The smash burger in London is as ubiquitous as it has ever been. And while these social-media sensations are best enjoyed messy and molten, their settings now demand polish: simplicity treated as a serious craft. This summer, Parisian import Dumbo conquered the East End, seducing Londoners already spoiled for choice. In central London, however, it’s Supernova that has monopolised the smash-hit formula. With locations already in Soho and South Kensington, Mayfair is next on the map.
Supernova Mayfair, London
Set on North Audley Street – where parent group BVC Hospitality also runs the French bistro NAC – Supernova’s Mayfair edition occupies the shell of an 18th-century townhouse. Its white-paned façade remains untouched; inside, the space has been entirely reimagined by New York-based Sarita Posada Interiors, whose London debut was the Aimé Leon Dore store in Soho. ‘It’s always a fun challenge to place something new within a historical framework,’ says founder Sarita Posada.
Posada’s concept, which received architectural support from West Architecture, draws from 1970s American diners, filtered through Supernova’s own visual language. The palette runs from soft yellow laminate to three tones of stainless steel, anchored by terrazzo underfoot. The interior choreography includes black Robert Mallet-Stevens stacking chairs, Charlotte Perriand wall lights, early-1970s-style banquettes, custom condiment holders and a single retro clock. In essence, design nostalgia with a modern pulse.
That same restraint carries through to the menu. The cheeseburger purist offers just two iterations: both built on a bespoke blend of dry-aged British beef, smashed on the grill and cloaked in American cheese, pickles and onions. One arrives with the house Supernova Sauce in a soft potato bun; the other, a classic mustard-and-ketchup variation. Fries, a sundae, coke – and repeat.
Supernova Mayfair is located at 15 North Audley Street, W1K 6WW, United Kingdom.