Plant-based burger joint, Halo Burger, has launched in London with a outlet at cargo container retail village, Pop Brixton.
I dropped by the press launch last night for a burger and ended up staying around for another.
Halo’s menu is basic: Halo Burger, Quarter Pounder with Cheese, Cheeseburger, Hamburger and Pink Salt Fries. There’s a limited offer Christmas Special Quarter Pounder too (which suggests more specials and such to come).
I tried the Halo Burger and the Christmas Special Quarter Pounder along with some super tasty fries – and loved all three.
The signature Halo Burger is a stack of two patties (about 56g of plant-based “meat”), diced onion, melted plant-based American style cheese, thick slice of tomato, lettuce, gherkins, and tangy house sauce between fairly fluffy buns. I had the look (and feel) of an In-N-Out Burger or Shake Shack’s Shackburger. Flavourwise I thought it was a treat. If I hadn’t had known it was vegan I’m not sure I would have realised I was gorging on a meat-free burger.
The Christmas Special featured a thick quarter pound (about 113g) patty with parsnip crisps and chestnut mayo along with the more conventional toppings. Which did I like more? Tough question. I’m glad I didn’t have to choose last night. But I reckon rocking in off the street I’d be more apt to go with the Halo Burger.
Halo makes its burgers with Beyond Meat (beyondmeat.com) patties. I think that’s key to what makes them yummy. The patties fried up like beef, they were juicy too. The cheese is tasty too with the right melted texture. Most of very few encounters with vegan cheeses have not gone well. So I was impressed to like the slices used at Halo as much as I did.
French Fries were not unlike those from McDonald’s. Seasoned with Himalayan pink salt there was a bit more flavoursome savouriness to them.
I didn’t get prices confirmed but remember the Halo Burger costs just over £9, which I thought was good value.
There’s a selection of sodas (Karma Cola) and beers available too. Service is fast food style order at the counter.
Far from a non-carnivore, I nonetheless find that I’m eating less meat these days and choosing to go veggie or vegan more often when meat sourced isn’t top quality or I question its provenance. So something like Halo is ideal to me, except that I live on the other side of London. The concept seems super scalable though. Maybe it won’t be too long before another outlet opens closer to my neck of the woods?
Halo Burger is located on the ground level of Pop Brixton, 49 Brixton Station Road, SW9 8PQ. Find out more at haloburger.co.uk.
