Started by four mates back in 2011, Burger & Lobster is the OG of well, burger and lobster dining. What do I mean by that? They pulled a bold move: one menu, three options – burger, lobster, or lobster roll all for £20. No 27-page menus, no Himalayan yak butter emulsion, no “deconstructed Caesar salad with air-dried anchovmist.” Just solid ingredients, done right, in a cool setting. Now, the Threadneedle Street branch? It’s an absolute unit. Opened in May 2015, it’s the biggest one they’ve got – a colossal ex-bank turned beast of a restaurant right in the heart of the Square Mile. Vaulted ceilings, City slickers, and enough space to host your entire finance team and still swing a 20lb lobster. They’ve kept it classic – live Atlantic lobsters, proper beef burgers, and that legendary combo roll that smashes both into one. You can dine like a baller as well by booking “The Round Room” – private, plush, and perfect for secret deals or bougie birthdays. Let’s dig into my two reviews – one in 2015 and the other in 2022.
We start with Soundwave IPA to lubricate proceedings.
I went for their famous burger-lobster combo at £20 – gone are the days you get surf and turf like this for that price. Even back in 2015, it was a steal. But was it good? Well, yes. The burger was spot-on, nicely judged, charred with plenty of Maillard magic, and juicy-pink in the middle. Skill showed in the lobster too, most likely gently poached to keep that perfect bite and sweet ocean funk. The rustling chips were a joy: hot, crisp-edged, and fluffy in the centre. I even demolished the vibrant side salad – though the hollandaise got left behind. Not my thing.
Our waitress twisted our arms into ordering dessert – and thank God she did. They came in crude little paper pots, like someone had smuggled them out of a school fair. What we got was pure gold – no frills, straight-up indulgence, in line with B&L’s keep-it-simple-don’t-mess-it-up ethos. We got a vanilla cinnamon apple crumble cheesecake, loaded with buttery crumble on top. The other was a cinnamon cheesecake sprinkled with chocolate-coated cornflakes and peanuts – crunchy, creamy, sweet, salty. Nothing refined yet utterly delicious.
Fast forward 7 years I’m back.
I went for the Roll Combo at £38.50 – a double-header of indulgence. First up, the iconic lobster roll: chilled lobster bound in lemon mayo with chives, packed into a toasted brioche roll, with lemon-garlic butter on the side for dredging (or drenching, no judgement). Then there’s the burger – a mid-rare 8oz Nebraskan beef patty layered with lettuce, tomato, gherkin slices, pickled red onion rings, and B&L’s secret burger sauce. All hugged by a sesame-pelted brioche bun that holds its ground like a champ, even as you’re ploughing it into your face.
The fries, just like last time, were hot and rustly – golden little shards of joy that practically whispered, “eat me all.”
Verdict
When did I go? July 2015 + Feb 2022
The damage: Expect to pay £50-£70ph with drinks
The good: What Burger & Lobster does well is deliver a simple no nonsense feed. Threadneedle has been doing their thing since 2015 and still bangs. The £38.50 Roll Combo is a full-send feast – buttery lobster, a juicy Nebraskan patty, and fries that crackle like autumn leaves. The burger’s built to drip, the bun holds its own, and that garlic butter is liquid gold. Even the cheesecake – served in a humble paper pot – hits like a sleeper classic.
The bad: Back in the day you could walk in, hand over a crisp twenty and walk out full of lobster and pride. Now? You’re coughing up north of £40 for the same combo – inflation really said “hold my bib.” But hey, at least they haven’t skimped on the portions or the flavour. It still slaps – it just slaps your wallet a bit harder now.
Rating: 3.75/5
Would I go again? Yes
Address: 52 Threadneedle Street, London, EC2R 8AY
Web: https://www.burgerandlobster.com/locations/london/threadneedle-street
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