Mishkins, Covent Garden

Right next door to the Opera Tavern in the centre of the Covent Garden Theatre district is where you’ll find Mishkins, which considers itself "a kind-of Jewish deli with cocktails". To me its more of a kitchey 50s inspired American diner, but whatever, the venue is great, with its rough wood paneled walls, checkerboard tiled floor and appealing cocktail bar by the window. There’s a really warm, homely vibe in here and the young staff seem to be the happiest, friendliest people in the world.

Their burger, which snappily label their “Mini steamed beef patty with onions & swiss cheese” really is a thing of beauty.
They use an upturned metal cocktail cup to steam the patties on the grill, giving them a softer texture to the norm which make them nice and fall-apart-ey when you bite into them, but they hold together well until that moment. 
This burger is an example of a perfectly executed classic recipe. They chuck a decent amount of well cooked sliced onions on top of their steamed patty, and super-melt a slice of swiss cheese on top which holds the onions to the patty with tasty gooeyness. This is then placed in an excellent brioche bun, which is buttered and possibly steamed too. 
Thin slices of pickle come on the side.

As soon as it arrives you can tell the onions are trying to make a break for it, and as you pick it up it drips beefy juices as the bun squidges between your fingers and thumbs.  Its a classic messy american-style burger and its super tasty in that ‘plain burger done properly’ way. The beef and onion flavours dominate, with the taste of the sweet bun and swiss cheese sitting nicely in the background. I absolutely love this burger. 

The burger comes in two price variations, the £6 single patty (3 oz iirc) and the £9 double patty. I’d go for the single every time as the double is hard work to eat due to its tallness, plus the patty to bun ratio is *way* off. If you need more than the single, just order two of 'em.

Mishkins and the Opera Tavern next door both serve sliders, but they are very different. The OpTav pork burger is an unusual and must-try burger, but the venue (upstairs at least) is a little formal (stuffy) for burgers. Mishkins offer a perhaps less unique burger, but the venue is friendlier and more relaxed. Eating a burger in each restaurant one after the other is your best bet.

25 Catherine Street, WC2B 5JS 
020 7240 2078 
http://mishkins.co.uk