Can a burger ever cross the fast food threshold over into the realm of the gourmet? Is it possible to elevate a juicy patty, held between freshly baked buns and topped with cheese, guacamole, bacon, tomato relish and beer-battered onion rings (yes), to the truly sublime? We think so. And with the recent launch of Burger King in SA, it seems the burger has made a comeback. In the spirit of all things flame-grilled, we’ve rounded up a list of some great joints in the major cities, where you can indulge in everything from beef burgers topped with rocket, mature cheddar and caramelised onions to tender chicken fillets topped with dill pickle, sweet onion, aioli and relish.

Johannesburg

2B Cuisine
Sink your teeth into: The 250g lamb and mint burger topped with rocket, red onion marmalade and mint mayonnaise on ciabatta (R84) or the beef burger with honey-glazed bacon, rocket, gorgonzola and tomato and onion salsa (R82).

Beefcakes
Sink your teeth into: The Beach Boy burger with spicy salsa, fresh guacamole, a slice of cheddar and sour cream for R80.

Coobs
Sink your teeth into: the venison burger with red onion, gherkins, and leek and fennel marmalade, served with kettle-fried crisps for R85.

Dukes
Sink your teeth into: The flagship Dukes burger. This pure beef patty topped with tomato relish, cheddar, egg, mushroom, pineapple, bacon, deep-fried tomato, gherkins and onion rings goes for R72.

Fire and Ice
Sink your teeth into: The Jaws burger, a spicy 300g beef patty topped with lettuce, tomato and cheddar cheese for R105.

Gourmet Garage
Build a burger of your own choice, using ingredients such as bacon, egg and five types of cheese. Choose from 18 sauces, including peanut butter sauce. (Prices vary.)

The Griffin
Sink your teeth into: The Griffin gourmet burger with bacon, emmenthal and pickle for R80.

The Grillhouse
Sink your teeth into: A basted, flame-grilled 200g beef burger for R69.

JB’s Corner
Sink your teeth into: the old fashion beef burger for R69.50.

The Local Grill (Boksburg)
Sink your teeth into: The bacon and avo beef burger, topped with sweet chilli sauce, for R76.

The Local Grill (Parktown North)
Sink your teeth into: The blue cheese and rocket beef burger for R76.

salvationcafe
Sink your teeth into: The Salvation Burger, a grass-fed beef mince patty topped with bacon, caramelised onion, Jong Belegen cheese and guacamole and served with homemade sweet tomato relish for R92.

Thunder Gun Steakhouse
Sink your teeth into: The Wizz burger, a beef burger topped with Cheddar cheese, a cheese sauce and a spicy Wizz sauce for R59.

Pretoria

Burger Bistro
Sink your teeth into: The Three Stooges burger with streaky bacon, Danish feta and avo for R69.50.

Carlton Café
Sink your teeth into: The beef BBQ burger with smoky tomato barbeque sauce, rocket and gruyere for R80.

Ed’s Diner
Sink your teeth into: Ed’s five-in-one burger, with a beef patty, bacon, mushroom sauce, cheese and egg for R85.

DK Gourmet Burger and Craft Beer Bar
Sink your teeth into: The Wagyu beef burger with rocket, mature cheddar and caramelised onions for R129.

The Harlequin
Sink your teeth into: The homemade kudu or beef patty, served with crispy lettuce, tomato, bacon, caramelised onions and slivers of camembert topped with creamy burger sauce for R58.

Ginger and Fig
Sink your teeth into: The burger milkshake pairing. Choose between the chicken burger (R75), veggie burger (R75), rib eye burger (R85) and lamb burger (R95), each paired with a special milkshake with flavours like basil and mint.

Karoo Café
Sink your teeth into: The gourmet Karoo burger, served on a roosterkoek, topped with emmental cheese and caramelised onion for R55.

Karoo Cattle and Land
Sink your teeth into: The bacon and pine burger for R75.

Lucky Rodrigo
Build your own burger with a beef, vegetarian, chicken or fried chicken patty. R45 for a small portion and R60 for a double patty burger.

Durban

Bar Boa Coa
Sink your teeth into: The mushroom, cheese and chilli sauce burger for R80.

Billy the Bums
Sink your teeth into: The Royale burger with streaky bacon, chilli, cheese and mushroom sauce for R75.

The Corner Post
Sink your teeth into: the Corner Post delux burge;: a juicy homemade 180g beef patty, bacon, cheese, avo, crispy lettuce, tomato and caramelised onions served on a home made ciabatta roll for R65.

Unity
Sink your teeth into: The blue cheese and onion marmalade beef burger, with lettuce and tomato for R75.

Cape Town

Arugula Bistro
Sink your teeth into: The beef burger with camembert, fig preserve and chilli chutney for R88.

Beefcakes
Sink your teeth into: Buffy the Hamburger Slayer, a 200g beef patty topped with a slice of cheddar cheese, caramelised onion, avocado and bacon and a creamy mushroom sauce for R95.

Café Manhattan
Sink your teeth into: The Tons of Fun burger, a 220g beef burger with cheddar cheese, camembert, blue cheese and caramelised onions for R83.

Clarke’s
Sink your teeth into: The cheeseburger for R55 (R70 with bacon).

Cocoa Chai Chi
Sink your teeth into: the classic beef burger with original barbeque sauce, on a toasted sesame bun
with rocket, caramelised onion and a hint of mayo for R65.

Da Vinci’s (Kloof Street)
Sink your teeth into: the New York burger with cream cheese and sweet chilli sauce for R68.

The Dog’s Bollocks
Sink your teeth into: The Mega Slider, a beef patty with cheese and caramelised onion for R55.

Fire and Ice
Sink your teeth into: The Jaws, a spicy beef patty topped with lettuce, tomato and cheddar cheese for R105.

Gibson’s Gourmet Burger
Sink your teeth into: The Manhattan burger with guacamole and bacon for R90.

Hudson’s Kloof Street, Claremont and Greenpoint
Sink your teeth into: The Original Royale, a beef patty topped with bacon, cheddar, chillies and battered onion rings for R55 or R67.

Knife
Sink your teeth into: The bacon, cheese and avo burger for R75.

Loading Bay
Sink your teeth into: The Thursday night burger night where you can get either the beef burger or vegetarian burger for R75. Bookings are advisable for either the first (6pm to 8.30pm) or second (8.30pm to 10.30pm) seating.

Manna Epicure
Sink your teeth into: The beef burger topped with balsamic caramelised onions, brie, rocket and aioli for R95.

Pulp Kitchen and Deli
Sink your teeth into: The burger with bacon and fresh avo for R62.

Royale Eatery
Sink your teeth into: The Federale, a blended patty made from beef, chorizo, chilli and coriander and topped with guacamole for R75.

Saints Burger Joint
Sink your teeth into: The Heartbreaker, a chargrilled beef burger served on ciabatta roll, topped with white cheddar, grilled mushrooms and creamy pepper sauce for R85.

Tribeca Bakery (Blue Route Mall, Cavendish, Kalk Bay, Tokai)
Sink your teeth into: The New York Skyscraper with two beef patties, smoked bacon, cheddar cheese and 100 island sauce for R75.

Van Hunks
Sink your teeth into: the Van Hunks burger with grilled mushrooms, caramelised onions, cheddar cheese and their secret sauce for R74.

Woodlands Eatery
Sink your teeth into: The 150g beef burger with blue cheese cream, cheddar cheese, red onion, dill cucumber and three onion rings for R75.

Winelands

5 Ryneveld
Sink your teeth into: the Da Sicilian burger with basil pesto mayonaise, sundried tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella for R62.

Apres Bistro and Pizzeria
Sink your teeth into: The ostrich burger topped with brie and raspberry jam for R59.

Dutch East
Sink your teeth into: The Dutch burger (either free-range chicken or free-range beef) with dill pickle, sweet onion, aioli and relish for R75.

The Farmer’s Kitchen
Sink your teeth into: The home-made beef burger with emmentaler cheese, bacon jam and crispy onion rings for R75.

La Vigna
Sink your teeth into: The gourmet sirloin burger with mature brie, bacon, caramelised onion and slow-roasted tomatoes for R78.

The Long Table Restaurant & Cafe
Sink your teeth into: The burger with a hand-chopped sirloin pattie, bone marrow, wild mushrooms, prosciutto, onion confit and mustard béarnaise, on homemade ciabatta with potato rounds for R90.

The Red Leaf Restaurant
Sink your teeth into: The Signature Pinotage Burger, a 250g beef patty served with Pinotage onion marmalade for R86.

Twist Some More
Sink your teeth into: The wild boar, apple and sage burger served on a panini topped with onion marmalade and gorgonzola, with sweet potato fries and coriander mayonnaise for R85.

By Kelly Pluke

Have we forgotten your favourite burger joint? Let us know in an email to info@eatout.co.za and we’ll look into it.

Please note that while we take care to report information accurately, some prices and dishes may change or be sold out without our knowledge.