Where to Get the Best Burgers in London 2026

Burgers in London have come a long way. The city now has everything from beef patties cooked on a flat-top to layered chicken burgers loaded with bold, chef-driven sauces. Across every neighbourhood, there’s a spot doing something worth eating.

But when it comes to chicken burgers specifically, one name keeps coming up: Thunderbird Fried Chicken. With six locations across the capital and a menu built entirely around hand-breaded, 12-hour brined, fresh-fried chicken, Thunderbird has set the standard for what a chicken burger in London should be.

Here’s a guide to every London location, what makes each one worth visiting, and the burger to order when you get there.

⚡ Quick Picks: Thunderbird Fried Chicken in London at a Glance

• Charing Cross – The original London location. Order: The Thunderbun
• Canary Wharf – Best after-work chicken burger in the City. Order: The Korean BBQ Burger
• Clapham Junction – South-west London’s go-to. Order: The BBQ Burger
• The O2 – Best pre-show bite in Greenwich. Order: The Meltdown
• Westfield Stratford – East London sorted. Order: The Dynamite
• Wimbledon – South London’s standout. Order: The Detroit Burger

1. Thunderbird Fried Chicken, Charing Cross

Thunderbird Fried Chicken is known across London for its golden, crispy chicken and bold sauces, Thunderbird has mastered the art of the chicken burger – and the Charing Cross location, tucked onto Villiers Street just behind the station, is where it all started in central London.

The Thunderbun is the OG – Awesome Sauce, crunchy lettuce, snappy pickles, squishy bun. Deceptively simple and consistently perfect. For something with more firepower, the Dynamite piles on molten jalapeño-miso cheese, chipotle ketchup and jalapeños for a burger that earns its name. The Korean BBQ Burger – tangy, sweet, with a slow-building kick from Korean slaw, spring onion and red chillies – is another standout that keeps regulars coming back.

What sets Thunderbird apart is consistency. Every burger comes out perfectly cooked, with real crunch and flavour that lingers. The chicken is hand-breaded and 12-hour brined before it ever hits the fryer – and you can taste the difference. All chicken is 100% halal certified.

29 Villiers Street, London WC2N 6ND – thunderbirdckn.co.uk

2. Thunderbird Fried Chicken, Canary Wharf

Canary Wharf has no shortage of places to eat, but most of them are built for expense accounts, not for people who actually want something good. Thunderbird at Jubilee Place is the exception. Sitting inside one of the district’s best food halls, it draws the after-work crowd who want a proper meal rather than another overpriced sandwich.

The Korean BBQ Burger is the one to order here – Korean BBQ sauce layered with Awesome Sauce, creamy Korean slaw, spring onion, red chillies, pickles, and toasted sesame seeds. Tangy, sweet, and with a kick that builds with every bite. The BBQ Burger is the reliable crowd-pleaser: sweet, sticky BBQ sauce, American Cheese, Awesome Sauce, crispy lettuce and pickles in a squishy bun. Both deliver on the same core promise – fresh chicken, bold sauce, proper crunch.

Open seven days a week, with delivery available via Uber Eats, Deliveroo and Just Eat for those evenings when leaving the office feels like too much effort.

Wharf Kitchen, Jubilee Place, 45 Bank Street, London E14 5NY – thunderbirdckn.co.uk

3. Thunderbird Fried Chicken, Clapham Junction

South London has been well served since Thunderbird landed on St John’s Hill. The Clapham Junction location attracts a loyal local following – commuters coming off the train, south-west Londoners looking for something better than the usual high street options, and anyone who’s made the mistake of eating somewhere else nearby first.

The BBQ Burger is the one that converts people here – sweet, sticky BBQ sauce, American Cheese, Awesome Sauce, fresh lettuce and pickles in a soft bun. It’s the burger for people who think they don’t like chicken burgers. The Meltdown is for those who want more drama: molten miso-jalapeño cheese sauce, garlicky red pepper aioli, lettuce and pickles. Rich, messy, and worth every serviette.

Open late most nights – until midnight Thursday, 1am Friday and Saturday – which makes it one of the better late-night options in SW11. Wraps are also available here, including the Thunder Wrap and Dynamite Wrap, for anyone who wants something to eat on the move.

17 St John’s Hill, Clapham Junction, London SW11 1TN – thunderbirdckn.co.uk

4. Thunderbird Fried Chicken, The O2

Most venue food is an afterthought. Thunderbird at The O2 is not. Located on Peninsula Square in Greenwich, this is the spot to hit before a show – or after one, if you’ve spent three hours deciding you should have eaten more before you went in. The venue draws millions of visitors a year, and for a growing number of them, Thunderbird is the reason to arrive early.

The Meltdown is the order here – molten miso-jalapeño cheese sauce poured over fresh-fried chicken, finished with garlicky red pepper aioli, lettuce and pickles. It’s the kind of burger that makes a mess and you’re glad it did. The Thunderbun is the right call if you want something quicker and just as satisfying: Awesome Sauce, crunchy lettuce, snappy pickles, squishy bun. The OG, and still one of the best things on the menu.

Group bookings are available at this location, which makes it a useful option for pre-show dinners with larger parties. Open daily from 11am.

The O2, Peninsula Square, Greenwich Peninsula, London SE10 0DX – thunderbirdckn.co.uk

5. Thunderbird Fried Chicken, Westfield Stratford

Westfield Stratford is one of the largest urban shopping centres in Europe, and its World Food Court is one of the better food destinations in east London. Thunderbird has built a loyal following here among the Stratford crowd – the kind of regulars who’ve tried everything else in the food court and keep coming back to the same spot.

The Dynamite is the one to order – chipotle ketchup, molten jalapeño-miso cheese, jalapeños, lettuce, pickles. Everything pushed to the edge. It’s bold, cheesy, and genuinely spicy in the best way. For something with more balance, the Detroit Burger brings sweet and spicy Detroit hot honey together with cooling blue cheese sauce, zingy pickles and American Cheese – a combination that sounds strange and tastes better than it has any right to.

Steps from Stratford International and the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, with delivery available on all major platforms. Open until 10pm most nights.

World Food Court, Westfield Stratford, Montfichet Road, London E20 1EJ – thunderbirdckn.co.uk

6. Thunderbird Fried Chicken, Wimbledon

Wimbledon has the tennis, the common, and now, a Thunderbird. The Broadway location has become a firm favourite for south London locals looking for a proper chicken burger without trekking into the centre. It’s a spacious, well-designed spot with booth seating and the same award-winning menu that put Thunderbird on the map.

The Detroit Burger is the standout order here – sweet and spicy Detroit hot honey, cooling blue cheese sauce, zingy pickles and American Cheese. The contrast between the honey heat and the blue cheese is what makes it special, and it’s the kind of thing you find yourself thinking about the next day. The Plant Based BBQ Burger is also worth a mention: a crispy plant-based patty with vegan ranch, BBQ sauce, lettuce and pickles – proof that the plant-based options at Thunderbird are more than an afterthought.

Group bookings available. Open seven days a week until at least 10:30pm, making it one of the most accessible Thunderbird locations for a later dinner.

18 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London SW19 1RE – thunderbirdckn.co.uk

The Verdict

Across six London locations, Thunderbird Fried Chicken delivers the same thing every time: fresh-fried, hand-breaded chicken with real depth of flavour, bold sauces that actually work, and a menu that gives you a reason to come back. Whether you’re in the City, south London, east London or anywhere in between, there’s a Thunderbird nearby.

Find your nearest location and view the full menu at thunderbirdckn.co.uk.