About Time: You Discovered London’s Craziest BurgersBy Matilda Long
Thanks to the relentless persistence of the ‘Dude Food’ juggernaut, in London you’re never too far from an establishment that will sell you something messy, greasy and utterly delicious. What’s more, it’s clear that there’s a ringleader calling the shots in this souped-up-junk-food phenomenon: the burger. They’re everywhere. So much so that, dare I say, burger fatigue might just be starting to kick in. Thankfully, the city’s burger offerings extent far beyond the standard patty ‘n’ bun combo – there are plenty of weird and wonderful varieties on offer. So to stave off any symptoms of burger boredom, here are London’s top 5 burgers with a twist:
1. The Afternoon Tea Burger at BRGR.CO
Classic Afternoon Teas are dainty affairs, all finger sandwiches, teeny cakes and politely sipped brews. BRGR.CO’s version is a little, well, meatier. There are three perfect little sliders –shrunken versions of the restaurants renowned burger offerings – accompanied by a mini portion of chips and some seriously tasty sweet treats for pud. Visit before 31 January, and you can try the festive version. It contains roast Turkey. In burger form.
Where: There are two London outposts at 187 Wardour Street, W1F 8ZB & 127 King’s Road, SW3 4PW
2. The Brunch Burger at Boom Burger
Despite being a not so distant cousin of the bacon butty, burgers still rarely grace the pages of breakfast and brunch menus. Luckily for early birds, Notting Hill’s Boom Burger created the ‘Brunch Boom’ a glorious concoction of sweet-cured bacon, bacon jam (because nothing goes better with bacon than bacon), fried egg and garden-fresh avocado salsa. If you’ve ever wondered what the love child of a fry up and a burger would look like, this is it. And it’s damn tasty.
Where: 272 Portobello Road, Notting Hill, W10 5TY
3. The Virtuous Burger at RAW
Let’s face it, burgers don’t exactly count towards your five a day. Unless of course said burger is an oh-so-angelic Mushroom & Quinoa Burger from RAW, the ultra-healthy vegan restaurant at La Suite West Hotel in Bayswater. Banish all thoughts of rabbit food – this is a hefty and tasty patty, smothered in sticky basil BBQ sauce and hugged by a totally lovely sweet potato bun. Beef beware, there’s a new contender for your carnivorous crown.
Where: La Suite West, 41-51 Inverness Terrace, W2 3JN
4. The Mini Fish Burger at Opso
In most restaurants, a burger served in a jet-black bun would be a rather embarrassing incident involving an inattentive chef and a scorching hot oven. At Opso, diners who pick the mini fish burgers can rest assured that the raven-hued buns that arrive on their table have been dyed with squid ink, rather than dropped into an open flame. Inside each tasty buns is a chargrilled fish fillet and a dollop of tomato jam – a fabulously tasty seafood take on a meat-dominated dish.
Where: 10 Paddington St, W1U 5QL
5. The Bambi Burger at Mews of Mayfair
Inspired in a delightfully twisted way by everyone’s favourite Disney deer, Mews of Mayfair is currently serving a Bambi Burger: a rich and gamey venison patty all smothered in gin and redcurrant chutney. Hard-line fans of the bob-tailed Disney cutie might feel a pang or two of guilt at the idea – until they take their first bite that. Bambi may be adorable, but he’s also delicious.
Where: 10 Lancashire Court, New Bond St, W1S 1EY
