Latest opening: Burger & Beyond
What: A fairly upmarket burger restaurant on Shoreditch High Street. Burger & Beyond serves a small selection of high quality burgers alongside punchy small plates and cocktails.
Who: Craig Povoas and Tom Stock. The former launched Burger & Beyond as a street food operation trading from a Citroen H van three years ago with the latter coming onboard a few months later. Made with rare breed beef that’s dry aged for between 45 and 90 days, its burgers are considered by many to be among the finest in the capital. The pair retain their residencies at KERB, Street Feast and Camden Assembly,
The vibe: Trading from a ground and basement site that was once home to a family-run Vietnamese restaurant, Burger & Beyond was designed by Run For the Hills (clients include Kricket, Claw and Island Poke). The 75-cover space has a modern feel with a large concrete bar, leather and canvas cushioned banquettes and raw steel tables.
The food: The menu is a concise affair and burgers are very much the star of the show. There are six on offer in total. Three are made with beef - a cheeseburger, (pictured below) a bacon burger and the £16.50 The Bougie Burg, which involves cold smoked american cheese, steak sauce, marrownaise and beef fat onions) - and Burger & Beyond also has a fish burger, a chicken burger and a mushroom raclette burger. These are supported by a trio of snacks and six small plates. Options include lamb nuggets with cumin; black pudding croquettes with habanero; and shaved rib cap with an anchovy-spiked béarnaise sauce.
To drink: Cocktails include Almond Old Fashioned (rye, bourbon, almond bitters); White Lady (gin, Cointreau, lemon, egg white); and B&B Punch (rum, peach, lime, grapefruit). There are also craft beers and a well-chosen selection of wines ranging in price from £24 to £45 per bottle.
And another thing: While a street food burger crew opening a bricks and mortar restaurant and knocking out a few cocktails is by no means a new idea, Burger & Beyond feels fresh thanks to its grown-up (but not too grown up) non-grungy atmosphere and focus on high quality ingredients. For a debut restaurant project, it’s an impressive package and one that looks likely to scale.
