Big Johnson’s Burger Joint is offering another pop-up, this time in Cabanyal, in partnership with the fab La FABrica. Valencia Life is already on record as saying these are the best burgers in Valencia – come and find out for yourself, says Eugene Costello
Looking for the best burger in Valencia? It has to be Big Johnson’s Burger Joint, a faithful reconstruction of – or hommage to – the world-famous In-N-Out Burger chain in southwest United States.
You can read the full story of how founder Shawn Johnson – homesick for his favourite burger – went on a mission to source minced chuck and went all mad scientist to recreate the taste of America (‘spread’, as they call it, sauce as everyone else does) here.
It really is a labour of love. We first met Shawn and Big Johnson’s Burger Joint at Love Fest in Nazaret, Valencia, last summer and were intrigued by his story.
We kept in touch and I interviewed him a couple of months back to hear his incredible tale. What was to be a sabbatical in Valencia now is to become a permanent fixture, and Shawn is a Valencia local hero, like so many contributing to his new life here.
But there’s more. He is what we call in the UK “a good egg”. A word of warning. Do not translate literally. It is un amigo falso as my pal Charlie discovered. While teaching in Valencia he wanted to compliment a teenage lad in class. He couldn’t understand why everyone was in stitches. It fell to me to explain that, rather than saying “Good lad”, what he actually said was, “nice testicle”. Thankfully, it did not end up in court.
Big Johnson’s Burger Joint and Culturas Unidas
But I digress. Shawn and Valencia Life’s own Christian Morrow had read pieces I had written about our favourite charity, Culturas Unidas and their inspirational leader in Valencia, Silvia Gonzalez, and her colleague Silvana Ortiz. The duo that is Shawn and Christian approached me with a proposal.
They wanted to put on a pop-up (or “cookout”, as Shawn would doubtless call it) on Patacona Beach on New Year’s Eve, and to donate all profits to Culturas Unidas. Read about it here. Good eggs. Since Shawn would be in Italy for a short family holiday, Christian was our main man and did an amazing job. If life in Valencia doesn’t work out for the lad, he surely has a future at In-N-Out in the States.
Good karma is its own reward, of course. But we want to repay the love by telling you all that now you have a chance to savour the best burger in Valencia yourselves. Shawn and Christian are doing a Big Johnson’s Burger Joint Pop-up in Cabanyal thanks to Dimitri at La FABrica on 31 January.
If you are doing Dry January, cheat. It’s only one day. Or drink “soda”? There will also be vegan burgers thanks to the really excellent Beyond Burgers so all are welcome. And all ingredients are gluten-free or have gluten-free alternatives.
Head down to Grau near Cabanyal to savour the best burger in Valencia…
Big Johnson’s Burger Joint. Truly Valencia Local Heroes.
31 January, midday to 10pm, La FABrica, Carrer del Crist del Grau, 14, 46011 València; seating limited so advisable to book via https://fb.me/e/5XkGIkPo0, https://www.facebook.com/BigJohnsonsBurgerJoint or instagram.com/bigjohnsonsburgerjoint
Keep up to date with news in Valencia HERE.
