Big Fernand, Fitzrovia ★★★★★

Strange times indeed when the French are bringing hamburger cuisine to British shores, but that's exactly what small Parisian chain Big Fernand are doing, with a new spot just opened in Fitzrovia. Since first opening their doors in the city of love in 2012, BF have taken France by storm, opening in a further seven locations in just a couple of years, gaining fans for their top-notch twist on the humble burger and chips.
With its order-at-the-counter fast-food format, it's not somewhere you'd go for a formal, sit down dinner, but, say the Big Fernand boys, that's half the fun: this is upmarket fast food, with ingredients to match. With a simple selection of beef, lamb, chicken or veal (plus a delicious-looking veggie option of portobello and tomme de Savoie), the Big Fernand will prepare your choice anywhere from blue through to well done, before laying on the toppings – choose from raclette, bacon and caramelised onion, tomme de Savoie, sun-dried tomato and parsley or grilled aubergine and coriander, with a selection of homemade sauces to top it off.
Of course, their artisanal buns are plenty to write home about, and the frites are just as good as you'd expect. You can even build your own bespoke burger, and accompany your meal with one from their selection of traditional lemonades.
The've retained elements of the renovated building such as the spiral staircase, and their mismatched upper mezannine replete with kitsch wallpaper, wrought iron sofas and comfy throws truly conveys their wacky style as a cultural hybrid of British and French. If you don't take it too seriously, it's a lot of fun: pop in for a quick lunch and a catch up with friends – if you're in the area.