São Paulo Meets London: Holy Burger’s One Day Takeover with Burger & Beyond
© Holy Burger
Holy Burger arrived in London for a special collaboration with Burger & Beyond, bringing the flavours of São Paulo to a packed event that brought together food lovers, industry guests and fans of both brands. Part of the Holy World Tour, for one day, London became a meeting point between Brazilian food culture and the city’s celebrated burger scene, with Holy Burger serving three of its signature creations.
The collaboration began when the two teams met in Dubai. Holy Burger had been receiving invitations to international events following its growing recognition outside Brazil, having already travelled to cities including Buenos Aires, Stockholm, Madrid, Milan, Porto and Dubai. The meeting with Burger & Beyond led to the idea of bringing the Brazilian team to London, with the collaboration also - hopefully - set to continue in São Paulo.
© Holy Burger
As Gabriel Prieto, one of Holy Burger’s owners, explained during our conversation, the international journey has opened doors the team never expected. “We celebrate it, but we still can’t quite believe it. It’s good for the business and it has brought us closer to people like the team here, taking us to places we never imagined we would go.” The recognition has taken Holy Burger to new cities and introduced the restaurant to customers who had never experienced it in Brazil.
© Holy Burger
For the London event, Holy Burger presented a three course menu, beginning with the Coxinha de Pastrami. A Brazilian classic reimagined with shredded pastrami, cream cheese, sriracha mayonnaise and Grana Padano, the coxinha arrived crisp and golden before giving way to an incredibly soft and rich filling. The combination of the smoky pastrami, creamy cheese and heat from the sriracha was exceptional. It melted in the mouth and was easily the best coxinha I have ever had.
The main course was the All American 65, made with two 70g dry aged beef smash patties, English cheddar, grilled onions, bacon and spicy club sauce, served on a brioche bun with fries. The 65 refers to the 65 day dry ageing process, which gives the beef a particularly deep and concentrated flavour. The burger balances the richness of the beef with the sweetness of the grilled onions, smoky bacon, melted cheddar and heat from the sauce.
The story behind the burger goes back to the early days of Holy Burger. Chef Filipe Fernandes was introduced to dry aged beef while travelling in Buenos Aires and wanted to bring that experience into the restaurant when it opened in 2013. His idea was to create a simple cheeseburger that allowed the quality of the beef to take centre stage.
© Holy Burger
Gabriel explained that the burger eventually gained significant recognition beyond Brazil, helping introduce the brand to a much wider international audience. Holy Burger has since received recognition in global burger rankings and continues to attract attention beyond São Paulo.
Dessert was Pudim na Latinha, a Brazilian style caramel flan infused with cumaru, an aromatic seed from the Amazon. The recipe was created by Gabriel during a family gathering and has become one of the restaurant’s distinctive desserts. Delicate, creamy and subtly aromatic, it brought a softer finish to an indulgent menu.
For Holy Burger, international collaborations have become an important part of its journey. The team has already taken its food to several cities and has Los Angeles and Japan among its next destinations. There are also plans for further expansion in Brazil and Porto, while London remains a city the team is considering for the future.
© Holy Burger
For one day, however, the focus was entirely on London. The event offered a chance to experience Holy Burger through three dishes that captured different aspects of its Brazilian identity, from the comforting familiarity of coxinha to the indulgence of a dry aged cheeseburger and the delicate sweetness of a traditional Brazilian dessert.
