Sheffield burger brand joins Cambridge street with Henderson's-inspired menu favourite

In a city fiercely proud of its food, few things say Sheffield quite like a splash of Henderson’s Relish.

So when Jimmy’s Burgers opened its second Sheffield site in the heart of the city centre, it made sure one burger on the menu carried that pride in its name: The Strong & Northern.

The 'strong & northern' burger spot bringing secret Hendo's sauce to Cambridge Street | Ciara Healy

placeholder image — The 'strong & northern' burger spot bringing secret Hendo's sauce to Cambridge Street | Ciara Healy

The independent burger brand was born in Sheffield, built by Sheffield entrepreneurs and, after expanding to Birmingham and London, has now returned to the city centre with its newest restaurant in Cambridge Street Collective.

A 35-day dry-aged smashed beef burger topped with mustard, onion, bacon, cheese sauce and a special Henderson’s ketchup made in-house, it has quickly become one of the restaurant's signature dishes.

The Strong & Northern encapsulates what the business is all about | Ciara Healy

But while Henderson's Relish is instantly recognisable to Sheffielders, the recipe behind Jimmy's version remains firmly under wraps.

"We make the Henderson's relish sauce and the Hendo’s ketchup in-house," co-director Patrick (Paddy) Cunningham said.

"I won't say exactly how we make it, but it's not just a matter of whisking them together. We actually make the secret sauce ourselves in-house."

Paddy said the new opening feels like a homecoming for a business that started in Sheffield before expanding further afield.

This is the menu at Jimmy's Burgers | Ciara Healy

“This is our second site in Sheffield. We opened in Cutlery Works about five years ago and from there we’ve grown, opening in London and Birmingham,” he said.

“A big thing for us is that we’ve come back to the city of Sheffield and into the heart of the city as well.”

Although the business now has four sites, Sheffield continues to shape much of what ends up on the menu.

"We like to think we bring a home aspect of cooking. We make everything in-house – sauces, pickles, everything. It's all made with heart and our own recipes, with Jimmy's Sheffield background too."

"We like to think we bring a home aspect of cooking," said Paddy | Ciara Healy

Jimmy's didn't always focus solely on burgers. Paddy said the business originally served a wider range of food before deciding to specialise in smashed burgers.

"I started with Jimmy years ago. We did burgers and other things on the side, but we loved the burger aspect, so we decided to revamp the brand and just do smashed burgers.

"Now here we are today – four sites, new recipes and sauces that we made for Sheffield."

Since joining Cambridge Street on June 5, the business has welcomed a different mix of customers to its original Sheffield location.

"It's a different atmosphere to Cutlery Works for sure," Paddy said.

Like the burger that has become one of its signatures, Jimmy's remains unapologetically strong and northern. | Ciara Healy

"We get more office workers coming in for lunch, more students and people coming in to watch football.

“It’s busier, but it’s great - it keeps me moving."

He explained that many customers who first discovered Jimmy's at Cutlery Works had followed the business and were keen to show their support for the new city centre opening.

"Everyone has said, 'We're so happy you're here.' We're glad that we have that community where everyone wants to support us," he said.

Like the burger that has become one of its signatures, Jimmy's remains unapologetically strong and northern - rooted in Sheffield, even as the business continues to grow beyond South Yorkshire.