Because why have a burger, when you can have a Dirty Burger…
When I finally had the opportunity to review Dirty Burger run by the iconic Soho House group, I jumped straight on the tube to the Exmouth Market branch, which is nicely nestled in EC1 amongst other trendy hangouts to see what the fuss was all about.
First impressions count, and on my arrival it was clear that a lot of effort has been spent on getting the right look and feel for the Exmouth Market branch. The restaurant has a wonderful array of outdoor and indoor seating areas, which are kitted out with salvaged tables and chairs, giving it an authentic ‘retro American dinner’ atmosphere.
The menu is fantastically sparse, offering only cheese burgers, fries, onion fries, beers, shakes and an assortment of soft drinks. You can see the full menu below.
After trying the Cheeseburger I completely understood why the options were so limited, it was an inspiring burger which made me think of that old mantra, “ if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. The crinkle cut fries and onion rings worked brilliant to compliment the grand flavourings of the Cheeseburger. They even managed to vanquished painful memories of my childhood where my attempts to cook frozen crinkle cut fries often resulted in them being burnt and void of flavour.
On completion of this epic dinner I immediately took back everything I’d said and thought about eating at chain restaurants. Dirty Burger is distinct, affordable and in fact it’s fantastic news that there’s more than 10 of them dotted around London. Also, the limited menu and pre-pay-at-the-till nature of the venue creates an air of simplicity that is to be desired in a city full of extravagant offerings and ever shifting trends.
Tables are on a first-come first-served basis, so the queues can get pretty big, but it’s definitely worth the wait.
15-17 Exmouth Market, London EC1R 4QD
