Supernova - Soho
At a glance: Another UK counter-serve to US smash burger supremacy.
Visit for: The Hype. But really for the wafer-thin, crisp-cornered, potato bun smash burgers, hand-cut fries & ice cream sundaes.
Ordered: 2 x Classic Cheeseburgers, 1 x hand-cut fries (£24)
Location: 25 Peter Street, Soho. A 5-minute walk from either Piccadilly Circus or Tottenham Court Road station.
“No, no, you join the back of the line on the opposite side of the street.” Law and order are being safeguarded by the rotation of people making it to the end of the first queue. That’s right. I said first. It’s 14:30 and the line is snaking from one side of Peter Street to the other. Sharing smirks and bashful shoulder shrugs, I quickly find out we have all gathered here in pursuit of the hype. All are somewhat embarrassed that we’re willing to out ourselves in a queue for a burger that may very well have sold out by the time we reach the counter. Rumours are rampant.“ I hear they only have 50 left”.
Part of the insatiable appetite for Supernova’s offering is the limited daily quantities. As such, timing is of the essence. If you’re showing up any later than 2 pm there’s a good chance you’ll be leaving disappointed. After a 30-minute wait in line, I was fortunate enough to nab 2 of the remaining 6 burgers on offer for their afternoon shift. The final hurdle was the 30-minute wait on the other side of ordering to secure the goods. Plenty of time to ogle at the retro simplicity of the shop's design.
With only 4 items on the menu, if you’re looking for variety you’d best go elsewhere. However, the menu reflects Supernova’s mission statement - simplicity and quality. It’s a noble cause. Take a humble burger and fries and create something special, and noteworthy - and do this consistently. The secret here is all in the ratio. The burger itself does a good job of striking balance. Equal parts salt to fat, crunchy and acidic, the pickles put in work to balance out the heavily seasoned meat.
Somewhat surprisingly for Soho, the price point is reasonable with a classic cheeseburger coming in at £9 and the hand-cut fries at £3. There’s always a 2010 indie banger playing and the staff are surprisingly friendly and hospitable for a venue inundated with people. With the rise of smash burger popularity, Supernova delivers a wholly satisfying experience.
Preconceptions and hype can be the killers of a good thing. Heed this warning. What can one reasonably expect from a cheeseburger? What you might not experience: your Ratatouille moment, the experience you tell yourself the 40-minute queue warrants. What you will get: a perfectly crafted, simple, honest cheeseburger of the highest quality. It’s damn delicious. If you’re in Soho, hankering for a burger and the queue is shorter than the phone line wait for your GP on a Monday morning, get in there and do the thing.