Just after midday on Friday and hungry city centre office workers are on the prowl, looking for a lunchtime deal. A number of them make a beeline for the various cafes and restaurants around Corn Street and the adjacent side roads, others have St Nick’s market in their sights.
But many are heading straight to Honest Burgers on Clare Street, especially at the moment. That’s because the popular restaurant chain has just launched a special lunchtime offer and it’s a deal hard to ignore.
At £8.95 for burger and chips with a soft drink, the ‘Honest lunch’ is available from 11am-4pm, Monday to Friday. Okay, that’s more expensive than a supermarket lunchtime meal deal but it’s still a tempting offer, especially for a sit down meal – and much more fun than nibbling a Tesco sarnie back at the desk.
When I arrive just after midday, Honest Burgers is packed and the staff are having to turn people away. Apart from large groups, there’s a no-bookings-required system here but it seems to work as there’s a quick turnaround and tables become free at regular intervals.
Of course, you don’t have to go for the lunch deal. There’s a full menu on offer all day, as well as specials.
A chain that prides itself on using high-quality ingredients and tailoring menus to each location, the restaurant even serves a special ‘Bristol’ burger. That’s a beef burger with bacon, local Westcombe smoked Cheddar and cheese curds, Pilton cider and bacon gravy, smoky shoestring fries and pickles.
At £15.20, the Bristol burger may not be as wallet-friendly as the lunchtime deal, but plenty of diners around me were still ordering them.
There are three options when it comes to the ‘Honest lunch’. For vegetarians, there’s the ‘Fritter V’ – a southern fried fritter, cheddar, chipotle mayo and seasonal coleslaw. And if chicken is more your thing, the ‘Tender stack’ comprises two fried chicken tenders, American cheese, BBQ mayo, pickles and lettuce.
But I went for the ‘Smashed’ option. The single smashed beef patty – surprisingly thick, juicy and deep-flavoured – was layered inside the soft and glossy bun with melting American cheese, crunchy pickles, sweet onions and a tangy brown butter mustard mayo.
It was served with a generous helping of rosemary-flecked fries and an ice cold can of Coca Cola, although there’s also homemade lemonade on offer.
A 10% service charge is added to the final bill but even so, there was still change from a tenner for a high quality burger, chips and a drink. And, let’s face it, there aren’t many restaurants where you can leave well fed and happy for less than £10.
Honest Burgers, 21 Clare Street, Bristol, BS1 1XA.