Happy National Burger Day! It’s one of those fantastic, slightly unnecessary national food days which provides excellent inspiration for blog and social media content. So best burgers in Milton Keynes? Yes we need this guide! What constitutes a good burger is very much a personal choice. For me, it’s a mouthful of balanced flavour with a range of textures – it needs to have Umami and ultimately, be a meal in one. Fast-food chains have dominated the burger scene, with most people thinking that’s all that’s out there to enjoy, but I say you don’t know what you’re missing. The rise of the street food scene has paved the way for more niche burgers using quality, local ingredients, and vendors pushing the burger boundaries to create something truly delicious.
In this Milton Keynes food guide, I’m sharing the best burgers in Milton Keynes from independent vendors.
Guide to the Best Burgers in Milton Keynes
- Bandit Street Food
- Cross Keys Woolstone
- Five Ahki’s
- Fratelli’s Bar & Restaurant
- The Game Changer Kitchen
- Gourmet Burger Joint
- MK11 Live Music Venue
- Saf’s Kitchen
- Sizzler’s
- Posh Burgers & Pies
Every effort has been taken to ensure the information in this blog post is correct, however, I advise referring directly to the vendor websites and social media pages for the most up to date information. If you see an error or something is incorrect, please email blog@sophieetc.com.
The Ned Kelly by Bandit Street Food
I make no secret of my absolute adoration of Bandit Street Food. It won Best Street Food Vendor at the MK Food Awards in 2018 for a reason!
This is one of my all-time favourite burgers. In fact, Dan and I both dream about it quite often. The Ned Kelly is a dream combination of beef brisket, southern fried chicken breast, Bandit slaw, BBQ sauce and jalapeno cheese, sandwiched in a lightly toasted brioche bun.
Crunchy slaw, gooey cheese, crispy chicken breast and oozy, tender brisket. It’s absolutely perfect.
Location: Bandit can usually be found at local street food events. They are on rotation at Eat Street MK and Street Food Friday, as well as other MK events. You can also find them at Unity Place’s Urban Food Market.
Dietaries: Usually gluten-free and vegan options are available.
Follow Bandit Street Food
Ultimate Beef Steak burger by Cross Keys Woolstone
I feel like a good burger is a pretty good indicator of an excellent pub and one of the best burgers in MK has to be from the Cross Keys in Woolstone. This is our favourite local pub and the burger ticks all the boxes! A juicy steak patty with bacon jam, melted smoked applewood cheddar, crispy bacon and huge, battered onion rings. It’s a winner all round. The pork and chorizo burger is also excellent!
Website: www.crosskeysmiltonkeynes.co.uk
Opening hours: Open daily, 11am – 10pm.
Location: 34 Newport Rd, Woolstone, Milton Keynes MK15 0AA
Price range: Main courses are £10 – £30 per person.
Dietaries: Vegan, vegetarian and gluten free options available. For other allergies, please contact The Cross Keys directly.
Juicy Lucy by Five Ahki’s
Five Ahki’s opened towards the end of 2020 and has caused quite a stir in MK. The reviews have been rave, so I was very much looking forward to trying it out for myself. I’m pleased to say it was good enough to make the cut for my burger guide! The Juicy Lucy (pictured below on the right) is my top pick. It features a 6oz patty stuffed with melted Gouda cheese, caramelised onions, double cheese, gherkin, house mayo and relish. All the good burger flavours. The Big Ahki is good too, though if you’re not a fan of a sweet burger, this won’t be for you. It features two 6oz patties, caramelised onions, quad cheese, maple beef bacon, strawberry jam, house mayo and relish. They haven’t quite nailed the chips yet, so skip them, but with the size of these burgers, you won’t need them!
The wings are worth a try from here too – I recommend the Chipotle & Lime or the Honey & Garlic.
Website: fiveakhis.com
Location: 186 Waterside, Peartree Bridge, Milton Keynes MK6 3BX
Opening hours: Dine-in and takeaway. Tuesday – Sunday 12pm – 9:30pm.
Price range: Burgers priced £6.49 – £11.99. Wings start at £6.99.
Dietaries: Vegetarian options available. حلال Halal.
Available to order via MK Eats.
Ottimo Burger by Fratelli’s Bar & Restaurant
Fratelli’s have got it sussed when it comes to burgers with a twist. The Ottimo burger deserves a spot in this best burgers guide because it’s so tasty and so different. You’ve got a homemade beef patty wrapped in crispy prosciutto ham, melted provolone cheese, prosciutto jam, rocket & tomato salad served in a brioche bun. It’s sweet, savoury and a little salty and well worth a try.
Fratelli’s is open Wednesday – Sunday and you can order for collection or delivery on MK Eats.
Check out the menu: www.fratellismk.co.uk
The Game Changer Kitchen
Don’t let the stylish surrounding at TGCK fool you into thinking it’s all style over substance,,, The Game Changer Kitchen, amongst other glorious treats, does an epic burger. Crispy bacon, loaded with smoked cheese and red onion marmalade. Phwoar. Chef Nico used to work at The Brasserie at MK College, so it’s no surprise that this burger is banging! A great stop for lunch and brunch, plus it’s really kid-friendly.
The Game Changer Kitchen is open 8am Tuesday – Sunday and lunch is served from 12pm.
Bacon Bird by Gourmet Burger Joint
Gourmet Burger Joint is a takeaway in Newport Pagnell. They do some epic burgers (chicken and beef!) as well as wings and shakes. The Bacon Bird was our favourite burger – Southern fried chicken with American cheese, hot sauce and beef bacon shreds… HEAVEN. The Maison Mac is worth a try too if you like that Maccy D’s flavour. They are good quality burgers without the mega grease.
Website: www.gourmetburgerjoint.uk
Location: 1, Tickford Arcade, St John St, Newport Pagnell MK16 8HY
Opening hours: Tuesday – Sunday, 4pm – 10pm. Takeaway only.
Price range: Wings start at £6.50. Burgers start at £5.50.
Dietaries: Vegan options available.حلال Halal.
Cluck Norris by MK11
If you ever head to MK11 for a gig or Friday Night Live, go hungry! Their wings and burgers are some of the best in MK. The Cluck Norris is particularly excellent with crisp, buttermilk fried chicken and plenty of bacon. The kitchen is open until 10pm serving their signature wings and smash burgers and heck, they are excellent. The Obee burger is worth a try too.
Website: www.mk11kilnfarm.com
Location: Keller Cl, Kiln Farm, Milton Keynes MK11 3LH
Opening hours: Tuesday 4:30pm. -12am; Wednesday 12pm – 3pm; 4:30pm – 11pm; Friday 4:30pm – 1am; Saturday – 12pm – 1am; 12am – 8pm. Closed on Monday and Thursday. Food may not be served during all opening hours.
Price range: Wings and burgers under £10.
Dietaries: Vegan menu available.
Order for collection via MK Eats. Delivery is available via Deliveroo.
Double Besharam by Saf’s Kitchen
I’m cheating a little bit here by including a burger that isn’t always readily available, however, I had to include this Punjabi burger from the amazing Saf’s Kitchen. Saf introduced Punjabi burgers to her street food menu in 2020 and they have gone down a storm.
This is the Double Besharam which features tandoori aubergine, chicken tikka breast, chilli and lime grilled pineapple, onion, tomatoes, mango chutney, crispy sev and mixed leaves, all in a brioche bun (or vegan brioche by Geoff’s Real Artisan Bread).
I love this burger because it’s got so much texture and balanced flavour. There is the sweetness of the fruit with the kick from the tandoori, then all the gooeyness of the meat and filling with crispy sev (puffed rice). It’s just brilliant.
Location: You will find Saf’s Kitchen at many events including Eat Street.
Dietaries: Saf caters for vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free. Halal.
Follow Saf’s Kitchen
Sweet Home Alabama by Sizzler’s Street Burgers
Sizzler’s is another street food vendor in Milton Keynes that does fantastic burgers using great local ingredients. The Sweet Home Alabama is another great classic burger featuring a 100% chuck steak patty from The Best Butchers in Great Brickhill, bacon, cheese and a specially made onion relish by Jam Moo Kow.
It’s got the sweet and the savoury flavours and it’s up there with one of the best burgers I’ve had the pleasure of trying in Milton Keynes.
Location: You’ll find Sizzler’s at various street food events in Milton Keynes including Street Food Friday which takes place on the third Friday of every month at Queen’s Avenue Carpark in Newport Pagnell.
Dietaries: Glutis en-free buns available.
Follow Sizzler’s
Korean BBQ Chicken by Posh Burgers and Pies
Posh Burgers and Pies is a bit of a hidden gem in MK and one I’ve been meaning to try for some time! Their menu features really creative burgers and there’s beef burgers, chicken burgers and a vast choice for vegans and vegetarians. The Korean Chicken burger was my favourite, a chicken fillet burger, little gem lettuce, pickled red cabbage, tomato, red onion, mayo with Korean BBQ sauce in a lightly toasted brioche bun. It’s sweet, fresh and a little bit spicy! The Italian burger is also great, an Angus beef burger with salami and mozzarella.
Website: www.poshburgersnpies.co.uk
Price range: Around £10 for a burger or pie.
Dietaries: Vegan and vegetarian options available.
If you try any of these recommendations, make sure you tag me on Instagram and use my hashtag #EatAndExploreMiltonKeynes. You can also share your own finds in my Facebook community group, Eat & Explore MK.
Which events will you be heading to this summer?
What is your favourite burger in Milton Keynes? How many of these have you tried?
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YOU might also like:
- Best Cheap Eats in Milton Keynes
- Best Street Food in Milton Keynes
- Best Asian Restaurants in Milton Keynes
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Any recommendation for a place that has Keto Burgers?
Sorry, I’m not aware of any – You could ask for the burgers without the buns!