• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Honest Burgers has been open for a couple of months on Bold Street and after hearing nothing but amazing things from people who have visited the new restaurant as well as one of their several London venues, I’ve been meaning to get down there for a hot minute and scoff one for myself.

I was invited down after work with blogging pals for an event aptly named ‘meat and potatoes’ where we were told we were going to learn (from the founders themselves) all about how Honest Burgers was founded as well as order our own delicious burger off the menu. And that is exactly what we did. Oh and we also drank gin. A lot of it.

The Honest Burgers event was a Wednesday after work affair and so naturally, all day I was scrolling through the menu and picturing the burger I was going to devour later that evening. 6pm ticked around s l o w l y and eventually we were welcomed into the brand new restaurant with a smile and a Three Graces Pink gin – perfect. We sat around at the far side of the restaurant on stools and high tables as we listened to Honest Burger founders Tom Barton and Phil Eles who chatted through everything from the humble beginnings from which Honest Burgers was founded (a small tent at an 18 year old’s garden party) and their simple, ‘no-nonsense’ but bloody delicious menu to how they’re able to serve their burgers the best way: pink.

The chat was super interesting and as well as informing us all about using the ‘chopped’ rather than ‘minced’ method with their beef patties (to get them super tender) Tom ans Phil also shared with us the art of cooking their super crispy rosemary fries which they make from scratch everyday and were once described by Jay Rayner as nothing less than ‘edible crystal meth’ – not that he’s ever wrong but on this occasion, he was really, really right (I haven’t done crystal meth but I totally get what he meant). We sampled the burger meat patties (wow) as well as a bowl of the rosemary fries (wow again) and asked any questions we had about the restaurant (which has expanded into Liverpool from London and I for one am very grateful it has). With question time over (and about 4 gins later) it was time to order our burgers.

The beauty about Honest Burgers menu is that the burger comes with the chips at a decent price. You can order sides to go with your meal (bacon gravy, chicken wings, enormous onion rings etc) but you can get a decent meal without paying for additions – something that Tom and Phil feel is important. The menu is simple, including a beef burger, an American version with bacon and cheese as well as a chilli burger (there’s also a plant-based an chicken option). As well as the core four beef burgers that roll out across all of their restaurants, Honest Burgers run 36 specials which are a little more creative and involve a number of different flavours. The specials in Liverpool include the Teaxs (in collaboration with Bulls Eye BBQ sauce) and the almighty ‘Liverpool’ – a collab with none other than creators of the halloumi fry, Hafla Hafla. Described by a fellow foodie as a ‘Chinese, on a burger’ there wasn’t really any question that I was going to order this bad boy. Honest beef, halloumi, Hafla Hafla salt n pepper, spring onion and lashings of Sriracha mayo this shit was GOOD. After a few bites of my burger, an onion ring and handfuls of rosemary fries dipped in bacon gravy, I came to the decision that this was the best burger i’ve ever eaten. Yep. I said it. With everything from the freshly cooked amazing quality beef, to the Asian flavours, slightly melted halloumi, crispy, salted rosemary fries, this was just INSANE. I felt emotional.

It’s safe to say I’ll definitely be returning to Honest Burgers (how soon is too soon?) to give another burger a go. Maybe one day I’ll find a better burger but, as it stands at the moment, there’s nothing that’s compared, and that’s my honest opinion. Until next time, Honest Burgers.