There’s not much that makes our mouth water as much as the
thought of getting our hands around a massive burger. And Dubai knows how to do
this particular delicacy very well indeed. From posh and loaded with foie gras,
to sloppily packed full of every topping under the sun, here are some of the
best.

Shake Shack

This American chain is slowly taking the world by storm.
With their quick and efficient (and a bit fun) buzzer service, you
simply order, then find the perfect seat and wait for your food to be ready and
collected. The buns here are super soft, and slick with grease – ideal for when
you’re really going for it on a cheat day. Although there are plenty of
options, we think you can’t go wrong with the classic ‘Shackburger’ (from
AED 26). It’s a regular cheeseburger topped with lettuce, tomato and their super
secret ‘Shacksauce’ – whatever that is – it’s addictive. Whatever you do
though, make sure you also get a side of cheese fries (AED 21). Despite having
branches in the major malls, the JBR location is our favourite. Nothing beats a
burger on the beach.

Recommended

Lovin’ Life With Farhana Bodi: It’s Time To Meet The Real Farhana5 Amazing Shows For The Musical Lover In You!Dubai After Dark: Must-Attend Nightlife Events Happening This Season!

Five Guys

You’ll have seen the queues for Five Guys snaking their way
around the fountain entrance of Dubai Mall, and there’s good reason for that.
OMG these burgers are insane. The best thing about this place is that they keep
it simple, and let you make all the decisions. You can choose between either a
hamburger (AED 34) or cheeseburger (AED 40), in regular or mini (which isn’t that
mini). Then, there are 15 toppings that you can select from, all for free. So,
in theory, you could have them all – but good luck trying to get that in your gob.
You also get free peanuts while you wait for your food to be ready, which is a
bonus. As well as Dubai Mall, you can find them in JBR and Marina Mall. Start
queueing now.

Salt

At one point, this place was the most talked about food
outlet in the UAE, with their #findsalt hashtag offering clues to various
secret locations where they could be found popping up. Now, with a more
permanent location on Kite Beach, their cult following can finally put their
phones down and actually focus on the food, instead of social media. That’s not
to say their burgers aren’t Insta-gold. Snap and hashtag their original wagyu
burger (AED 30), which is served with melted cheese, pickle slices, and salt
(hence the name) on a super soft butter bun, and see your likes soar.

Johnny Rockets

You can’t walk five blocks in New York without seeing one of
these diner-esque joints, so it’s no surprise that they’re also big in the UAE,
which has a well-documented fondness for American exports. Johnny Rockets is
definitely a guilty pleasure, but it’s a pleasure none the less. The burgers
are massive and messy – you may need to wear a bib. Try the ‘Route 66’ (AED 39)
for a hearty serving of Swiss cheese, grilled mushrooms, caramelised onions and
mayo on top of a 150gram patty. They have eight outlets all over Dubai, but can
also be ordered online in the usual ways – and service is super fast.

Rhodes Twenty 10

Thought burgers were a quick, easy meal to be grabbed on the
go? Think again. This is Dubai, of course they can be fancy, too. The haute
cuisine offering at Le Royal Meridien’s Rhodes Twenty 10 is topped with fois
gras, obvs, and comes in at a substantial AED 150. But, considering you’re
getting 225grams of USDA prime fillet steak in your
burger, which is served with roast confit potatoes and comes with a doorstop
slab of seared foie gras on top, that seems pretty reasonable. Who said
ordering the burger in a restaurant was boring?

South St Burger

With two outlets in Dubai – one in Media City and the other
in Jebel Ali – South St Burger isn’t quite as popular as it should be, yet. Again,
it’s got a flexible build-your-own philosophy, which is great for fans of
strange food combos; pineapple and blue cheese, anyone? It’s also delicious,
and portions are on the generous side. A classic burger without ad-ons starts
from AED 23, and then toppings are complimentary. The ad-ons – such as extra
cheese – start from AED 2. You can also choose between a white, or whole grain,
bun – so in theory you could make your fast food healthy-ish. But yeah, we
don’t do that either.

Now read: 6 of the best take-out pizzas in Dubai