IT COULD be awarded as the best burger in the country.

A Southampton eatery has seen one of its best sellers being shortlisted for prestigious National Burger Awards.

The Bedford Place-based Shrimp and Burger bar and restaurant is one of the 16 finalists aiming to win an award for the best burger.

The eatery has reached the final of the competition thanks to the New Yorker, a recent addition to the restaurant’s menu.

The burger is the idea of the restaurant’s chef Liam Kelly and it is made of handmade beef burger topped with a blend of American and Swiss Cheese, New York deli favourite pastrami, dill pickles and ham with homemade bacon jam.

Shrimp and Burger competed against more than 100 entries from around the country to be shortlisted, alongside nationally recognised restaurant brands.

Shrimp and Burger’s manager Wayne Clarke, said: “We were over the moon when we heard that we were shortlisted.

"The burger is already a firm favourite with our customers, and now we are looking forward to taking it to London and going head-to-head with the other contenders.”

Liam will be representing the Southampton eatery at the finals in London on February 22.

He will be serving up the New Yorker and also creating another burger from a selection of ingredients supplied by the competition’s organiser Casual Dining Magazine.

The final at the Islington Metal Works will see chefs competing for four awards.