Honest Burgers on Venn Street: what to order and when to go

Honest Burgers is at 75 Venn Street, SW4 0BD, opposite the Clapham Picturehouse and a couple of minutes from Clapham Common tube. Walk-ins are always welcome, and you can book for any group size. Opening hours run 11:00 to 22:00 on Monday, Tuesday and Sunday, 11:00 to 22:30 on Wednesday and Thursday, and 11:00 to 23:00 on Friday and Saturday, according to OpenTable. Check the brand page before you set out, as hours can change.

What it is

Honest Burgers is a London group that began as a marquee at festivals and events. Founders Tom Barton and Philip Eeles met while working at a Brighton restaurant. The first restaurant opened in Brixton in 2011, and the Brixton original is still going. The Venn Street branch opened around the end of 2014, going by one photographer’s account, so treat that date as approximate.

The pitch is simple. Burgers are made from scratch in the brand’s own butchery and served pink, so they eat more like a steak. The Clapham page says the beef is chopped, not minced. The chips are double-cooked and salted with rosemary.

What to order

• A classic beef burger. Every burger comes with rosemary salted chips, or coleslaw, or a green salad. Chicken, vegan and vegetarian burgers are on the menu too.
• Loaded chips. Homemade rosemary chips with cheddar cheese sauce, Berkshire cheese and chives. The site says upgrading your included chips costs £1.50, or £5 as a separate side.
• Honest Mighties. The best-sellers served slider-sized. The solo taster is £5, and there are duo, trio and sharing portions of six. Good if you are splitting plates.
• The Clapham special. A one-off burger created with Kappacasein, with smoked bacon, raclette cheese, truffle mayo, shoestring fries, rocket and pickles. The brand says it is only available at Clapham. Ask whether it is still on the menu.

Gluten-free diners will find reviewers praising the care taken, but ask staff to confirm allergen handling when you order. The brand describes the restaurant as dog-friendly, and outdoor dining is available on Venn Street. Families are welcome, though one reviewer found the kids’ burgers small, so check portions.

Prices

OpenTable puts the price band at £25 and under. A burger with chips will land somewhere in the mid-teens in pounds, though menu prices change, so look at the current menu on the Honest Burgers site before you go.

When to go

For a quieter table, aim for the daytime or early evening on a weekday. Book for Friday and Saturday evenings and for cinema nights, when Venn Street fills up. Booking is through the OpenTable page or the brand site. If you turn up without a booking, it is still worth asking, as walk-ins are welcome.

Venn Street is pedestrianised, which makes the outside tables a pleasant spot in dry weather. On Saturdays Venn Street Market runs on the same street, with hours given as 10am to 3pm or 4pm depending on the source, so check before planning a combined visit.

Where to go after

Venn Street Records, 78 Venn Street, SW4 0BD. It is a live-music bar from the team behind Old Street Records, a few steps from the burgers. The Nudge lists live bands, DJs, dancing and pizzas. DesignMyNight mentions 2-4-1 cocktails until 8pm daily and a garden terrace, and says it takes bookings. Opening times vary between listings, so confirm on the bar’s own site before you head over.

If you would rather sit in the dark, the Clapham Picturehouse at 76 Venn Street is a four-screen cinema and bar, and the Electric Picture Palace opened on the site of former stables on Venn Street in 1910. Dinner then a film, all on one pedestrianised stretch of SW4.