Birdy and Murdi headed to Flippin Burgerz after receiving an invitation to try out the food – and since it was almost literally on their doorstep, how could they refuse?! It’d be rude not to.
Myself and Murdi had been aware of Flippin Burgerz on Balgreen Road for a while; we’d passed it on our bus route countless times over the past couple of years (me less so in the past year due to no longer getting the 38). We’d never tried it, so when we received the invite to come check it out, of course we said yes. After all, we like burgers, and we’re always looking for great food places to feature on Edinburgh Reviews.
The vibe
Flippin Burgerz has a nice, chill vibe, limited seating but comfy enough if you want to sit at the bar and enjoy your meal on the spot (like we did, as we wanted to give the best impression of the food on camera whilst it was fresh and hadn’t needed to travel a few blocks).
It’s definitely set up for mainly just going in and picking up your order, or for getting a delivery online – but, having the option to sit in is a nice wee extra.
As you’ll see from the video on the right, the menu is displayed prominently on the wall, and is quite extensive.
As for the staff, they’re all friendly and happy to chat. We gleaned that it’d been almost two years that self and Murdi had failed to visit! Oh dear. We also learned that they’re constantly testing new recipes and looking for ways to improve their menu – often getting input from local experts about things like avoiding soggy buns. We got the impression they really care about getting it right.
Plus, since it’s located right next to an official Lothian bus changeover site, Flippin Burgerz is a favourite go-to for bus drivers, either for a drink or a quick bite enroute! Can’t really blame them.
Whilst myself and Murdi were enjoying our food, a few other locals stopped by to pick up their orders, so that was nice to see as it’s clearly a popular wee spot for Gorgie locals.
But anyway – onto the main event!
The food and drink
I ordered a classic smash burger from the menu, and it was very tasty. The seasoning was pretty good, although it perhaps wasn’t the neatest looking burger I’ve ever had to take a photo of – the beef overhang on my burger was epic, and probably a huge plus for many people!
So, if I were being persnickety, I’d say minus points for presentation, but bonus points for value for money on the beef patty. Kinda balances it out!
Murdi chose himself a Flippin Dipped burger, which he asked for fully dipped. It provided quite a kick, but nothing he couldn’t handle (he does like things extra spicy) and agreed the fully dipped was the right choice of spice level for himself. It was down the hatch in no time!
Together shared the Flippin Filthy Loaded Fries, which we really enjoyed although they were slightly on the spicy side (complete with jalapenos on top which I had known to expect from the menu), so I was less keen on them than Murdi was – he ate all the jalapenos and made a really good dent in ’em. I was still able to eat them, despite being closer to my spice tolerance – they were pretty tasty!
The Flippin Filthy Loaded fries would probably be an entire meal for one person, as it’s a very generous portion – it’s not like the small portion of animal fries you might get at an In ‘N’ Out in Los Angeles, for example (niche non-local reference for the ‘Burgh, but hey). I also really appreciated the fact it came with cutlery so I didn’t get literally Flippin Filthy!
We were very generously offered a couple of milkshakes, and I for one was very glad of the coolness to bring down the heat of the fries (because that’s just how I roll). I chose the biscoff ‘shake (delicious!), whilst Murdi had the millionnaire’s shortbread (lovely and sweet, but not overwhelmingly so – just right).
Things to do near Flippin Burgerz
The most obvious thing to do near Flippin Burgerz is a visit to Saughton Park – especially now it’s summer.
The park provides a perfectly lovely way to spend a summer’s day, relaxing on the grass or strolling through the medicinal herb garden and by the floral beds – bring your dogs if you have any!
The skate park is adjacent, so if that’s your thing, you can definitely hang out and get some skating under your belt – and then afterwards, head over to Flippin Burgerz for one of their fabulously cool milkshakes or ice cream offerings (cup or cone).
Another great thing to do (well, if you like walking) is the famous John Muir Way, which passes directly through Saughton and Balgreen.
The particular walk, if you head east, will lead you to the Water of Leith, where you can continue walking all the way to the National Galleries’ Modern One and Modern Two – promising a fantastic art and cultural experience!
Head west through Saughton Park, and you can also pick up along the Water of Leith, all the way to the Water of Leith Visitor Centre. Take the steps up just before it, and you can also get onto the canal walkway and make your way back towards Gorgie, or further into town towards Lothian Road.
Depends what sort of day you want to make of it (and what the weather’s like!).
Overall
Myself and Murdi really enjoyed our visit to Flippin Burgerz, and since we live so close by, it probably won’t be our last! We’re both in agreement that if you like your food spicy (like Murdi), this is a particularly fantoosh burger joint to try. However, there are also options like the classic smash burger, pizza, and sweet potato fries if you have a milder palate (like me – I’ll be ordering those sweet potato next time for sure, because I was too late in spotting them on the menu!).
This is definitely an above-average, locally-owned, independent burger joint to grab some fast food from in Gorgie, and we give it a huge thumbs up. They’ve clearly put a love of love and care into making it a welcoming and buzzin’ local takeaway hub that adds to the local community. Sadly, Edinburgh Reviews have reviewed many burger places in the ‘Burgh, so it’s up against some real heavy hitters on our radar – and that’s the only reason it’s not scoring higher.
Thanks, Flippin Burgerz! We’ll see you again soon.
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Flippin Burgerz
Summary
Flippin Burgerz is a fab place to grab some burgers, pizza, fries and dessert from in Gorgie – and for locals to the Saughton area, it’s a must in terms of convenience and great value portions. Monster burgers included!
Looking for travel tips from locals? We've a things to do in Leith guide.
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