Sometimes only a burger and chips will do. After finishing work in Brixton, I headed into the market for dinner at Honest Burgers. This film, first published on 7 January 2015, captures the covered avenues, a homemade lemonade and the Honest burger with bacon, cheddar and rosemary chips.
From the Roberts London archive: this is an account of the January 2015 visit. Menu details, ingredients and opinions belong to that film.
Into Brixton Village after work
The walk begins on the streets of Brixton before moving into the covered market. Signs mark the avenues, decorations hang overhead, and the route passes shopfronts, produce stalls and tables set beside the walkway. Dinner is part of the market’s everyday bustle.
In the commentary I recommend exploring both Brixton Village and Market Row for their variety of food. On this particular evening, though, I have already decided what I want: a good burger. The market offers plenty to look at on the way, but Honest is the destination.
London’s burger scene in 2015
I have never been especially precious about where a burger comes from. The film’s introduction runs through childhood favourites, roadside vans, cafés and hotel room service. That is the background to the visit: an appetite for a familiar meal, rather than a mission to produce a definitive ranking.
Looking back at London’s burger boom, I felt that the fashion for pop-ups and gourmet burgers had left something useful behind. Even as food trends moved on, there was more choice and better quality. Honest was one of the names that kept appearing in the recommendations I encountered at the time.
I usually visited the Soho branch, but this time I went to the Brixton restaurant, described in the original film as their first. What appealed was the focus: a short menu built around burgers and chips, without making the decision needlessly complicated.
A short menu and homemade lemonade
The chalkboard sets out the choices. In the 2015 commentary I describe dry-aged British beef from the Ginger Pig, seasoned simply with salt and pepper, and burgers served in toasted glazed buns with homemade rosemary chips. Chicken and vegetarian options appear in the account too.
I had tried the American-style Tribute burger before and enjoyed it, but this evening I chose the Honest. Its toppings were red onion relish, smoked bacon, mature cheddar, pickled cucumber and lettuce. The combination promised plenty of flavour without losing the straightforward appeal of a beef burger.
There were alcoholic drinks available, but it was a school night for me. Homemade lemonade, served in a handled jar with lemon and a straw, suited dinner just fine. From the table I could watch people moving through the market arcade.
The Honest burger and rosemary chips
The food arrived on a blue-rimmed enamel plate: a glossy bun beside a generous pile of chips. Under the lid were the bacon and melted cheddar, with lettuce and pickled cucumber beneath the beef. It was exactly the sort of uncomplicated dinner I had been craving after work.
The close-ups give the meal time on screen. There is the whole burger, then a view inside after a few bites, followed by the steadily disappearing chips. My enthusiasm in the film extends beyond the taste to the smell of the beef, bacon, cheese and rosemary arriving together.
I was very happy to recommend the meal. That verdict is a personal impression from this visit, rather than a claim to have tested every burger in London. The pleasure was in finding a familiar combination done well, in surroundings that made a quick dinner feel like an outing.
Back through the market towards the station
After dinner, the film follows the route back through the market and out into Brixton at dusk. The arcades, passing shoppers and traffic round off an evening that began with a simple craving on the way home.
Watch the original Brixton film
The original video preserves the market walk, menu and dinner as they appeared in January 2015.
