Honest Burger basically run London. There’s seemingly a branch on every street corner peddling those distinctively plump patties, and this Baker Street outpost sticks to their tried-and-tested formula – dark green exterior, neat wooden seating and a refreshingly short, flow-chart-style menu. The endless repetition might have worn a little thin, though. On my weeknight visit the place was only half full, and there was only a glimmer of the bohemian atmosphere that made the original Honest Burger in Brixton Village so special.
The food’s still very good though. My favourite was the standard cheeseburger, which dresses up a succulent beef patty with red onion, relish and a choice of mature cheddar, red leicester or stilton (go for the cheddar – it’s tangy, full-bodied perfection). The relish comes to the fore here, giving this burger a rich sweetness that hits that salt-sugar spot without ever being cloying. Honest’s burgers are always exactly the right size, too: you feel full up after, but there’s more than enough space to hoover up some of their famous rosemary salted chips. I even had room for pud – which Honest Burger don’t serve. Maybe it’s time to disrupt that formula a little?