There’s a new wave along quiet-as-a-mouse via di Camaldoli, a side street leading to piazza Tasso in the Oltrarno. First, it was Estonian baker Robert Marrandi’s Wild Buns Bakery and now it’s Reburger. It’s no coincidence: business partners Amza Zahouani (Albero Café, Santo Falafel) and brothers Elio and Charbel Khalil deliberately set up shop where they were guaranteed to get the freshest brioche burger buns in town.
Having launched last April as a pop-up in piazza Santo Spirito, the trio Amza’s Italian/Moroccan, Elio and Charbel are Lebanese) soon decided to open a physical space that doubles as a cultural venue. The exterior is minimalist with “Madre Concept Library Food and Art” in capitals and Reburger nestled beneath on the signage. The well-designed menu is the giveaway to this burger heaven, whose slogan claims that “Burgers are cheaper than therapy”. An industrial vibe is apparent indoors, from the raw concrete walls to the steel seats and breeze blocks studded with plants in the bathroom, but slices of culture are everywhere. Books about mindfulness and international cooking surround the gunmetal bar, while Elio’s motivational pop art injects colour and consideration in the locale. (Elio’s works will soon be taking a leave of absence as rotating exhibitions get underway this February: see below.) The long, narrow space even benefits from a patio to the rear for alfresco burgers at warmer times of the year.
Open seven days a week, the burgers are exceedingly good. “They’re oven to plate,” Charbel explains. (As an aside, he’s a renowned DJ in his birthplace of Beirut and has since become the resident DJ at Florence’s Colle Bereto.) “We take pride in making something that stands out from the rest. They’re good, filling burgers that means our customers go home satisfied.” The guys generously serve me a portion of hummus and raw veggies to start. Based on the Khalil brothers’ grandmother’s recipe, the dip is thick, smooth and flavourful, a far cry from your usual supermarket hummus. Then comes the classic smashed cheese burger, a fabulous flavour combo centred on a slender beef patty topped with melted cheddar, grilled onions, dill pickles and Reburger’s house-made cocktail sauce. The French fries are equally finger-licking good, made fresh from actual potatoes and having never seen the inside of a freezer. Fashioned on-site from beetroot or chickpeas and the vegan evergreen burgers are worth the walk to the Oltrarno for herbivores or those embracing Vegebruary. Plus, all the food at Reburger is one hundred per cent Halal, meaning that everyone can dig into these moreish morsels.
There’s no doubt that these are burgers 4.0, successfully designed for internationally minded eaters, but what strikes home the most is the optimism and energy of Amza, Elio and Charbel, three entrepreneurs whose drive and dedication helps move Florence’s food scene to another level.
Order online from Deliveroo, Glovo, Uber Eats or Robinfood
Art x Reburger
The art exhibition project at Reburger, curated by Sara Parolini and Giulia Masini, involves a series of monthly activities between the artist and diners for every show.
Art exhibition by Message in a Collage
January 21 to February 18
Message in a Collage is a project that involves handmade bookmarks and paintings. Cuttings of words and images encourage us to strive to be the best version of ourselves. Every piece becomes a design object or a unique gift idea. Florentine Simona Alpi started the project two years ago as a bit of fun, cutting out words and images before gluing them together to make charismatic and impromptu collages. A nature lover and people person, the artist takes inspiration from her surroundings.
Events at Reburger this month
February 2: the artist will be at Reburger to explain the works to diners as well as to create art on a commission basis
February 9, 8pm: Collage workshop + hamburger (20 euro) in partnership with The Florentine. Book your spot: press@theflorentine.net
February 16: the artist will be in attendance to make commission-based pieces
February 18: closing event with music and drinks
