Dutch Piggy, The Meat Shack - Birmingham, UK

The Meat Shack have been working the Birmingham burger scene since 2012 and have built a worthy following, including myself, who crave their 'dripping filthy goodness'. This continued success has led them to opening up a restaurant in Birmingham's Southside above the equally new Thorp17 bar.

The restaurant is simplistic in design with personalised artwork on the walls and rustic tables and chairs. The atmosphere was buzzing, as expected for an opening night, and despite being rushed off their feet, the staff were attentive, welcoming and thankful.

One sign of a good burger joint is in the menu and 'The Meat Shack' did not disappoint. With just five burger options in total (including one vegetarian choice), quality is the name of the game. There are also four choices of fries, as well as onion rings and fried pickles (yes please!). The burger selection includes a 'classic', a blue cheese burger, a hot burger, a bacon cheeseburger and the vegetarian halloumi burger. I opted for the bacon cheeseburger, delightfully named 'Dutch Piggy': aged beef patty, dripping Dutch cheese, American cheese, streaky bacon, iceberg-red onion, pickles, ketchup and chipayo.


Hello, dirty burger! Delivered in a black plastic tray, the 'Dutch Piggy' stood boldly with cheese oozing down, thick bacon peaking out and the vibrant onion and pickle base, all between a brioche bun.

And let's begin with the bun -- fresh, sturdy and balanced. Dirty burgers are commonly guilty for the soggy bottom due to the saucy interior, but the bun held everything together perfectly, whilst still remaining well-proportioned to the rest of the components.

The 'Dutch Piggy' includes ketchup, chipayo and two types of cheese. The two sauces combine to form a solid burger sauce, with a slight kick. The cheeses melted across the patty and were generally mild in potency, but complemented the burger excellently.

The salad and pickle were a welcome addition too, particularly the latter building on the dynamic flavours.


The thick crispy streaky bacon was one of the most potent flavours on the burger, adding a tasty crunch to each bite. The patty itself was tender, though notably cooked more towards well-done. Despite retaining its juicy goodness, I would have been intrigued to enjoy it a medium cook-time instead.

Ultimately, the 'Dutch Piggy' is a top-notch burger: rich in flavour, balanced and fresh. I have no doubt the Meat Shack will be sticking around for a long time to come and they are the perfect addition to the growing burger scene in Birmingham City Centre. I will be going back. A lot.

Patty Master Musings:

  • I had the 'Buff' fries which were topped with 'franky sauce' and blue cheese dressing. They were great, but a little too salty.
  • The staff really were great. Despite being extremely busy, they remained humble and attentive to each table. This was refreshing.
  • Did I Dip It? With two types of cheese and two sauces? Absolutely not.

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