Last Christmas, Boxpark opened in north London – Wembley to be precise. Pretty much at the foot of Wembley Stadium to be exact. From the success of its older siblings in Croydon (south) and Shoreditch (east), Wembley is the biggest of the Boxparks and housed in a new bespoke construction with over 20 units for food and a cultural hub for the hundreds of events held at the stadium and arena close by.
Among the food traders who’ve set up camp in Boxpark Wembley is burger and barbecue joint Smoky Boys, a place that’s staking its claim in London and Hertfordshire. The menu is geared around the grab-and-go element so order at the counter, wait for your buzzer to go off and collect your food. You can choose to take away or sit down to eat at one of the dozen benches in the large hall.
The menu is slightly abbreviated from the full-blown restaurant one with only burgers, bites, sides and shakes. Oh and grilled chicken and hot dogs too. Everything is freshly made (the beef is free range, grass fed and aged for a minimum of 40 days) – no processed nonsense here. For vegetarians, Smoky Boys offers halloumi and falafel and there are also gluten free options available.
We ordered Grilled Halloumi Skewer (£5), Nachos (£5), a Smoky Bacon burger each (£10), Skin on Fries with Rosemary salt (£3), Sweet Potato Fries (£3.50), a Smoky Boys shake in Ferrero Rocher flavour (£5) and some bottled water. The prices are the same as their restaurants in case you’re wondering.
The halloumi, although delicious, was lukewarm while the Nachos was a generous portion with dollops of guacamole, salsa and sour cream which the two of us couldn’t finish.
The Smoky Bacon burger (beef patty, maple glazed oak smoked turkey bacon, grilled onions, mature cheddar or American cheese), Smoky Boys sauce in a brioche bun) was on point and the highlight of my meal. The patty was cooked to medium, and tasted immense. I devoured every mouthful of it and totally understand why it’s their best-seller. Fries-wise, I found the sweet potato was superior to the Skin on Fries – crisp and full of flavour. In future I will opt for this one. Finally my Smoky Boys Ferrero Rocher milkshake was divine; it was just the right amount to wash my food down with.
It’s superb there is a greater selection of where to eat in Wembley, particularly if you are going to a concert or to see a game. The last thing you want is to be stuck inside the stadium or arena and be forced to pay for a below-par and over-priced burger but also, the location of Boxpark Wembley is perfect – a stone’s throwaway from Wembley Park tube station (just nip out from under the tunnel that leads towards the stadium).
If you’re planning to be in Wembley or going to the London Designer Outlet, make a stop at Boxpark Wembley and head straight for Smoky Boys. These guys have worked hard to nail their menu and you won’t be disappointed especially if you order the Smoky Bacon burger.
For more information on all of its locations and its menu, visit www.smokyboys.com. For Boxpark Wembley, visit www.boxpark.co.uk/wembley.
*My visit to Smoky Boys was complimentary for review purposes but my words and opinion are entirely my own.
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