Where to eat a proper burger in Soho, and when to go

Soho has plenty of burgers and only a handful worth standing in the street for. Smash is the style of the moment: Time Out says smash burgers are now dominant in London. Here is where to go, what to order, and when the wait is likely to be kindest. Queue timings below are indicative, built from reviewer accounts, so treat them as logic rather than a promise.

Supernova, 25 Peter Street

A tiny counter spot just off Berwick Street, and the top entry in The Infatuation's London smashburger rankings. Potato buns, crisp-edged patties, hand-cut fries and ice cream sundaes. Two Classic Cheeseburgers with hand-cut fries come to £24, according to Eats Things.

This is the one with the queue. Reviewers in its early days described a line snaking across Peter Street by half two and a limited daily supply, with a warning that arriving after 2pm risks disappointment. That was launch-era, so it may have eased, but the sensible move is to go at opening or just before the lunchtime crush rather than mid-afternoon. It is walk-in only. Order the Classic with mustard, ketchup, pickles and onion, or the creamier House if you want the signature sauce.

Bleecker, 33 Old Compton Street

Time Out reports that Bleecker was named the world's number one burger restaurant for 2026 by World's 101 Best Burger Places. The Soho site is small, with few seats, and one reviewer found it rushed, so think of it as a quick, serious burger rather than a long sit. The house style is dry-aged beef cooked pink, American cheese, onion and secret sauce in a toasted seeded bun. Order the cheeseburger, or the bacon double if you are hungry. Go off-peak, outside the pre-theatre hours, and you are more likely to get a perch.

Burger & Beyond, 10 Old Compton Street

A table-service restaurant with 40-day dry-aged patties, praised for its burger cheese. Time Out names it a British Burger Awards 2026 finalist and it placed eleventh in the World's 101 Best Burger Places. London x London calls the weekday lunch deal the smart way in: burger and fries for £15, Monday to Friday, midday to 3pm. Service runs until 11pm on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and until 10pm on other days. Order the lunch deal and sit down without the street queue.

Junk, 49 Old Compton Street

Parisian-style smash burgers with lacy-edged patties and a sweet, buttery bun. The Infatuation recommends adding the sweet onions. Time Out places it on its London list as a stylish smash burger restaurant. Order the M Burger with sweet onions.

Dumbo, 37 Berwick Street

A French import that Time Out has praised, with a short menu: one main cheeseburger, an Earth burger and nuggets, according to Hot Dinners. Order the cheeseburger.

Burger & Lobster, 36 to 38 Dean Street

Not a smash joint, and happier for it. The Original Burger is an 8oz Nebraskan beef patty with lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions and secret sauce, served with fries and salad; the Beast Burger adds lobster. Reviewers describe a queue out of the door before midday opening, so book, as it takes reservations, or arrive after the first rush. Order the Original, or the Beast for an occasion.

Honest Burgers, Meard Street and Brewer Street

A reliable, bookable chain option with two Soho sites. Yelp reviewers praise the juicy burger and rosemary fries. One caution: Honest's National Burger Awards 2026 winner, The Honest, is served only at its Smash + Grab site on Liverpool Street, not in Soho. Order the burger with rosemary fries.

When to go

• Supernova: at opening, and not mid-afternoon.
• Burger & Lobster: book, or arrive after the midday rush.
• Burger & Beyond: weekday lunch for the deal, or later in the evening.
• Anywhere without a booking: avoid the pre-theatre crush of half five to half seven, and try an off-peak hour such as 3pm on a weekday, per one Soho food guide.

For Bleecker, Junk, Dumbo and Honest there is no reliable queue picture, so go early and see. Check each venue's current hours before you set out. Sources: The Infatuation, Time Out and London x London.