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What happens when a Siberian burger master and a British music producer join forces in Prague? You get Cheese Bombs, UFOs, and a growing burger empire that refuses to play by the rules.
Nikita Sidorov and Tim Simenon, two long-time Prague expats with a shared love of food, music, and mischief, have carved out a cult following in Vinohrady with their viral burger creations.
Now, the duo behind Hoxton Burgers and Megablast are taking things further, opening a second Hoxton Burgers location near Jiřího z Poděbrad with a new brunch menu, weekday lunch deals, and plenty of that signature “Burger Madness.”
The kitchen serves all the familiar dishes that made the first location such a hit, but the curated brunch offer has quickly helped make Hoxton JZP a favorite local haunt.
Sidorov and Simenon put a breakfast spin on their one-of-a-kind UFOs: crispy golden brioche buns sealed with soft scrambled eggs, cheddar cheese, bacon, sausage, caramelized onion, or grilled truffle mushrooms.
“This is our take on breakfast,” says Simenon. “We are not pro chefs, but we know what we like and don’t like. Niki and I taste everything to make sure it’s what we want. That’s how it generally works. We fine-tune things to our palettes.”
Simenon, a UK native, and Sidorov, who hails from Siberia, were something of competitors before they became business partners.
Sidorov was running The Craft, a burger joint on Náměstí Míru with pop-up booths at the city’s Manifesto Markets. Meanwhile, Simenon, after years on the road producing music – most notably for Depeche Mode’s Ultra album – decided to switch gears and go into the restaurant business. A dedicated home cook who likes to experiment in the kitchen, his Brixton Balls became a Vinohrady darling.
The spot was just around the corner from The Craft, and Sidorov would regularly stop by for Simenon’s trademark meatballs. The two became friendly acquaintances, bonding over a shared love of eccentric music, skateboarding, and unconventional food recipes.
Right before Covid hit, Simenon sold Brixton Balls to travel. When he returned to Prague, he bumped into Sidorov on the street, and their friendship resumed as if no time had passed.
Talk eventually turned to experimenting in the same kitchen, and the blueprints for the first Hoxton Burgers quickly fell into place.
The Craft was rebranded, and the interior redesigned to showcase Sidorov and Simenon's eclectic tastes. (“Each of our restaurants has its own vibe and look,” explains Simenon. “It’s very personal. It’s very us.”)
The two created the menu virtual from scratch. They immediately came up with an instant hit: the Hoxton Cheese Bomb, liquid cheddar that customers pour over their burgers. The dish is served with rubber gloves.
“People really, really love it. It’s like we are bombing the burgers,” says Sidorov with a laugh.
Simenon agrees: “That’s what put us on the map. A lot of customers would come in and film each other holding the Cheese Bomb, so that went viral.”
Menu inspiration comes from many different sources. Simenon and Sidorov stay on top of what’s happening at restaurants around the world, routinely following social media channels, trying out recipes that catch their eye, and then putting their own twist on the ingredients and presentation.
That’s how they perfected the UFO Burgers, their signature sealed burger dish that was first introduced at Megablast; chef Jakub Horák, with a Michelin-star pedigree, is working to add a bit of Japanese spice to the menu selection there.
Hoxton Burgers at JZP has borrowed from both Náměstí Míru restaurants but put its own spin on the dishes, which is in line with Simenon and Sidorov’s vision. While “Burger Madness” is what connects their portfolio, each restaurant is a standalone venue, offering a unique vibe, character, and food selection.
“People consider a burger restaurant to be a place where you go in the evening for a burger and a beer. But we are trying to break this perception,” says Sidorov. In addition to breakfast, Hoxton JZP recently unveiled Weekday Wins, a lunch special that includes a burger, fries, and cola for less than 250 CZK.
Sitting in Hoxton Burgers on a recent weekday morning, the place has already established a loyal following. The tables are steadily filling up and it’s not even 11 a.m. Keith Haring pieces and framed LPs decorate the walls, seamlessly blending in with the neighborhood’s hipster vibe. Music hums pleasantly in the background.
“When you get right down to it, it’s really just about music and food. This is how it all started. Music and food have a lot in common,” says Sidorov. “Everybody generally loves burgers. We want people to come in, check out our burgers with our twists, and have a good time.”
