Byron Burgers has long been acknowledged as one of Manchester’s best foodie spots, but as of late has interest dipped? We made a visit to see if it still held it’s reputation as king of the Manchester burgers and whether anything new had been added since our last visit.
The decor inside has a juxtaposing casual meets minimal feel. The checker-print floor has a diner feel to it, which is decorated with wooden and metal furnishings for a pared back aesthetic. Some booths are available for groups to sit in and up tempo music is played throughout to keep an equivalent atmosphere.
Having been a while since our last visit, we couldn’t remember the service from previously but were delighted to find our waitress was enthusiastically friendly and very much on the ball with keeping tabs on when we needed drinks or service. Our waitress talked us through the menu and led us to opt for the halloumi fries starter, followed by burgers and fries as a main and an Oreo Freak Shake to finish.
The halloumi fries starter looked a little crisp to begin with, as the cheese was battered to complete this dish. After a quick taste, we found the inside to be chewy and soft, as halloumi should be. The addition of batter to the outside left this with a bit more structure like a chip than cheese, which we concluded worked well and thoroughly enjoyed. The halloumi fries can be ordered in portions of 8 or 16 and come with a side sauce of chilli BBQ, which was an interesting mix of smoked barbeque and spicy chilli in one.
For the mains the first burger was customised to suit a fussy eater. This contained a medium-well patty, bacon and barbeque sauce. Going off menu can be tricky at some restaurants but this was no bother for the staff and the food all arrived as requested. The second burger of choice was the signature ‘Byron Burger’ cooked medium-rare, which comprised of mature cheddar, lettuce, onion, tomato and a pickle on the side. Instead of the regular fries this dish was upgraded to include the cheese fries. The burgers were juicy with plenty of flavour on both. On the medium-well order we found the bun to be more toasted, just a shade black which may not be for everyone and could be worth noting to mention if you visit to ask for a less-toasted bun.
One of the perks of ordering from Byron is the option to choose how you want your patty cooked, from rare to well-done, meaning you can tailor your dish to suit preference. It is one feature which we are sure is why this restaurant hasn’t succumbed to the struggles of other Manchester establishments following the slump after a burger boom. Customisation is key, giving your customers the choice to personalise their burgers but retaining a menu which stick to a restaurant’s strengths is what has made Byron a favourite still to date.
Just one freak shake was on offer for desserts (the Oreo shake), however there are normal milkshakes in a few tempting flavours if you don’t want to go the whole hog. We went for the former and got a slice of Oreo cake with our same-flavoured milkshake. It was sickeningly sweet, in a good way. We got one to share, which we found to be just enough after two previous courses. The milkshake was morishly good but a bit of a struggle to finish if you don’t have a huge appetite.
For the price point Byron establishes itself as a whisker above the usual burger places in the city centre and it’s quality does match that. For what you pay you get a little more attentiveness, good quality and personalised approach to the menu. Byron is definitely worth a visit if you like to get decent portion sizes for your money but not scrimp on flavour.
