When a friend, a family member or even a stranger tells me they have found the ‘best burger in London’ it is not a statement I take lightly. Constantly on a quest to taste the most awesome burger on offer in our capital city, I never tire of trying new contenders.
This time I was off to the Duke of Wellington, a smart gastro-pub in Marylebone. A brief walk from Baker Street station and conveniently close to all the gorgeous boutiques, this pub is the perfect place to pop into after a tiring day shopping. The pub has a cosy feel and a relaxed atmosphere, it was immediately obvious that many of the visitors are locals who come here to drink, eat and chat most days. One chap came over to talk to us enthusiastically about his memories and experiences of this pub!
It is fine cuisine that ensures the Wellington remains a popular destination in a constantly evolving area of London. We were here to try one thing and ordered out burgers with barbecued pulled pork, cheese, coleslaw, pickles and fries immediately after sitting down. It was early evening and the place was still filling up, we had time to enjoy our wine and warm fresh bread before the main attraction arrived. There is only one burger option, and who needs more choice when the speciality is done so well.
It is a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach, a huge stacked burger was placed in front of each of us, oozing cheese and dripping luxuriously onto the plate. It was spectacular. I wasn’t quite sure how to tackle it as it fell over the moment I prodded it. The ground beef here is scrumptious, a mix of various cuts, it is tender, flavoursome and very juicy. The pulled pork is cooked in litres of fizzy lemonade to give it an extra sweet taste and tender texture, though this was an original idea I found it a little too sweet and overpowering with the rest of the burger… then again I’m not a huge fan of sweet’n’savoury. The chips were divine, super thin and crispy, think posh McDonalds fries.
The Wellington burger is one of the best I’ve tried in London, with a unique combination of toppings, prepared and presented to perfection without compromising on taste. If you can manage afters, which we did (somehow) I highly recommend the sticky toffee pudding.
The Duke of Wellington also offers a reasonable two course lunch for £14.95, the burger doesn’t feature, but a tempting looking steak is available as part of the deal.
More information here.