Junglees will change the way you think about burgers in London. They offer fully customizable gourmet options made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients.
Located in Leyton, Junglees may seem like another typical burger place, but there is much more to discover. In addition to their burgers, they serve hand-breaded wings in six flavors, a variety of sides, and even their own sodas—no big brands here.
Their burger building process allows you to choose your protein and as many toppings and sauces as you like. I chose the double smash burger, their best seller, with BBQ sauce, mushrooms, cheese, fried onions, lettuce and pickles – and could have added even more.
READ MORE: ‘I tried London’s award-winning pasta place and it’s my new favorite Italian’
The steaks are freshly ground in-house and all ingredients, including the bun, come from local suppliers. The burger was delicious without the heavy, greasy feel of bigger chains, and prices start at a reasonable £8.49 for a single.
Junglees was founded by Nomaan Mahmood, who left his job as a lawyer to bring more halal burger options to market. He noticed a gap in halal food and was eager to fill it with his culinary creations.
I also recommend trying the wings, priced at £4.99 per portion. I had the Sticky Korean wings, and the sauce was the best I’ve ever had, while the batter was surprisingly light and crumbly despite its heavily fried appearance.
My favorite side was the loaded Halloumi fries, topped with chipotle sauce, fried onions and mushrooms. At £6.49 they are a bit more expensive, but easy to share between two or three people.
Their drink menu is equally unique, with sodas made by a local supplier. The exotic flavors like guava, passion fruit and mango offer something different from the typical fast food options.
The house-made caramel was a real surprise, tasting strikingly like the well-known brand but with a lighter, less sweet touch. For those with a sweet tooth, their milkshakes are a perfect option – the Biscoff shake I tried was an absolute treat.
Junglees is one of 12 finalists in the Uber Eats ‘Restaurant of the Year’ awards and the only London-based nominee. The winner will receive a prize of £100,000, and the owners are grateful to their loyal customers for voting.
Hamza Ghazanfar said: “It just shows that the customers like our food, and it’s about our community as well. We enjoy talking to them, getting to know them personally. It’s just a very surreal feeling, but we’re very grateful to everyone who voted for us and helped us along the way.”
Keep up to date with London’s hottest events, latest restaurant openings and best deals with our Going Out newsletter.Register HERE!
