Homegrown burger joint Burgers by Alvin Cailan has officially kicked off its European Tour—and it comes as no surprise that, on its first two legs, he already sold out. Representing the Philippines on an international stage, the proudly Filipino brand made its mark from the get-go.
At the Stockholm Burger Fest in Sweden hosted by the legendary Burger Dudes, it was one of only three burger concepts worldwide that was invited to participate. The other notable two were Hundred Burgers from Valencia, Spain and Meat Castles from Retford, Nottinghamshire, in the United Kingdom.
How Burgers by Alvin Cailan is flying the Philippine flag across Europe
“We served over 4,000 burgers across three days with 12-hour lines, completely selling out every day,” remembers Cailan. “But what really made my heart full was how the crowd—especially the massive Filipino community who traveled from all over Europe—reacted to the flavors. We’re serving our signature style smash burger, but the secret sauce is how we’ve sneakily elevated it with distinct Filipino profiles. Our red sauce features a beautiful, savory touch of patis that completely unlocked something new for the European palate. They loved it.”
From there, they flew to Denmark for a pop-up with the iconic Gasoline Grill in Copenhagen. “Day one sold out in two and a half hours, but day two was even more insane—we completely sold out our entire inventory in just an hour and a half,” says Alvin. “For that one, we paired Gasoline’s famous beef and bun with our signature onions two ways and a special green sauce that we also dialed in with those distinct, vibrant Filipino flavor notes. Seeing Danes line up around the block for a taste of our profile was electric.”
The Filipino burger brand winning over Europe one smash burger at a time
Joined by his business partners—Lui Clavano and Fonso Pedrosa—along with their chef Russ Javier, Cailan will be traveling around Europe until the first week of June to continue promoting not just his brand but also his signature flavors and some ingredients from the Philippines, including muscovado sugar and calamansi.
“Honestly, the response to what we’re putting out has been completely mind-blowing. We are out here flying the Philippine flag on the global stage, and the world is quite literally lining up for it,” he says. “It’s been an absolute grind, but seeing how much everyone is genuinely loving the burger and embracing those subtle Filipino touches in our sauces has been the ultimate reward.”
Burgers by Alvin Cailan heads to London, Dublin, and Antwerp for European Burger Tour
They just wrapped up their gigs in London where they fulfilled back-to-back events with Chet’s and Bleecker Burger, officially named the “No. 1 Best Burger in the World” by the World’s 101 Best Burger Places and is also Alvin’s personal favorite. It came as no surprise that they sold out Chets at the Hoxton for the first two evenings. But guests shouldn’t fret as the shop will be carrying the two items—a Los Angeles chili cheeseburger and a spicy crispy eggplant sandwich with confit tomatoes and crispy Thai basil—in the menu for the next two weeks.
After Bleeker, they then head to Dublin, Ireland to cook with Barry Wallace from Dash Burger, followed by Antwerp, Belgium for the Drip Festival.
They intend to find time during the trip to take a small break in Paris, where chef Alvin plans to take his team to Dumbo, Junk and Specimen so they could see how the French are smashing burgers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Burgers by Alvin Cailan is a Filipino burger brand known for its smash burgers and flavor profiles inspired by Filipino ingredients and culinary traditions.
The brand has appeared in Sweden, Denmark, London, Ireland, and Belgium as part of its European burger tour.
Its burgers combine classic smash burger techniques with Filipino-inspired flavors, including ingredients such as patis, calamansi, and muscovado sugar.
Yes. The brand sold out events in Stockholm, Copenhagen, and London, with long lines and high demand throughout the tour.
The brand incorporates ingredients and flavor influences such as patis (fish sauce), calamansi, and muscovado sugar into its burgers and sauces.
