If you’ve been in Manchester longer than a week or so, the idea of a hidden gem hauled up in a warehouse on an industrial estate in Salford probably won’t seem too foreign. The other city in our region has long had a reputation for genuinely doing things differently, often placing cutting edge culture, from performing arts to music, in lock-ups, mills and former mechanics garages. The difference with Burgerism is these guys focus on food, and customers don’t have to leave home to fall in love with what they do.
Established in 2018, this Deliveroo institution was doing delivery-only long before the you-know-what put a temporary end to the joy of dining out. Over the past four years, the business has established a truly enviable reputation for making the finest patties in the known burger-loving universe. Demand peaked in lockdown, when the team, led by owner Mark, were receiving 150 orders per hour, and putting two burgers on the grill every minute, but even now they’ll serve well-over 5,000 hungry Mancunians each week, cooking more than 1,000 burgers on a Saturday alone.
Starting out with a simple goal — “serving really good burgers to people at home on the couch” — in many ways little has changed. And the same can be said behind the scenes. Burgerism alters perceptions about so-called dark kitchens for more reasons than the fact the Salford site has windows and daylight. By placing an emphasis on creating a positive, friendly working environment many employees choose to be in it for the long-haul, moving up through the ranks of a mini-empire in the making. Take ops manager Maddie, for example, who first took a part-time job here two years back while she was a full-time student.
That family ethos translates to potentially the best tasting burger you’re likely to find in the North, the signature smashed double patties made with real love, resulting in a unique, mouthwatering experience that people can’t get enough of. Just ask the guy who has a tattoo of the brand logo, which was originally designed by those working in the kitchen. Or culinary titan Simon Martin, who you can also count among the legions of avid fans. Add to all this a line in commissioned artwork and merchandise — innovative ways of staying connected with customers — and you can understand why Burgerism is up next in our Hidden Gems series, so hit play on the video and let’s learn some more.
