5 Burger joints to roll your sleeves up for

From smashburgers to American style burgers and everything in between…

By Jade Taylor Cooke

In the battle for South Africa’s best burger, there can be no losers. You go, you feast, and either you decide you’ve just eaten the best burger of your life … Or you simply have a really, really, good burger, while your undisputed favourite retains its title. Win, win.

With that in mind, here are five burger restaurants we recommend trying – all nominated by chefs through our Eat Out Neighbourhood Gems directory.

Crave Burger
Walmer, Gqeberha

American-style burgers are the name of the game at Crave, where patties are griddled until hot, crisp-edged, and full of flavour. Build your burger from a choice of beef, cheeseburger or vegan options, then add toppings and sauce – and, if you’re hungry enough, waffle fries and milkshakes made using ice cream made on site. But don’t stop at burgers: Crave’s weekend doughnuts are gloriously over the top, with creations such as Biscoffee, Zoo Cookie and Campfire S’mores. They’re perfect paired with a salted-maple, cold-brew coffee. With Crave Burger branches popping up across the Eastern Cape, this is one gem that may soon be in your own ’hood!

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Le Pickle
De Waterkant, Cape Town

Cape Town has plenty of “best burger” contenders, but Le Pickle has quickly established itself as a frontrunner. Its specialty is the smashburger – think thin, caramelised patties, home-made buns, punchy sauces and seriously moreish fries. The Le Classic is a crowd-pleaser, while Le Onion, Le Godfather, Le Chicken, Le Lamb and Le Vegan are variations on the theme. Sides (try the Le Pickle Spears), cocktails and soft serve round things off nicely. Meanwhile, the setting is as cool as the food, giving retro diner vibes with a relaxed atmosphere and friendly service.

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Let’s Frite
Franschhoek, Cape Winelands

Franschhoek is home to some of the country’s best fine-dining restaurants, which raises the bar for every eatery in the vicinity. Let’s Frite (“let’s fry”) meets that bar, and then some. Burgers here are an experience; the classics are done superbly. The buttermilk chicken burger makes you want to order it every time, but then you’d miss out on the likes of the char sui pork-rib burger or squid burger (crispy calamari with nuoc cham, aïoli, coriander, spring onion and radish slaw). With “frites” in the name, you’d better believe this is the place for specialty fries. The standard are triple-cooked bites of heaven, perfectly crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside. Be adventurous and opt for the Dirty frites (bacon jam, buffalo spice, ranch mayo, jalapeños and Parmesan) or the Curry frites (masala spice, Cape curry sauce, tomato sambal, peanuts, crispy chickpeas and mayo).

The Kitchen of Oz
Emmarentia, Johannesburg

If you’re heading to The Kitchen of Oz for lunch, we seriously recommend skipping breakfast, and maybe dinner, too. Portions here are delightfully – almost comically – large. The smashed burgers are generously dressed in cheese and sauces. Our picks? The Jou’Burger, with its combination of beef, polony, masala steak and cheese – a particularly ambitious feat of construction – or the smoked-brisket smashburger, for maximum smoky, juicy indulgence. There are also loaded chip rolls, enormous toasted sandwiches, and gargantuan gatsbys.

Stud. The Burger Shop
Various locations in North West, Gauteng, Western Cape

Here, a minimalist design aesthetic meets high-quality, Boran-stud beef – the pairing we didn’t know we needed until Stud sauntered onto the scene. The menu is intentionally succinct in accordance with Stud’s “no bull, just beef” philosophy. There’s the signature double-patty Stud Burger with Cheddar and the usual trimmings on a brioche bun. There’s a single-patty junior version of the same, plus vegan and hybrid (vegan patty, real cheese) options. The appeal lies in the straightforward execution and focus on ingredients that really sing. Note that while seating is available, this is primarily a premium takeaway-burger experience.

Want to find more Neighbourhood Gems near you? Browse our directory for the best chef-recommended spots around the country.