Gourmet Burger Kitchen

It's tricky saying somewhere is the best of its kind in a huge city moving at London's breakneck speed, but if you find better burgers than here, let us know. Big, plump sesame buns, succulent burgers, imaginative fillings, lip-smacking sauces, vibrantly coloured salad...well, you know you ain't at McDonald's here.

Gourmet Burger Kitchen

44 Northcote Road, SW11 and various locations.

0845 345 1727

The Gourmet Burger Kitchen started something of a wave and its hard to find a street now that doesnt contain a highend burger place.

GBK though is the original and still the best.

They certainly dont run a risk of upsetting the Trades Descriptions people. Theres a kitchen. In that kitchen, save for fries, a mixed salad and a couple of decent veggie options, they grind Aberdeen Angus Scottish beef into gourmet burgers of gourmand proportions. In short, GBK worships the burger. I, in turn, worship GBK.

A wall of blackboards lists the options ranging from the simple Classic (£4.95) burger, salad, relish to funkier alternatives such as the Kiwiburger (£6.70) the classic with messy additions of beetroot, egg, pineapple and cheese (shouldnt work, but does). Everything comes perched on an excellent sour dough sesame bun salad and relish. Of course, with burgers you need chips and GBKs are piping hot and crunchy. Chunky golden chips that are crisp outside and as fluffy as new socks in.

No puddings are on offer but youd never manager one. Youll be reeling, full of good food and stunned that something so simple can be so good and only cost low in the 20s in terms of pounds sterling.

The blackboards outside GBK show that Time Out and The Independent have declared them the best burgers in London. They can add our name to that list too.