The best smash burgers in the world

Nowon, New York

At this East Village “Pocha” (Korean gastropub), the $21 cheeseburgers have earned legendary status. Chef-owner Jae Lee combines two beef patties with kimchi, American cheese, pickles, onions and “kimchi special sauce”: equally tempting are the many beers, cocktails and craft sojus. A second outpost opened in Bushwick last year. nowonusa.com 

300 Grams, Melbourne 

The inspiration for this Melbourne burger chain is a McDonald’s Big Mac; the difference being that 300 Grams’ burgers are all made fresh to order. Founder Joe Farah’s patties are crispy and flavoursome, and made from free-range hormone-free beef. The highlight, however, is the spicy sauce. 300grams.com.au

Supra Burger, London 

A new pop-up in collaboration with Cocotte Queen’s Park, Supra offers five different smash burgers – including classic cheeseburger, truffle and spicy barbecue – as well as fries, chicken tenders and coleslaw remoulade. Ingredients are sourced from the UK where possible; burgers are rich and saucy. supra-burger.com

Dumbo, Paris

You could easily miss Dumbo’s two locations (Pigalle and Petites Écuries): both shops have minimal signage and interiors are whitewashed. The burgers have only five or six ingredients apiece. Choose between two patties – dry-aged beef or vegetarian – and there’s one side (French fries, of course). dumboparis.com

Honbo, Hong Kong and Singapore

What started as a small burger joint in Wan Chai, Hong Kong, has blossomed into four shops spread across three Asian regions. Honbo imports its Double Gold beef from Wisconsin, USA, and all of the eight options are smashed: go for the four-patty “Honbo 2.0” if you dare. honbo.com