Can a Gen Z vegetarian revive Byron's fortunes? Inside the chain’s £2.5m revival

In 2007, the first Byron opened. It was a time when burgers were mostly the preserve of McDonald’s, Burger King and the odd country pub; when caramelised onions were a new, exciting topping and nobody had argued about whether brioche buns work with beef (they don’t). Gourmet Burger Kitchen existed, though only as a single restaurant in Battersea. Byron, founded by old Etonian Tom Byng, put forward a “better burger”, one inspired by America and different to the rest. It went well.But Byron’s popularity was part of its downfall. It expanded quickly — there were 70 sites by 2018. Some claimed the quality waned. And soon countless other burger brands opened and the public started to go elsewhere. It’s safe to say Byron lost its way and years of scandal, administration, buyouts and uncertainty followed. The revamped Tottenham Court Road branch of Byron Byron BurgersAkshat Tibrewala, 22, says the brand can make a stunning comeback. The entrepreneur is reviving the burger chain with renewed gusto. The idea, he says, is to make Byron “exciting again”, with a new menu and new-look restaurants. Tibrewala bought Byron for £2.5 million — he says he took out a loan — and quickly sought to overhaul the business. The Covent Garden site has closed, leaving six branches, while the interiors have been revamped.The new menu includes a signature burger made with dry-aged beef, burger sauce, roasted onions, cheddar, shredded lettuce and pickles; the “Soho” is made with the same patty but with watercress, slow-cooked onions, cheddar, horseradish mayo, gravy and pickled shallots. Other dishes include cheese and leek croquettes, sausage rolls and onion rings. Burgers will start at about £12. “Everyone forgot about Byron,” Tibrewala tells the Standard. “But I believe there’s something there. We’ve totally overhauled the brand and changed everything. We’ve taken it apart and rebuilt it.”“We’ve totally overhauled the brand and changed everything”Akshat TibrewalaTibrewala, a vegetarian, says there is space in the market for a “proper, British-inspired menu”. He says Byron “lost its way” but adds: “I’m confident we can bring it back. We’ve gone back to the beginning — good burgers, fries, and we’ve redesigned the restaurants to feel warmer and more welcoming. They’re more modern.”He concedes the burgers weren’t up to scratch before. “People have so much more choice now, we have to improve,” and says Byron will lean into its roots, making the most of ingredients sourced here. “We’ll use British beef, cheddar,” says Tibrewala, who was three when Byron opened its first restaurant in Kensington. “It’s quite clear this is a brand that can work. We just have to recapture the magic.” In its heyday, Byron was one of the most recognisable burger joints in London. George Osborne posted a picture of himself eating a Byron burger while working on the Budget in 2013; three years later the company cooperated with the Home Office on an immigration swoop in which 35 workers were rounded up. “Yes, I’m an immigrant myself,” says Tibrewala. “But my work is in reimagining Byron and relaunching it. We can’t think about the past — just the future.”Byron has been, for some years now, forgotten. For good reason: its burgers became dry, flabby and boring, and were superseded by new-age brands — Black Bear, Bleecker and co. After Byron’s early foray into stardom, the restaurant never progressed. Tibrewala’s plans are commendable. And, from what I’ve seen, impressive. Is there still room for Byron?