Big Vern's Krispy Ring, Original Patty Men - Birmingham, UK

One of the reasons this blog exists is because of Original Patty Men. If you are yet to read my review for the 'Bacon Cheese', rewind to last August where I kicked the blog off with an instant 10/10 for this masterpiece.

Since then, I have been to Original Patty Men more times than I care to think about, yet still not enough to quell my appetite. In-fact, with every visit I crave it more and every special they create has me crawling back like a cow to the slaughter (badum tish!).

What has changed since my last visit then? In terms of the venue, not a whole lot, aside from a new outdoor dining area made up of two long tables. It's still a cramped industrial garage inside, where you find yourself either too warm or too cold depending on where you sit. Popularity has soared since its opening, however; as you would expect given the quality of these burgers. With this popularity increase, the atmosphere has also improved as each customer converts to the burger ways of OPM and wonders why they ever went to Five Guys in the first place.

This time around it was time for the 'Big Verns' Krispy Ring burger. This is OPM's take on the ever-popular doughnut burger boasting an aged longhorn beef patty, maple coated bacon, American cheese, ketchup, mustard between a single Krispy Kreme sliced in half.

Doughnut (or Luther) burgers are difficult to master. Savoury and sweet need to be carefully balanced to avoid both confusing and/or overpowering the palate. Most of my previous experiences with doughnut burgers have ended in a sweetness overload, typically because of the doughnut itself being too prominent.

What helps the Big Verns burger is doubling up. The sweetness will come through both the bacon and the doughnut bun, so balancing it out with double the meat is essential. It also makes it more reasonably sized as it's a smaller burger than the Bacon Cheese. On-top of this, OPM do not use two doughnuts for the bun; they use one and slice it in half.


Napkins at the ready! Similar to the Bacon Cheese, this is a dirty burger -- and you will know about that from the first bite. The taste is magic. The first hit is a perfect fusion of savoury and sweet as the medium cooked patty and cheese showdown against the maple bacon and Krispy Kreme. Notably, the Krispy Kreme is lightly grilled giving it a slight crunch whilst also ensuring it does not become too soggy.


The further you get through this beast, the messier it will get. However, the flavour is neither overpowering nor sickly. Every bite is as sumptuous as the last and really reinforces the masterful ingredients involved and the volume in which they are utilised.

I was adamant that the Bacon Cheese was the ultimate choice at Original Patty Men, but the more I have this burger, the more my opinion sways. The flavours work better than you could possibly imagine and even those hugely averse to the idea of consuming this masterpiece have quickly changed their mind upon that first bite. Of all the doughnut burgers I have enjoyed, this is by the far the best effort. In-fact, I would go as far to say this is one of my favourite burgers of all time.

Patty Master Musings:

  • Even Drake approves of this burger joint, making a huge order when he toured the UK.
  • Convince your friends and family to give this burger a go, even if they are horrified by the idea of it. I am yet to find anybody who has not converted.
  • You'll never look at Five Guys, Ed's Diner, Handmade Burger Co or Gourmet Burger Kitchen the same way again.
  • Did I Dip It? Are you serious?!

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