As we never seem be able to avoid writing about it - the burger scene in London is showing no signs of getting quiet. In the past week alone, two brand new burger bars have opened. We popped along to the one that's been launched by the same people behind pizza restaurant Rossopommodoro, Ham Holy Burger. It's nestled at the back of the third floor of John Lewis on Oxford Street in an attempt to bring the burger craze to the shopping masses.
A few things immediately set Ham Holy Burger aside. First off, there's the iPad ordering system. Select what you want from the menu and even if you have trouble choosing exactly what you want from the selection, you can always start with the Holyburger and customise it to your liking by adding or removing what you want. The system works surprisingly well - the best iPad ordering implementation we've seen so far. Plus it has a Ham Cam option which lets you spy into the kitchen to watch them actually making your.
Also notable is the drinks selection with the beers focused around Italian craft beer ("gourmet" beer on the menu) that you're unlikely to find on an average menu anywhere in London. The My Antonia beer was easily worth returning for alone. And the very short wine list boasts an excellent Sasyr Supertuscan red too.
As for the burgers themselves, they're good quality, cooked exactly to order and are different enough from the usual burger offering elsewhere in London to be worth a try. We think they could have a heavier hand on the cheese and we'd like to see maybe a couple more traditional burgers on the menu - but we'd happily return if we were in the store. Of note were the "almighty chips" - large well-cooked wedges served with an array of dips (inc. anchovy mayo).
So if you're in the area it's well worth stopping by for a burger - and definitely for a drink. It's not in the same league as nearby MEATliquor or Patty&Bun, but it's got a much greater chance of attracting an audience that would never go to either of those and you're more likely to get a table here. It's also worth mentioning that the next-door Rossopomodoro looks great - with seats overlooking Cavendish Square and a much needed bar if you need to escape from the shopping....
Ham Holy Burger is open now on the 3rd Floor, John Lewis, 300 Oxford Street, London W1A 1EX. Find out more by following them on Twitter @HamHolyBurgerUk.
