasure of Spanish cuisine.
And the precision has paid off: you can taste the quality of a Butch burger as soon as you take a bite, and the flavours are always expertly balanced. The dreamy toppings include garlic mayo, flavoursome aged cheddar, oven roasted tomato and picked gherkin (the Ooh La La), and spiced yoghurt with hot chilli and black bean topping (the Wild Eyed Coyote). They don’t slack when it comes to sides either, our favourites are the handmade skin-on chips and the onion popcorn. Butch gets extra points for being available on Deliveroo.co.uk, meaning you can enjoy their burgers from the comfort of your own armchair…
:: READ MORE IN AUGUST’S ISSUE OF CAMBRIDGE EDITION ::
Best for veggies:
Cambridge Brew House: The vegetarians in our office are unanimous in their praise for the Brew House’s squidgy, satisfying roasted butternut squash and sweet potato patty. It’s in a brioche bun, topped with Red Leicester, and served with garlic mayo and hand cut chips.
Backstreet Bistro: This charming restaurant is known for its top quality food and good-sized portions. Its mixed bean and sweetcorn burger is served with a tomato salsa and sweet potato fries.
Bill’s: This is the one for ‘squeaky cheese’ (aka halloumi) lovers. Grilled halloumi topped with hummus, roasted peppers, baby gem lettuce, sweet chilli sauce and yoghurt, the whole lot comes in a sesame seed bun with skin-on fries on the side.
