Once a tattoo-worshiping alternative bar, The Intrepid Fox has been taken over by Byron Burger, who have kept the name on as an homage to the legendary London bar.

The Venue
Anyone who has ever been to Byron at the Intrepid Fox will be shell-shocked by the change. This place has been stripped right back to reveal a neutral decor, an open, bright space, and simple wooden tables and chairs sandwiched into place across the shiny floor. A large kitchen sits to the back of the room while a few more comfortable booths sit below the large front windows. There is also a downstairs seating area but this is only open when the main ground floor dining room buckles under the demand of hungry lunchtimers.

The Atmosphere
Once upon a time the Intrepid Fox was filled with rockers, nowadays you’re more likely to find a lunchtime rush of suited office workers and trendy media types mixing with the occasional tourist. The staff are friendly if not genuinely warm (but this is central London so any rapport is diluted) and the buzz is pleasant. At peak lunchtime and dinner periods they’re very good at keeping the food coming and it’s unlikely that you’ll have to wait long if you’ve only got an hour to kill.

The Food
Both the takeaway and eat-in menus are thankfully succinct so you won’t be stuck choosing from pages of options. The focus is purely on the star of the show – the burger. There are just six burgers to choose from, priced at £6.50-£8.75, though you can add different toppings if you so wish. Their standard cheese burger is particularly good, topped with your choice of cheese. Cooked medium-rare the pink burger is wonderfully juicy and best covered in their gooey, yellow American melted cheese. The lettuce, sweet tomato, tangy red onions, pickles and creamy, rich mayo soon make this biting into this beast of a burger almost impossible. That said, it’s a lot neater than the usual oversized burgers, with all of the toppings layered within the bun. If you’re feeling particularly hungry then it’s worth foregoing the usual fries and opting for courgette fries, instead. Similar to tempura the delicious, crisp pieces of courgette are well seasoned with a slight saltiness that’s very pleasant indeed.

The Drink
The drink menu is very well put together. The wine list is small and simply labelled ‘good’, ‘better’, ‘great’ and ‘best’ to aid your choice while the soft drink choice is better than average with fresh lemonade, Lipton iced tea and elderflower presse. However, it’s the beer choice that saves the day with some unusual choices, including a range of craft beers like Little Creatures pale ale, Flying Dog Snake Dog, Brewdog Punk IPA and Goose Island Honker’s ale.

The Last Word
Byron at the Intrepid Fox is capitalising on the gourmet burger trend that’s spreading across London, and it’s doing it very well.

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