We review: Native Burger

While the history of the burger is somewhat unclear, with multiple people claiming to have invented them, one thing’s for certain… we all love eating them. Most restaurants nowadays will offer a burger on the menu, and there’s also many restaurants in Cornwall dedicated to the humble beef patty. Native Burger is the latest on Cornwall’s burger scene, and with two restaurants opening in a matter of months, our editor Rebecca Moore went to check it out.

It won’t take you long to find Philip Warrens Butchers name splayed across a Cornish restaurant’s menu as their chosen meat supplier. In fact, you can venture much further afield and find this west country butcher in praised London restaurants such as Ikoyi, The Ledbury, and Sophie’s Steakhouse. But if you’ve ever had the pleasure of trying PWB meat, you’ll know why.

Known for butchery excellence and sustainability since it first launched here in Cornwall in 1880. If you’re less familiar, PWB sources grass-fed indigenous breeds exclusively in the South West making them one of the most reputable in the area. All beef is expertly dry-aged and butchered at PWB’s site in Launceston. We’re always delighted to see this local butcher on the menu, but we were even happier when we saw that burger prices started at just £7.

Native Burger opened in the Cornish market town of Launceston – in PWB former deli space near the town square – in the summer of 2024, and just six months later, founder Luke Taylor has opened his second restaurant in Bodmin. With five-star reviews rolling in, we were keen to try this Cornish burger joint for ourselves.

While you won’t get sea views or a charming period building, this Bodmin restaurant is relaxed, child friendly (we brought our one-year-old along) and dogs are welcome too. Set back in a little piazza off Bodmin high street, the interior is akin to a modern-day Cornish Texas Ranch with dark accents, exposed brick walls and cool neon branded lighting. The 90-cover restaurant, including 44 covers on the expansive terrace, has a happy, welcoming vibe and the friendly front of house team were very attentive.

But you probably want to read about the burgers. There’s nine to choose from, the traditional beef burger dominates but there’s also a couple of chicken burgers, plus a jackfruit or mozzarella burger for non-meat eaters. Before we get onto the burger specifics, the sides deserve some serious attention. We opted for buttermilk fried chicken tenders ‘All Fired Up’ (£6.50), which meant they arrived smothered in a special in-house south-west sauce, with pickled red onion and coriander. They were sensational, super juicy and a must order. We also had the onion rings (£3.50), and Cornish slaw (£3), which was a fresh take on the classic-style coleslaw; a lightly pickled selection of red cabbage, carrots, red onion, shredded lettuce and coriander, which complemented the richer dishes. It would be wild to order a burger without fries, so we decided to share the ‘Twisted Firestarter Fries’ (£5.50), topped with a Sriracha spiced Native cheese sauce, jalapeño, coriander, diced onion, and grated cheese, which was the perfect amount for two people.

But let’s get back to the burgers. I chose the ‘Tequila Slammer’ (£11), which pairs barbacoa pulled beef with a beef patty, pickled red onion, Cornish slaw, and chipotle tequila mayo. Don’t be put off by the tequila, the hint is ever so slight, but the burger was perfect. Not only did it hold itself together with Native’s bespoke buns which are made by Baker Tom, it was meaty without sitting heavy thanks to the complementary sauces, touch of spice, and fresh slaw. The beef is so succulent, and loved the contrast of having the pulled slow cooked Barbacoa style sitting on top of the griddled patty.

Our bill totalled less than £50 and that included a delicious pint of Native’s own Pilsner each. Safe to say we left satisfied, with our bellies full. While our baby’s not big enough to take advantage of the kids’ menu, it’s great to see family dining enjoyed here without costing the earth with meals priced at £8. We love Native Burger’s ethos, serving up high-quality food at an affordable price, with a strong community focus.

We’ll be back in the summer to try its chicken burgers (those chicken tenders left quite the impression), cocktails and indulgent ice cream sundaes on the terrace. And can only hope to see these epic burger joints across more of Cornwall’s historic towns and villages.

We’ve awarded Native Burger our seal of approval and personally recommend it as somewhere to visit when in Cornwall.

We visited Native Burger for lunch on 8 February 2025.