Hove, Burgers, Etc Restaurant Guide

The “succulent, juicy burgers” at Joe Grossman’s indie burger chain are “a sloppy-ish mess… and all the better for it” – “and the food can be washed down with a decent glass of wine or a good margarita”. Having started out with pub-based pop-ups, Grossman opened his first branch in James Street, Fitzrovia, 10 years ago, and now has a further eight in London and one in Brighton.

Five burgers, French fries – that’s the extent of the menu at this “Brighton institution” with just a handful of seats. “They have a single-minded focus on making the best burgers you will ever eat” – and many fans would agree that they meet this target. It’s “the food I missed most in lockdown – so relieved to see them reopen”.

“Glorious burgers and great music in grungy surroundings” – this punk-inspired dirty burger operation “has many imitators now – but it’s still the best” for its diehard devotees. A decade after making the transition from a food van to a permanent site, the chain now has nine venues in the capital. If the excitement of its early years has dimmed a little, its food ratings continue to shine: “Dead Hippie burger, deep-fried mac’n’cheese, salted caramel brownie – is that not a perfect (heart-stopping) indulgent meal?”