Whether you like classic beef, buttermilk fried chicken, spicy pulled pork or simply plant-based, there’s nothing like tucking into a juicy burger and chips for the ultimate fix of comfort food.
Sure to have you hankering for a hearty treat, SoGlos has rounded up 15 of the tastiest burgers in Gloucestershire, with something every burger fan can sink their teeth into.
Holee Cow in Cheltenham
Whether you want to keep it classic with a signature burger served up with American cheese, pickle, relish and homemade burger sauce; you fancy your patty topped with smoked bacon and cheese; or something more adventurous, like a buttermilk fried chicken burger with miso glaze, toasted sesame, pickled cabbage and Korean hot mayo, a Holee Cow burger is a treat for the taste buds. If you can handle the heat, go for the Spicy Clucker burger with hot buffalo sauce and blue cheese, while the macaroni cheese bites, truffle cheese fries and jerk barbecue chicken strips make perfect sides.
Not a meat eater? Not a problem. Go for something on the Holee Cowless menu, with vegan burgers, sides, fries and shakes, too.
Jolly Nice in Frampton Mansell
Housed in a former petrol station between Stroud and Cirencester, Jolly Nice in Frampton Mansell is known across Gloucestershire for its tasty burgers that are made from rare breed shorthorn beef reared on the family farm in Westonbirt.
Choose the classic Jolly Nice Burger which is sandwiched in a brioche bun and topped with smoked Godminster cheddar, free-range smoked bacon, ketchup, onion marmalade and mayo, or go for the KFP Kentucky Fried Pheasant with coleslaw and spicy mayo! And if you have room, don’t miss sampling Harriet’s Jolly Nice ice-cream for dessert.
Smiths of Bourton
Describing itself as a boutique burger joint that's 'passionate about patties', Smiths of Bourton in the Cotswold village of Bourton-on-the-Water serves up some seriously sexy looking burgers, sides and cocktails. From the Modern Smiths Classic with French comte cheese, caramelised onions and tarragon and roast garlic mayo, to the Triple B with grilled goat's cheese, crispy onions, bacon and it's own homemade blueberry barbecue sauce, there's something for every burger connoisseur to enjoy.
There's a selection of sides including parmesan and truffle mayo fries with crispy sage, mac and cheese and buffalo loaded fries — and a vegan burger for plant-based patty fiends, too.
The Tavern in Cheltenham
A trendy bar and restaurant in the heart of Cheltenham, diners can expect tasty burgers at The Tavern, along with cocktails and a vibrant atmosphere.
Tuck into its signature Tavern burger, add on cheese and bacon for an extra treat, or pair it with garlic and parmesan fries and a side of melty mac and cheese for the ultimate indulgence.
The Bottle of Sauce in Cheltenham
Popular Cheltenham watering hole The Bottle of Sauce cooks up an enticing range of burgers, with the patties made from the finest grass fed, dry aged beef and served in a sesame seed bun.
From its signature The Dodo made with a beef patty, cheese, pickled red onion and burger mayo; the Big D with smoked bacon, American pale ale onion jam, cheese and burger sauce; the Dirty Bird created with crispy fried chicken, dill pickles and buttermilk ranch sauce; to the Leaf Not Beef with a plant-based patty and all the trimmings, as well as the Big V - a veggie version of the Big D made with This Isn't Bacon.
The BBQ Society in Gloucester
With all its beef coming from local Gloucestershire farms, dry aged on the bone for 28 days before being minced and turned into patties, The BBQ Society is a burger paradise nestled away on Morelands Trading Estate in Gloucester. Try its Pulled Pork Burger with smoky pulled pork, Monterey Jack cheese, barbecue sauce and sweet gherkins; the Blue Moo with blue cheese, caramelised red onion chutney and garlic mayo; or its take on Elvis's favourite snack, the PBJ, with smooth peanut butter, chilli jam and crisp streaky bacon.
In the evening, it also serves up a selection of succulent chicken thigh burgers, with options including the Society BBQ, slathered with its own original barbecue sauce, Monterey Jack cheese, gherkins and slaw; Maple Bacon with the chicken thighs and bacon drenched in sticky maple syrup and baconnaise sauce; and the Peanut Chicken, smothered with hot peanut butter sauce served with peanut brittle, Asian slaw and sriracha.
The Beefy Boys in Cheltenham
Cult Hereford burger brand, The Beefy Boys, opened its first Gloucestershire venue on Cheltenham's Regent Street in February 2023. Serving up patties made from 100 per cent Herefordshire beef, diners can have their burger made one of four different ways, with two three ounce smashed patties; one six ounce thick patty; Oklahoma style with thinly sliced onions; or animal style, where the patties are sprayed with mustard during cooking.
The extensive menu features everything from the classic Beefy Boy served with crispy bacon, American and Swiss cheese, lettuce, onion, gherkins and special sauce, to speciality burgers like the PBJ Boy with bacon and chipotle peanut butter and even a deep fried macaroni cheese patty, with local DEYA beer on the drinks menu, too.
The Gateway Café in Cirencester
The Gateway Café at Cotswold Water Park has eight different burgers on its menu, perfect for refuelling after a day out on the water. Made with Aubrey Allen dry aged beef, the Gateway Classic comes with smoked tomato chutney, mayo and salad; while the Rustic burger comes topped with gooey Somerset brie and bacon.
There are three different chicken burgers, the Deep South with Cajun chicken and sweet chilli sauce; the Southern Fried with house slaw; and the Mother Clucker with sweet chilli jam and grilled halloumi; as well as the Lakeside crispy cod burger with tartare sauce; and a plant-based Moving Mountains burger for vegan diners.
The Brewery Quarter in Cheltenham
Burger fans are spoiled for choice at Cheltenham's Brewery Quarter with a variety of restaurants cooking up delicious burgers. Hub Box specialises in beers and burgers, with its patties being made from grass fed, dry aged Cornish beef - with options including a classic cheese, chilli cheese and bacon double cheese burger, as well as an excellent selection of plant-based burgers. Doing nothing but burgers and fries, American import Five Guys lets diners customise their burger with an almost endless list of toppings.
Craft beer bar BrewDog has an epic burger menu, with options including the Patriot with British beef, smoked bacon, cheddar, pickles and barbecue sauce, or the Cluck Norris with buttermilk fried chicken, avocado, red onion and Cajun mayo for meat eaters; as well as a vegan bacon double cheese burger with a Beyond Meat patty, vegan bacon, vegan cheese and burger sauce, or a vegan version of the Cluck Norris, the Clucky This Time made with a crispy Tindle vegan chicken burger. Microbrewery Brewhouse and Kitchen also serves up hand-pressed burgers with a double cheeseburger, Brewer's Burger with 'beer-b-cue' sauce and a New York deli style burger with pastrami, Monterey Jack cheese, dill pickles and mustard mayo on the menu.
The Fleet Inn at Twyning
Tewkesbury burger lovers can get their teeth into something delicious at The Fleet Inn in Twyning, offering two burger options on the menu and some of the most gorgeous riverside views. Tuck into The Fleet beef burger with streaky bacon, smoked cheddar, barbecue relish and slaw, served with skin on fries, or opt for the buttermilk chicken burger with chipotle mayo, barbecue relish and slaw, paired with a refreshing Stateside session IPA.
Butcombe Brewery, which runs The Fleet Inn, also supplies waste beer grain from its brewery to the farm that makes its smoked cheddar cheese to feed their dairy cows, making your burger that little bit more sustainable, too.
Bolters in Coleford
Forest of Dean burger joint Bolters in Coleford has four burgers on its lunch menu, served from 12pm to 3.30pm Tuesday and Wednesday and from 12pm to 2.30pm Thursday to Saturday. Go for a classic Bolters Burger with an eight ounce beef patty, Monterey Jack cheese, gherkins and house-made barbecue sauce; the BBQ Brisket Burger with slow smoked beef brisket, Emmental cheese and homemade barbecue sauce; or if you're vegan, there's a hoisin mushroom burger with an oven roasted Portobello mushroom with lashings of hoisin and hot sauce and crispy kale.
Bolters also hosts special smokehouse nights every Thursday, with a barbecue brisket beef burger on the menu, made with slow-cooked beef brisket, emmental cheese and homemade barbecue sauce.
The Ground and Round
Taking over pub gardens and popping up at events across Gloucestershire, The Ground and Round cooks up its popular and unique burger creations to satisfy big appetites.
With previous specials including the Korean barbecue burger made with local beef, mature cheddar, Korean red pepper salad, kimchi, cucumber and gochujang barbecue sauce in a toasted sesame brioche bun; the wasabi bacon burger with teriyaki glazed bacon, wasabi mayo and lime marinated radish; and of course a classic cheeseburger with mature cheddar, grilled onion, gherkins, tomato, mustard mayo and lettuce — not to mention sides like southern fried cauliflower bites — there's plenty to choose from.
Flipside in Broadway
Serving up flipping good Herefordshire beef burgers in award-winning buns in the Cotswold village of Broadway, Flipside is a must-visit. Its creative menu features the Lone Star with bacon, Monterey Jack cheese, onion rings and Texas barbecue sauce; the El Chapo with salsa, tortilla chips, smashed avocado and jalapeño mayo; and the Show Me Merci with buttermilk fried chicken, oozing melted brie, bacon jam and confit garlic mayo.
For veggies, there's the Game Changer pairing beer battered halloumi with smashed avocado, pomegranate molasses, pickled red onion and confit garlic mayo; and the Wonderland with a Portobello mushroom and creamy blue cheese - plus a selection of yummy sides.
The Chequers in Churchill
Just over the Gloucestershire border, The Chequers in Churchill has a reputation for fantastic food and features four burgers on its menu, including a classic cheeseburger with a choice of mature cheddar or stilton and a buttermilk fried chicken cheeseburger.
For something a little different, try the French Dip, with slow cooked beef brisket, fontina cheese and jalapeños, or for a lighter option, go for the Cornish fish burger served with tartare sauce, cucumber and fennel and dill slaw.
Smokey Joes in Cheltenham
With its burgers made fresh on-site using local Gloucestershire beef, retro diner Smokey Joes gives us Pulp Fiction vibes with 50s rock 'n' roll on the jukebox, neon signs aplenty and not-quite-five-dollar shakes.
Choose from the classic, bacon cheeseburger, meaty barbecue burger topped with pulled pork, or even a southern fried chicken burger, with either a halloumi and mushroom or spicy bean burger for plant-based burger fans. Keep an eye out for specials like the mac and cheese waffle burger, too!
