Burgers at Meat in the Middle

Our team ventures to this New Street eatery for an immensely tasty afternoon.

From backdoor barbecuers to boutique restaurants, everyone’s got their take on the gastronomic mainstay of a burger. Despite similarities in composition, not every patty nor bun is created equally and in the case of Paisley’s Meat In The Middle, they’ve decisively mastered their craft. Originating in Kilmarnock, MITM may be a franchise but it’s light years away from the assembly line fare of fast food chains. Each burger, portion of fries or even dessert is purpose built for you. Owned and operated by Paisley newcomers Ben and Kevin, the pair have wasted little time in making in-roads with the community. Fresh from adorning their premises in the work of locally based artists, the duo are clearly eager to be part of the town’s mutually supportive ecosystem.

At MITM, customisation is king. From their incredibly generous £5.95 lunchtime deal through to self-devised banquets, the ability to upgrade to as much as a quintuple burger ensures that they can appease every appetite.

As the resident vegetarian, I’m thrilled to let Renfrewshire’s thriving plant-based community know that this is anything but your bog-standard bean burger. Flavourful and robust, their veggie patty prevents you from ever feeling like you’re missing out. Doused in a moreish cajun mayo and accompanied by jalapeno-loaded fries, the experience was further embellished by a sample platter of their homemade dips including honey cajun, BBQ and a rich garlic mayo.

Considering how uncharacteristically quiet he was during its consumption, it came as no surprise when our designer Paul informed me that the experience of consuming signature burger The Highlander – complete with cheese, fried onion, haggis and pepper sauce – was every bit as astonishing as it sounds.

As our visit coincided with a heatwave, it seemed only right that we test-drove MITM Paisley’s new dessert menu. To our delight, two chocolate fudge brownie sundaes soon emerged and delivered layers of indulgent goodness for us to savour.

An exciting new addition to the town’s food and drink sphere, Ben and Kevin – who both left other industries to pursue their hospitality dreams – have big plans going forward. And if what they’ve accomplished in mere months and the quality of their food are any indication, they’ll become staple of the town in no time at all.

Meat in the Middle, 8 New Street, Paisley PA1 1AW, meatinthemiddle.uk.