annie's burger shack, nottingham.

Found by the quirky Lace Market district of Nottingham, you'll discover an assortment of handcrafted burgers inspired by original American recipes. Annie's Burger Shack was opened in 2009 by Annie herself, a Rhode Island born lass who has a dedication to diners and penchant for the perfect burger. The Midlands brought around an interest in real ale and craft beers too; and so Annie's Burger Shack and Freehouse was born. 

Best burgers in town? Quite a statement hey! Although I haven't had the pleasure of trying every burger in Nottingham, I was ready to put Annie's to the test. We went along on a weekday afternoon and the place was already about 70% full. I've heard it gets quite busy at peak times - so make sure you arrive ahead of any hunger to avoid extreme food envy.

Since I was driving, I sadly didn't get to try their cider offerings. Instead I opted for Fentiman's Rose Lemonade whilst I digested the mammoth burger menu. If you haven't tried this before, it has a recognisable floral aroma with hint of traditional cloudy lemonade and zing of ginger. Really refreshing and felt a bit more posh than your usual soft drink.

We were informed the burger patties were made from 85% beef and 15% pork, sourced in the East Midlands. Vegan or veggie? No fear - you can have any flavour on the menu made meat free. So everyone can enjoy the likes of The Broadway, The North Carolina or The Louisiana Burgundy to suit them. They didn't offer gluten free buns but they pride themselves on finding a yummy solution to any dietary requirements - I'm sure if you asked they'd be happy to help!

I went for The Thin Lizzy (£10.50). Rest assured, this isn't any kind of skinny version of their usual burger. This was a delicious American style burger with a layer of cask ale-soaked sautéed red onions and mushrooms in a homemade gravy and then smothered with melted Swiss cheese. The generous portion came in a classic sesame seed bun with crunchy salad filling. The red onion and mushroom gravy mix was as heavy going as you'd expect, with the gooey cheese adding to the richness of flavours. With complimentary chips with every burger, I struggled to finish this mouthwatering feast.

My dining companions went for The Gringo (£12.90), a Mexican themed dish with tortilla basket, spicy rice, refried beans and a hot green chilli, and The Hawaiian (£9.90).  Despite it looking amazing, I was indifferent to the Hawaiian offering named after the popular pizza combo, since pineapple and cheese is simply an unnatural combination. The eater of this burger didn't agree, and proceeded to inhale the smoked gammon, grilled pineapple and Swiss cheese combo. Thumbs up all round!

If you're looking for a (big) lunch in Nottingham city centre, be sure to give Annie's a whirl. If only to tick The Sunday Dinner burger, The Elvis (yep, PBJ) and The Vermonter (burger, pancakes, bacon, maple syrup...) off your burger bucket list.

Wondering how to get there? If you're driving, you can easily park in The Lace Market car park (NG1 1QE) and walk a couple of minutes to Annie's.

annie's burger shack
5 broadway
lace market
nottingham
ng1 1pr

Note: We paid in full for our meal. Annie's did not know I was planning to review my experience and all opinions are my own.