I decided it was time to take up the challenge, to sacrifice myself for the vegetarians of Oxford and to embark on a journey to track down the best veggie burger in Oxford.  I picked 5 restaurants and went for a points scoring system, looking at the quality of the veggie burger patty, the burger buns used, the quality and variety of toppings, the price and the venue. Each category was rated out of 5, with a total maximum score of 25 for each restaurant.

While there is a winner it was a difficult decision as each has its own merits.  Comparing the experience of The Gardeners Arms with Atomic Burger is so difficult because they are so completely different.  One night a couple of draught real ales in a relaxing pub with a burger is just what you want, but then another night you might want the buzz and excitement of Atomic Burger in your face.  Location also plays a big part in this, if you live 2 mins from Joe’s then the prospect of traipsing over to Cowley Road might sway you.

Gourmet Burger Kitchen

Gourmet Burger Kitchen on George Street in the city centre was my first visit and comes last out of the 5.  The patty collapsed, the fries were like shoestrings and the venue was grubby.  With Byron a few doors away and offering much better it will have to up its game to have me returning anytime soon.  Read my full account here.

Factor	Score
Patty	3
Bun	4
Toppings	4
Price	4
Venue	3
Total	18

The Gardeners Arms – Runner Up

The Gardeners Arms in the Jericho area of Oxford is a proper little pub that serves only vegetarian and vegan food, all of which is fantastic.  The patty was thick and meaty, holding its shape well.  The bun was warm, soft and tasty but the fries were a bit of a letdown.

The price was a real winner, £8.50 for a burger AND fries.  The Gardeners Arms came a VERY close second in the competition.  Read my full account here.

Factor	Score
Patty	5
Bun	4
Toppings	4
Price	5
Venue	4
Total	22

Byron Hamburgers

Byron is also on George Street in the city centre like Gourmet and WAY better, so if you are in the centre, this is your veggie burger choice.  The burger was epic, the patty tasty and the toasted brioche bun held everything together nicely.  The fries were a bit of a let down but the venue was clean with a nice atmosphere.

It scored 4’s across the board, strong in all areas but not excelling in any.  Read my full account here.

Factor	Score
Patty	4
Bun	4
Toppings	4
Price	4
Venue	4
Total	20

Joe’s Bar & Grill

Joe’s Bar & Grill is in Summertown in North Oxford and is a lovely, classy little place with a great atmosphere.  A bit more upmarket than the other places I went to so well suited if you are looking for somewhere a bit smarter for your burger fix.

The patty was really good and meaty – so much so I actually checked with the waitress that it was in fact a veggie burger.  The ciabatta bun was good and the toppings well cooked and full of flavour.  Read my full account here.

Factor	Score
Patty	5
Bun	5
Toppings	4
Price	3
Venue	4
Total	21

Atomic Burger – The Winner!

Atomic Burger on Cowley Road in East Oxford is an amazing, eclectic place crammed full of images and characters from TV, Film and Popular Culture.  It also does fantastically good food, with a wide and varied menu that makes eating at Atomic a real experience.  The veggie patty was tasty and delicious, the bun soft and warm but it is the toppings that are the winner.

The combinations are endless and so, so good.  It was a close thing but in the end, Atomic Burger is my choice for the best veggie burger in Oxford.  Read my full account here.

Factor	Score
Patty	5
Bun	4
Toppings	5
Price	4
Venue	5
Total	23

Let me know in the comments if there is anywhere else in Oxford that I should be checking out, I’ll be adding to this post over time as I check out what else the city has to offer the discerning fan in search of the best veggie burger in Oxford.