Scottish burger restaurant named among the world's best
Scottish burger restaurant has added another accolade to its list of awards.
Award-winning Glasgow burger restaurant El Perro Negro has been named number 56 on the inaugural World's 101 Best Burger Places list, making it the first Scottish restaurant to ever receive the accolade, and the only one on the list in 2026.
The ranking, produced by Upper Cut Media House, is the international authority on burger excellence.
More than 1,500 burgers are evaluated annually by an independent global network of culinary experts, chefs, food journalists and certified meat specialists across every continent.
Criteria span meat quality and provenance, cooking technique, burger composition, consistency, guest experience and ethical sourcing. There is no application process and no fee. Inclusion is earned entirely on merit.
El Perro Negro joins a list of globally recognised names including Bleecker Burger and Hawksmoor (London), Gasoline Grill (Copenhagen), Wagyu Mafia (Tokyo) and Amboy Quality Meats (LA).
Founded in 2014, El Perro Negro has built its reputation on a straightforward but uncompromising philosophy: grass-fed, dry-aged British beef, sourced with care and handled with precision.
The restaurant has won the title of UK's Best Burger at the National Burger Awards twice - in 2019 and 2021. And founder, Nick Watkins was also named UK Burger Chef of the Year in 2025.
Nick Watkins, founder of El Perro Negro, said: "We've never been interested in shortcuts or gimmicks. We try to keep things simple - source the best beef and ingredients we can and put them together with care.
“To be recognised on a list like this - alongside some of the best burger restaurants in the world - is a real validation of all our hard work. It means so much.”
The recognition comes at a fitting moment. Next weekend (12-14 June), El Perro Negro returns to Meatopia Glasgow at SWG3 - the UK's most celebrated open-fire food festival.
Mr Watkins is no stranger to Meatopia, having been among the first Scottish chefs to cook at their London event and now returning for a second run on home turf.
For 2026 Mr Watkins has partnered with Elliot Cunningham, founder of London open-fire concept Lagom, for an exclusive collaboration.
Cunningham is one of the most exciting names in the UK's food scene right now - a chef whose background spans Barbecoa, Smokestak and Yosma with a formative stint at acclaimed butcher Turner & George shaping an instinctive, deep expertise around meat.
What the two are cooking together remains under wraps for now and they will be serving at Meatopia Glasgow on Friday 12 and Saturday 13 June. Tickets and full event information are available at meatopia.co.uk.
People can also try El Perro Negro’s award winning burgers at their restaurant at 152 Woodlands Road in Glasgow and Bonnie & Wild in Edinburgh.
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.