Sinking your teeth into a juicy burger is one of life’s greatest delights, and in Bath we are blessed with a whole range of burger joints from dine-in ones serving up gourmet offerings to late-night takeaways that have been a part of Bath’s nightlife for decades.
It’s not just the carnivores who have all the fun, with plenty of meat-free burgers being served up around the city. From classic bean burgers to vegan alternatives that taste like the real thing, there are a bunch of veggie options to choose from, as well as fish and chicken if that’s your bag.
If this all sounds a bit too meat-centric, take a look at our list of vegan restaurants for some plant-based inspiration.
If you’re after more of a steak than a burger, check out our list of the best places in Bath to get a juicy steak. Burgers are a pub staple, and you’ll often find them on high-end restaurant menus, too. While they pop up everywhere, these are the top 10 places totally dedicated to burgers in Bath.
1. Burgers N Barrels
Worth the walk out of town, Burgers n Barrels is a cosy little spot that brings a slightly hipster American vibe with comic book wallpaper, heaped handcrafted burgers, and booze (hence the barrels). You’re going to want to sit down for this feast and there are two floors of indoor seating and a heated outdoor area to choose from.
Burgers range from Mama’s Original Recipe classic burgers to veggie options like Wandavision with a courgette, sweetcorn, herbs and spices patty, topped with halloumi fries and a choice of sweet chilli or pesto sauce.
Try one of the gourmet specials like DJango, a classic beef patty topped with homemade slow cooked beef brisket, mature cheddar, jalapeños, onions and barrel spicy sauce or tuck into gourmet fries like El Greko (fries topped with a mix of feta & cheddar cheese, tomatoes, oregano & egg finished in the oven).
Address: 2 Victoria Buildings,Lower Bristol Road, Bath, BA2 3EH
2. Magu Diner
Located on Moorland Road, Magu Diner is a cool little spot to grab inventive burgers and a drink. Head to the small counter top to grab a stool and dig into a messy meat pile while surrounded by neon and brick walls.
Locally sourced ingredients and creative flavours elevate the burgers, with meat coming from a farm in Gloucestershire, baps are sourced from an independent Bristol bakery, and the halloumi cheese comes from the Chew Valley. Sauces and toppings are made in-house too.
Upgrade to waffle fries or halloumi fries for an added treat!
There are lots of meat-free options on the menu but two stand-out meat centric burgers are Mr Truffleupagus with a smashed beef patty, smoked garlic mayo, truffled cheese, confit shallots, candied fig jalapeno relish, rocket, and pickles and the Flying Lotus.
You’ll see why it’s called Flying Lotus when it arrives but the burger includes a smashed beef patty, Biscoff Lotus (yup, really), peanut & pecan butter, chilli jam, American cheese, maple bacon and baconnaise. Utterly unhinged and utterly delicious.
Address: 37 Moorland Road, Bath, BA2 3PN
3. Schwartz Bros
Is it the extra dash of nostalgia that makes the burgers taste better? Schwartz Bros doesn’t have the biggest patties, the prices are on a par with dining in a pub, and it’s definitely not the most luxurious surroundings… Yet it’s still a solid favourite with prime locations on Sawclose and Walcot Street.
Schwartz Bros has been going since 1977 and is a staple of many a late night. They started to get some less favourable reviews, and so now they hand-press the patties daily and they’re not as puck-like as processed patties. Burgers are made of 100% beef flank and fore-quarter from traceable farms and the vegan/veggie burger and chickless burger are made in-house too.
Ideal for a cheeky takeaway, the burger menu is extensive with a huge choice of options for vegetarians. Always get the blue cheese mayo. If you’re not a fan of blue cheese, kick it up a notch with various spicy options (look for the chillis on the menu as a guide).
Address: 4 Sawclose, Bath, BA1 1EY
4. Smashburger
Smashburger started in Denver, USA and the interior is a pseudo-American space with brick effect walls, booths, and industrial lighting. Smash burgers are a style of burger that ends up crispy and well done, but still juicy as basically they smoosh a ball of beef mince onto the grill instead of just grilling a shaped patty.
If you’re feeding a family, this is an ideal place to sit down and get stuck in. It’s not the cheapest option but portions are pretty huge, so you can get away with sharing. Each of the signature burgers come with two patties as standard and you can choose from regular or Oklahoma style smash burgers (with onions mashed into them).
The menu also has a ton of veggie and vegan options (for milkshakes and desserts, as well), and you can even get a salad if you really want one. Whatever you order just keep the door shut as there are always sneaky pigeons trying to get those burgers!
Address: 8/9 Southgate, Bath, BA1 1AQ
5. Gourmet Burger Kitchen
A casual, and almost retro, eat-in restaurant right next to Bath Spa Train Station, Gourmet Burger Kitchen is one of the OG gourmet burger restaurants, with a bunch of them all over the country.
Here in Bath you can sit inside or sit out and watch the world go by while you bite into a hefty burger. Consistently good, the menu has stayed fairly constant over the years, chicken burgers (made with marinated chicken) are always a good bet, and the beef patties are made with 100% British grass-fed beef (chuck, brisket, flank and 30-day-dry-aged steak if you’re wondering).
There are some local touches, like the choice of West Country Cheddar over American style cheese, and the wide range of vegan Beyond Meat burgers (with vegan mayo & cheese) means that everyone can get their comfort food fix. They also serve booze and desserts if you want to make a night of it.
Address: 8 Brunel Square, Bath, BA1 1SX
6. Five Guys
It’s an American chain but Five Guys is usually spot-on for a burger fix that’s a little more classy than McD’s or Burger King (no shame if they are your favourite). Most toppings are free and you get an ‘extra scoop’ of fries aka a pretty big portion. Plus you get to make endless jokes about the name, so that’s an added bonus.
Fries are ‘Boardwalk style’, which means they are hand cut and cooked in peanut oil, so watch out if you have nut allergy! Or you can spice it up with cajun fries, too. Five Guys claims there are 250,000 possible burger combos and it’s unlikely anyone has checked, but you can choose from 15 free toppings that cover standard burger fare like lettuce, pickles, jalapenos, mayo, mustard, and relish etc.
It’s not as fancy as some places but you can sit down to eat, or even sit outside in summer. The standard hamburger, bacon burger, and cheeseburger options come with two patties. There are beef dogs (hot dogs) on the menu and vegetarians have a limited choice of veggie sandwiches rather than burgers.
Address: Unit 3, 8 Saw Close, Bath, BA1 1EY
7. Burger Moods
The menu at Burger Moods is a mood swing in itself, from Philly cheesesteaks and hotdogs to prawn boxes and teriyaki fries.
The burgers can be customised with a range of frankly bizarre toppings from doner meat to Cheetos (surprisingly good) or opt for a pile of food like a Burgerload Stacker, which features grass-fed premium ground beef with melted cheese, topped with chunky onion rings, doner meat, and a hashbrown, dressed with special burger sauce.
Fries are thin cut as standard but there’s a range of other options like curly fries or the teriyaki options. If you’re not in the mood for a burger, you can get a beef box with grilled meat, onions, chips, and cheese.
Address: 6 Augusta Place, Upper Bristol Road, Bath, BA1 3DD
8. Manhattan American Hamburgers
Sometimes you just want a nice, simple burger and Manhattan American Hamburgers is the perfect cosy place to get one. Family-run since 1989, the no-nonsense burger menu features all the standard favourites with extra toppings like pineapple being about as crazy as it gets.
An exception to this is the Manhattan Explosion, which features three burgers in a bun with lettuce, onion, tomato & relish if you’re really peckish.
Manhattan gets top marks for friendly service and reasonable prices and alongside burgers you’ll find baps, chicken burgers (the Jamaican jerk burger is great), and hot dogs on the menu.
Address: 23 Claverton Buildings, Widcombe Parade, Bath
9. Burger Steakhouse
If you happen to be hungry and in the Larkhall side of Bath then make a stop at Burger Steakhouse to pick up a takeaway. It’s not a sit-down restaurant (despite the name) , but it is the place to get tasty burgers at a reasonable price.
The patties are 100% beef, hand-pressed burgers, which means they are extra juicy and have a much better texture than tightly packed processed ones. The buns are big and bouncy with tons of sesame seeds on top, and you can choose from gourmet burgers, steak (beef or lamb in ciabatta buns), spicy bean burgers, or chicken burgers, plus a bunch of salad options and your choice of sauce. Opt for spicy hot chilli if you like a kick, or classic burger relish for the purists.
All of the meat, salads, and veggies are locally sourced and each week there is a burger of the week (find out what on Facebook), so you can switch it up every visit.
Address: St Saviours Road, Larkhall, Bath, BA1 6RT
10. Mr D’s
Another stalwart of the Bath burger scene, Mr D’s has been dishing out burgers since 1982 and was/is a staple of late-night munchies.
Burgers come in a sesame bun with red onion, iceberg lettuce, and tomato but you can spice it up with the American Hot or Cajun Burger to kick it up a notch.
Vegetarians can enjoy a spicy bean burger or a Bangkok Bad Boy, which has veggies, coriander, chilli, lemongrass and lime leaf coated in black onion, sesame, and cumin seeds with a red lentil crumb.
The Mr D’s burger van can also be found at the bottom of Milsom Street until late every night, dishing out burgers and chips to people in varying stages of inebriation.
Get the garlic mayo burger– it’s great after a night out, but not so great when you’re hungover and can still taste it the next day.
Address: 8 St. George’s Place, Upper Bristol Road, Bath, BA1 3AA
Amy is an award-winning travel writer born and bred in Bath. She has written for national newspapers and magazines from the Guardian and Mail on Sunday to Conde Nast Traveller and Good Housekeeping. Now she’s helping travellers explore Bath, one story at a time.
