South London spot Ben’s Canteen has given their burger menu an upgrade by introducing paired wines, so we hot-footed it down to their Battersea site (there’s also one in Earlsfield just FYI) to give it a whirl. At BC you get relaxed dining vibes, super friendly service and very generous portions…we started our meat feast with some of the biggest chicken wings we’ve ever seen, and that was just a small plate. For the main event it was three of their burger and wine matches…the classic cheeseburger with a NZ Pinot Gris; the posh fried chicken burger with champagne; and the Hawaiian pulled pork and pineapple fritter burger with Malbec. This was the best of the bunch; the fruity red is the perfect partner for the rich pork and sweet pineapple.
Whilst it is all about the wines, don’t miss out on the rest of the drinks as they make their own in-house syrups…where else can you get a prickly pear vodka soda? Whatever you do, go hungry because when we say the portions are BIG, we ain’t lying. And save room for the chocolate and peanut butter brownie because it is epic.
140 St John’s Hill, London, SW11 1SL
www.benscanteen.com