There are few more polarising topics than where to find the best burger in Hong Kong. We’ve scoured the city to find our favourite spots for eating juicy, charred, beefy patties between two buns.
Without further ado, these are our contenders for the top burger joints in Hong Kong!
The best burgers in Hong Kong
Honbo
Honbo was founded back in 2017 by Montreal-raised Hong Konger Michael Chan with a focus on home-grown ingredients, from the preservative-free potato milk buns made by a local artisanal baker to the locally brewed craft beers showcased at the shops. We rate the simple, no-frills menu and the USDA Double Gold beef used to craft the juicy smash burgers. The Honbo 2.0 (HKD168) is the ultimate burger, featuring four crispy-edged patties, cheese, pickles, onion, and house sauce.
Honbo, Shop 2, G/F, 8 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, order here
Bones & Blades
Ticking all the right eco-friendly boxes when it comes to its burgers – which are made using grass-fed, free-range, and pasture-raised meat – Bones & Blades is part butcher shop, part restaurant. In addition to the meaty sharing plates, steaks, and sides on offer, the restaurant arm of B&B excels in its burger selection, in particular the double cheeseburger (HKD198). We love that they go off-piste with smooth and creamy raclette cheese and a generous smear of black garlic aioli, creating an umami flavour bomb.
Bones & Blades, Shop F, G/F, 1 Second Street, Sai Ying Pun, 2517 4266, WhatsApp 5200 3950, book here, order here
Shake Shack
American burger behemoth Shake Shack debuted in Hong Kong in 2018, landing at ifc mall in Central. Since then, they’ve expanded just about everywhere around town, today counting seven Hong Kong shops. Hong Kongers can’t seem to get enough of the chain’s burgers, crinkle-cut fries, and frozen custard. The OG burger is the ShackBurger (HKD60/HKD85): a griddled and smashed all-natural Angus beef patty (we love the browned edges), American cheese, Roma tomato, green leaf lettuce, and ShackSauce (we’re told pickles are the not-so-secret ingredient). The buns used are soft and slightly sweet potato rolls – the perfect match for the burger’s supreme savouriness.
Shake Shack, multiple locations across Hong Kong, order here
Burger Circus
A member of the Black Sheep Restaurants portfolio, Burger Circus is Americana personified, right down to the red leather-topped stools and servers’ white aprons and black bow ties. The diner-style burgers served up here are made with five ounces of smashed USDA Prime beef on toasted buns. The American cheeseburger (HKD88) includes Wisconsin Cheddar, lettuce, tomato, pickles, and Circus sauce (which tastes to us like a ketchup-mayo mix); it’s the poster child for a burger from the good ol’ U S of A.
Burger Circus, G/F, 22 Hollywood Road, Central, 2878 7787, order here
Kabo Burger
Kabo Burger is particularly popular with locals, originating in Kwai Chung in 2015 as a simple neighbourhood burger joint run by a dedicated family team. Their local-style burger menu is wide and varied, from burgers made with beef, to chicken, lamb, and pork burgers, to shrimp and vegetarian patties. The crispy, buttery buns deserve a special mention, as does the extremely affordable pricing; the cheeseburger set meal is priced at just HKD60 and comes with a drink and a side. The inclusion of caramelised onion on the patty is a nice twist.
Kabo Burger, multiple locations across Hong Kong
Beef & Liberty
After more than a decade on the ground, Beef & Liberty is still standing strong as one of Hong Kong’s premier burger specialists. The grass-fed and hormone- and antibiotic-free beef from Tasmania is ground in the restaurant each day, and the buns are baked locally to their own recipe. Beef & Liberty’s double smashed with cheese (HKD128) is a classic done right, offering two 85g patties, American cheese, butter lettuce, and both house-made pickles and Dijon mayo to cut through the richness with some welcome tang.
Beef & Liberty, Shop G04, G/F, Stanley Plaza, 23 Carmel Road, Stanley, 2563 2085, book here, order here
The Diplomat
There was quite a furore when we neglected to mention The Diplomat’s patty in our inaugural burger listicle, but that was only because we had yet to try it. Now we have, so it’s safe to say that this speakeasy by master of mixology John Nugent delivers a burger that is a crowd favourite for good reason. Simplicity at its finest, The Diplomat burger (HKD195) showcases a juicy quarter-pound patty with melted Cheddar on a sesame bun. We strongly recommend topping up with bacon (+HKD35) for the bacon cheeseburger of your dreams.
The Diplomat, LG/F, High Block, H Code, 45 Pottinger Street, Central, 3619 0302, book here
Sick! Burger
With divergent locations in Causeway Bay and Ma On Shan, Sick! Burger’s signature Sick! burger (from HKD93) makes us drool each and every time. You can order it with one, two, and even three smashed Angus beef patties, but no matter how many you select, the bun comes loaded with a fried egg, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and onion. To go with your burger, don’t sleep on the onion rings (HKD38), which are batter-coated and deep-fried to perfection.
Sick! Burger, G/F, 31 Haven Street, Causeway Bay, 9383 3401, order here
Sick! Burger, Shop G05, G/F, Phase 5, MOSTown, 18 On Luk Street, Ma On Shan, 9549 0903, order here
N+ Burger
N+ Burger’s motto is “from farm to burger,” and this local burger joint is justly proud of being Hong Kong’s first burger shop with its very own pasture. Hormone-free Australian Angus beef stars in fresh-as-can-be burgers ranging from the N+ classic original (HKD68) to the N+ premium truffle brisket (HKD100), which comes loaded with American cheese, truffle sauce, and sautéed shimeji mushroom. Bun-free options are available too, substituting lollo rosso (red leaf lettuce) for the sourdough bun.
N+ Burger, multiple locations in Hong Kong, order here
Smash’d
Next on our burger jaunt is Smash’d in Kennedy Town, which dishes out high-quality smash burgers that are full of natural beef flavour. The classic Smash’d cheeseburger (HKD88/HKD118) is the way to go for most burger-loving folks here, though there’s also a tidy selection of plant-based patties too. Uniquely for a low-key burger specialist, Smash’d has a complete drink menu, sharing cocktails, local craft beer, wine, and more to wet your whistle.
Smash’d, G/F, Cheong Fai Building, 21 Catchick Street, Kennedy Town, 2817 7377, order here
Burger Mate
A Tsim Sha Tsui burger gem, Burger Mate is justly proud of its burgers made with fresh USDA-certified and Japanese beef on homemade buns. At the pinnacle of the shop’s hit list is the black truffle mushroom beef (HKD125) burger, crafted with flavourful USDA Prime beef and a rich black truffle sauce. Taking it up a notch is the premium A5 Japanese Wagyu (HKD130) burger. Though more costly than many other burgers in the ‘hood, we think the prices are justified.
Burger Mate, Shop A, G/F, Brilliant Court, 78 Kimberley Road, Tsim Sha Tsui, 6461 2771, book here, order here
Big Pink Burgers
In addition to dishing out a classic smash (HKD98) burger that is flattened, crispy, salty perfection, our double-smashed hand-ground burger favourites at Big Pink include the regional Oklahoma fried onion (HKD98) burger and patty melt (HKD98), a grilled white-bread cheeseburger-with-onion alternative that’s rare in Hong Kong. On the side, the corn ribs (HKD58) glazed with chilli-honey butter are a must.
Big Pink Burgers, Shop A, G/F, Tai Shan House, 32–34 Tai Ping Shan Street, book here, order here
