BOBO Social to bring burgers and bohemia to Charlotte Street

BOBO Social will offer a menu of rare-breed beef, exotic meats and lobster burgers, as well as small plates made with seasonal British ingredients and a bespoke cocktail list.

The 60-cover restaurant will be set over two floors and designed in a ‘shabby chic’ style, reflecting the ‘Bourgeois Bohemian’ lifestyle that inspired its name.

New burger concept​

BOBO Social is the first solo venture for Michael Benson and Jacinta Maddison. Benson has worked in the restaurant industry for over 20 years in venues including Sticky Fingers, Palm Court Brasserie and Supperclub London, while Maddison has 10 years’ experience in media advertising.

Benson and Maddison told BigHospitality that the restaurant will offer a different dining experience to existing burger concepts, with emphasis on relaxation rather than fast food.

“We hope to bring a different dining experience when it comes to our burgers. So far, no one is doing what we are about to do,” they explained.

“We have beautiful vintage plates, linen napkins, a carefully selected wine list to accompany each burger and a really intimate and bourgeois interior. We hope these things (and more!) will make us a little different to what’s already out there.”

The burgers will all be cooked in a Kopa Charcoal Oven, which sears meat instantly at temperatures as high as 300°C, ensuring it retains its succulence.

“We use single species wood to give them a subtle taste difference,” said Benson and Maddison. “The wood species will change weekly and the rare-breed beef will change with what's available from our farmers in Yorkshire, Wales and Kent.  Red Lincoln, Long Horn and Wagyu are going to be regular features.”

Cocktails and small plates​

Small plates on offer will include sea bass ceviche with pomegranate, chilli, chive and lime dressing; fillet steak strips with avocado, chive and chipotle salsa topped with truffle shavings; and British feta & marinated watermelon with heritage tomatoes, rocket and basil oil.

“We have combined the burgers with a selection of small plates as we felt that was what Fitzrovia and the clientele around here needed – sometimes after work we fancy a night of cocktails with some small plates, and sometimes we want a bottle of red with some succulent burgers,” Benson and Maddison explained.

There will also be a range of desserts, including some dessert cocktails including Death By Chocolate Martini and Apple Crumble In A Glass.

The drinks menu will feature bespoke cocktails and carefully selected wines, with cucumber and lemon water available on tap from large Kilner water dispensers.

“We have a bespoke cocktail list, offering all the classics or the option to have them with a ‘BOBO twist’, a selection of truly British cocktails and champagne cocktails,” said Benson and Maddison.

“We have a small wine list, chosen not only for the taste of each wine, but for the history behind it and how it fits in with the BOBO ethos.”

Shabby chic​

The restaurant will feature rustic oak furniture, vintage lighting and splashes of decadence, while the basement bar will have low lighting, wild flowers and vintage mirrors.

“We wanted something very fresh and clean, but also intimate and comfortable. It was important to us to have our key pieces from family-run British businesses and our furniture has blown us away,” explained the pair.

“We love anything vintage and shabby chic whilst throwing in a few extra ‘chic’ pieces for the wow factor.”

Once a week, BOBO Social will host an evening with the head chef, offering up to 20 guests the chance to create their own burgers using rare-breed beef and exotic meats.

BOBO Social will open 11 August at 95 Charlotte Street, London, W1T 4PZ​