Magic Burger

This mecca for local hamburger devotees began life as a humble food truck, before quickly transforming into one of Budapest’s busiest burger bars. At lunch time you can often find yours truly there getting stuck into the ‘Vegan Juicy Lucy’. By far and away this is the greatest non-meat burger in the city, served with delicious hot sauce in a sweet sesame bun.

Vegans take care not to order the standard ‘Juicy Lucy’, which meat lovers will adore as the beef patty is stuffed with cheddar cheese to make it one of the most succulent burgers around. To feed veggie readers’s curiosity, the special ‘Vegan Juicy Lucy’ is made with a zucchini-bean patty stuffed with vegan cheddar, corn salad, tomato, pickles, red onion, and homemade sauce.

Go for: The Vegan Juicy Lucy
Wash it down with: The Cunning Beaver
Go to: Alíz utca 8, Barázda u. 40, 1116 Budapest.

Kandalló
A craft beer bar that has entered the burger arena and surprised many with their small yet imaginative menu. Currently there are 8 burgers to choose between, and one way to describe the great quality here is by simply saying they care that a tomato actually tastes like tomato.

My favourite order is the ‘Grilled Goat Cheese Burger’, served with cranberry spread, and chunky potato wedges. If you like life spicy, and meaty, then give the ‘Jalapeno Burger’ a go. In any case, grab a booth, a craft brew, and prepare to be delighted.

Go for: The Grilled Goat Cheese Burger
Wash it down with: Távoli Galaxis
Go to: Kertész u. 33, 1073 Budapest.


The Caledonia
This expat community watering-hole holds plenty of great memories for me, but I will never forget the first time I tried ‘The Edinburger’. The succulent beef, topped off with a golden yoked fried egg, has regulars flocking back to The Caley.

Created by the pub's former owner Patrick McMenamin, no visit to this Scottish style venue in downtown Budapest is truly complete without ordering his Edinburgh inspired meaty masterpiece.

Go for: The Edinburger
Wash it down with: A Wee Heavy
Go to: Mozsár u. 9, 1066 Budapest.

Wikinger

Owned by the same folks behind Magic Burger, Wikinger Bistro is also an essential stop on any great hamburger tour of Budapest. If you’re feeling brave order the ‘King Kong XXL’, which comes filled to the brim with double bacon, double cheddar, salad of course, and an awesome 0.35 kg’s worth of beef.

That may sound like a guaranteed heart attack, but you’ll most probably live to tell the tale and for days won’t be able to stop saying how amazing it is. They also have veggie and ‘Fitness’ burgers too, plus 'Ob-La-Di', 'Ferrari' and 'Gastro Orgasm' burger creations which sort of sound tempting.

Go for: The King Kong
Wash it down with: house wine for just HUF 150 (or draft Edelweiss)
Go to: Móricz Zsigmond körtér 4, 1114 Budapest.

Beef Heaven

This has to be Budapest’s most chic burger joint, only a few months old and yet it already has an adoring fan base. Every burger on the menu will set you back at least 3K, and although your pocket will be a lot lighter after a trip here than following a visit to the places above, you’ll leave floating because of the perfectly crafted burgers.

The ‘Heaven Dream Burger’ is just that. Angus beef, cheese, and peanut butter. Yep, peanut butter. You may never have had it on your burger before, but wherever you go deluxe burger dining in future you’ll be asking the chef to reach for a jar of the nutty spread.

Go for: The Heaven Dream Burger
Wash it down with: Charlie Firpio APA
Go to: Liszt Ferenc tér 11, 1061 Budapest.

By Joe McCann for XpatLoop.com