Sometimes, all we crave is a hamburger. Not the fast-food type dripping with oil and laden with preservatives, but a good ‘old fresh, juicy burger that knocks all the others out of the park. From camembert, cranberry and chicken burgers, vegetarian offerings, to a shaobing burger, our guide has it all.
1. Mo & Jo Sourdough Burgers 
Sink your teeth into the Naughty CCC burger at Mo & Jo Sourdough Burgers
Ever craved a cranberry sauce and camembert chicken burger? New Zealand natives Baker & Cook founder Dean Brettschneider and chef Jenna White have got the burger for you.
The Naughty CCC ($18) involved a large perfectly fried chicken breast topped with fresh cranberry sauce and slices of camembert. The flavour was light and subtle – the sauce not overly sweet, and the cheese not too heavy, which meant the flavours balanced well with the fried chicken. Accompanied by their very own craft beer, the refreshing Baker Boy Summer Ale ($10.50), it went down like a treat.
Their sourdough burger buns are made daily, with Brettschneider assuring us there are no preservatives unlike fast-food chains, as Mo & Jo puts a focus on getting you to eat healthier burgers. The various relishes and sauces are homemade, and pair well with their medium-cooked Australian grass-fed patties (you can ask for them to be well-done if you prefer).
If veggie burgers are your thing, grab the Goddess ($18), Brettschneiders’s personal favourite. The patty is made from beetroot and quinoa – no substitute meat here – and is covered in crumbled feta, house mayo and a tangy housemade tomato relish.
Meat lovers will dig the Holy Smoke ($19) – a sinful combination of smoked bacon, caramelised onions, house mayo, house BBQ sauce and their beef patty. We paired our burgers with Crinkle Cut Fries ($6) and Sweet Potato Fries ($7) – the Crinkle Cut Fries were nice, but the Sweet Potato Fries were the obvious winner, with a crisp exterior and sweet interior.
You don’t have to stick to their sourdough buns – there’s the option to change to Soy & Linseed Sourdough or Gluten-Free buns (+$1.50). If you’re coming with kids, they can munch on the Little Mo & Jo burgers – mini versions of the originals. The restaurant also has special baby chairs that attach to the bar, as normal baby chairs were too short.
With a minimalist interior and both indoor and outdoor seating, it’s the perfect place to unwind after work, listen to some tunes and enjoy your meal.
8 Greenwood Avenue. Tel: 6463 4626
2. Three Buns
Three Bun’s Red Man: rendang in burger form
Beach bums and sun-worshippers will recognise the name Potato Head, as the Indonesian brand (famed for the iconic Potato Head Beach Club in Bali) unveils Three Buns Quayside at Robertson Quay.
The space is fitted with sustainably made furniture and seats 80 people, with a lush tropical vibe as you sit, potted plants hanging from the ceiling.
Using only the best Australian grass-fed meat and cheese from the US, UK and Greece, the latest addition to the Three Buns family boasts four exclusive burgers: Bun DMC, Da Cheese Master, Red Man Burger and Truffello.
Da Cheese Master ($15) is basically a cheeseburger, except it has a rich white miso paste – but if you like your classic burger, try this.
Our picks are the Bun DMC ($16) and the Red Man Burger ($28); the former being a throwback to head chef Adam Penney’s childhood, that sees him create an interesting watermelon-rind relish, that is slathered on top of bawang goreng (fried shallots), cheese, onion puree and Three Islands Mayo (mayo, ketchup and sriracha)on toasted buns.
It’s a tasty way to promote sustainability, with the watermelon rinds being leftover from their watermelon used for their drinks (which come with stainless steel straws).
Craving something a little closer in taste to home? The beef rendang inspired Red Man has tender beef cheeks marinated in a sweet and spicy mix of 10 spices and ingredients (including gula melaka), that have been sous vide for 24 hours. Topped with handmade virgin coconut mayo and held together by coconut buns made from coconut oil and milk, this is one lemak burger for your belly.
Be warned – it’s very filling and may be better to share. We loved the beef cheeks so much, we’d be happy eating them by themselves! The sauce may be a little overwhelming due to the sheer decadence of this burger, but we reckon people who liked the Nasi Lemak burger will enjoy this.
60 Robertson Quayside. Tel: 6909 7838
READ MORE: WE TRIED THE TRUMP-KIM BURGER TO SEE IF IT’S WORTH THE $12?
3. Fatburger
Do you dare to take on Fatburger’s Quad Burger challenge?
Coming all the way from the US of A, Fatburger hits Singapore with not one, but two outlets – KINEX mall in Katong (formerly One KM) and Velocity in Novena. The franchise counts Kanye West, Nicki Minaj and Quentin Tarantino among its celebrity fans. The former Hollywood burger stand has grown internationally in over 25 countries, and Singapore’s Fatburger is co-branded with Buffalo Express, famous for their chicken wings and chicken sandwiches.
The Quad Burger ($15.90) is truly a beast – four beef patties are stacked on top of each other with layers of cheese in between, as well as pickles, tomatoes, lettuce, onions and relish. Finish it and you’ll land a spot on their Hall of Fame.
The Original ($7.90) is our pick – one patty was enough to fill us up. If you like your burgers greasy, Fatburger is perfect. As all burger toppings are customisable, we opted to add cheese and beef bacon (extra toppings are $1 each) to ours, though we saw others adding a fried egg and/or chilli.
When we picked it up, the juice from the meat as well as the oil oozed out into our paper holder. Make no mistakes – it was tasty, but we’d have to hit the gym every day if we ate one every week. They do have a slightly healthier option with the Skinnyburger ($7.50) which replaces the buns with beef patties to cut down on the carbs.
What’s an American burger joint without chilli? At Fatburger, choose from Fat Fries ($3.90), Skinny Fries (3.90), Sweet Potato Fries ($5.90) or Chilli Cheese Fries ($8.90), all made with US potatoes. The general mood on the table was that the Fat Fries were better than the Skinny Fries, though the taste is pretty standard compared to other burger joints. The Chilli Cheese Fries were generously topped with melted cheddar cheese, American style chilli and minced beef – but coupled with the rich Strawberry Milkshake ($5.90 for all flavours), we struggled to finish.
Their ice-cream milkshakes are made solely with ice-cream and syrup, resulting in a thick concoction that had varying levels of satisfaction depending on the flavour. Our table liked the Strawberry and the Oreo flavours, while the Vanilla and Chocolate flavours fell flat, as they tasted too bland, and too much like your convenience store-bought ice-cream.
fatburgersg.com
4. Restaurant Ibid
Restaurant Ibid’s Shaobing burger is an Asian twist on an American staple
Ok, this isn’t a burger joint but chef Woo Wai Leong’s twist on the traditional burger deserves a spot on this article. With a focus on contemporary Chinese, Nanyang-style cuisine, the Shao Bing Burger ($14) was a hit. A juicy medium-rare beef patty is sandwiched between the eponymous Chinese flatbread, topped with mozzarella cheese and pickled green chilli.
Cooked over charcoal, it has a smoky aroma, and the addition of sesame oil and spring onions further enhance the flavour. The burger is served with sweet potato chips.
18 North Canal Road. Tel: 9151 8698
READ MORE: YOUR BURGER BUCKET LIST: 7 UNIQUE BURGERS YOU NEED TO TRY
5. Black Tap
The Cantonese BBQ Burger at Black Tap
You’ve probably seen their signature CrazyShake milkshakes all over social media (we found them impossible to finish alone), but this award-winning New York brand also has great burgers.
Their gourmet offerings include the award-winning Greg Norman Burger ($26), which won the coveted 2016 and 2017 People’s Choice Award at the New York City Wine & Food Festival. Expect a succulent Wagyu beef patty topped with their house buttermilk-dill sauce, blue cheese and arugula. Meat lovers can tear into the Texan Burger ($25), which has an onion ring, juicy bacon, aged cheddar, sweet baby rays BBQ sauce and mayo inside.
For something a little more oriental, they have the Cantonese BBQ Burger ($24), an eclectic mix of swiss cheese, bacon, cantonese mayo with black bean and garlic, sambal BBQ sauce, and spicy pickles, accompanied by a side of sweet potato fries.
It’s not just for carnivores – there’s also the Vegan Burger ($22), with an interesting black-bean patty, vegan mayonnaise, pickled onions, tangy salsa verde and cilantro.
L1-80, Bay Level, Marina Bay Sands. Tel: 6688 9957