Have you heard tell of a land where burgers are stuffed with cheese, where patties were made of grass-fed beef, and curly fries from organic potatoes (double-fried and served with rosemary salt)? Bree Street is abuzz about brand new burger hotspot, IYO Burgers.

But owners Jonah Lewis and Jean Marc Lenferna don’t want to be just any burger spot: the ethical sourcing of their ingredients is part of a sincere desire to grow the local, sustainable farming industry.

Says co-owner Jonah, “We want to grow [IYO] so that ethical farming can grow in this country. We hope that people will see the beauty and honesty in what we’re doing.”

So far, they’ve grown from tiny beginnings in 2013 as a stall selling burgers at markets into a fully-fledged restaurant in Cape Town’s buzzing Bree Street.

What do the burgers taste like? The Eat Out team sets out to investigate.

Food

If you’re the ambitious type, kick off with one of the small bites. The veggie croquettes – carefully seasoned spinach and sweet potato in a light batter ¬– are rather delicious. The gluten-free pulled pork pancakes, meanwhile, come with a jar of whiskey-honey that transforms the starter almost into a dessert. (Not a complaint).

The pulled pork pancakes. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

But you’re here for the burgers, so leave room for one of the incredible sounding options (R58-R87).

The Whisky Braai-BQ burger conceals crispy bacon bits in a sweet, whisky–barbecue sauce that contrasts nicely with the mildly flavoured guacamole and smoky cheese. Then there’s The Quick Dip, which is accompanied by a small bowl of ‘IYO house dip’, a somewhat confusing addition with a watery consistency and a subtle barbecue flavour. The B.B.L.T (Better B.L.T) with a boerenkaas cheddar-filled beef patty boasts a firm crumbed tomato, bacon-and-onion jam, butter lettuce and garlic mayo (which wasn’t really in evidence). The Brie Street comes with an ostrich patty stuffed with brie cheese and topped with red onion, wild rocket and a red wine and cranberry reduction. The balance of sweet and savoury is spot on and the ostrich patty cooked to a perfect medium rare.

The Southern-style chicken patty, stuffed with smoked cheddar cheese. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

The patties are almost too thick to get your mouth around – again, not a complaint – and come perfectly cooked, with a touch of pinkness in the centre. The grass-fed beef is chewy and flavoursome on its own, and not too finely ground. There are also pork, chicken and vegetarian (beet and bean) and vegan (lentil, aubergine, flax seed and sweet potato) patty options.

The standard sesame buns are light and not too obtrusive, but you can also order the burgers bun-less, in which case they come on a generous bed of salad topped with bean sprouts. (The team’s planning to bake their own gluten-free rolls in the future.)

The bunless BBLT. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

As for the cheese fillings, we’re in favour of the concept, although we did note that in some instances there could be more cheese. (There can always be more cheese.)

The satisfying sides come in the form of sweet potato fries, light and crispy curly fries, and surprisingly tasty kale chips crumbed in what resembles cheddar cheese. There’s also a seasonal salad on offer.

The chocolate cheesecake. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

If you’ve still got room (portions are not small), share a slice of the cheesecake for dessert. The flavours rotate depending on what’s in season, but ours is flecked with raw cacao powder and melted dark chocolate, resulting in the board being scraped clean. There’s also a vegan option made with desiccated coconut and cashews.

Drinks

A selection of craft beers – four of which are available on tap – is complimented by a handful of good-quality spirits (Inverroche gin, La Muerte tequila) and a handful of house wines, available by the glass for R30 a pop. There’s also Fairtrade coffee by Bean There, kombucha, green juices (the one we try is a little watery), shakes and the ginger shot, a cute corked vial of ginger juice that feels as if it would burn any lingering cold into smithereens.

IYO Burgers. Photo courtesy of the restaurant.

Ambience

Located on the first floor, this smallish space seats just 35 people. They don’t take bookings, so send an advance emissary if you have a large group. The varnished FSC-approved wood forms a prominent feature in the otherwise light, bright space. Tables have inset pot plants and a wall planter hosts a variety of lettuces and herbs. The space becomes quite noisy – in part due to the open kitchen – but this could easily be remedied with the introduction of some soft furnishings.

Service

Friendly, swift and simple. Mark your order on the sheet of paper, pay at the till, and await your burgers. Burgers come out quickly, and not having to pay at the end is a boon, particularly if you’re trying to squeeze in a workday lunch.

Eat Out reviewers dine unannounced and anonymously, and pay for their meals. Read more about our editorial policy here. Have you been to IYO Burgers recently? Share your experience by writing a review.