ON a Wednesday afternoon, my colleagues and I headed to Punta Princesa for a shoot and interview at a local burger joint and arrived just a few minutes before its opening time. The crew was buzzing around the kitchen, preparing to feed another batch of hungry customers. With the freshly made patties slowly sizzling on the grill and the deep fryer hot and ready to get those fries golden, 21 South Burger officially opened for the day.
The second they opened, it didn’t take long for the day’s first customer to arrive, and then the second, the third, and then I lost count. Looking around, I noticed a diverse pool of diners: young students, groups of friends, couples—all there for a good late afternoon bite.
With its affordable price range, it’s no wonder that they draw in such a wide range of customers. On busy days, the queue gets pretty long, but returning fans and curious foodies brave the waiting time just to get their burger fix—and mind you, I’ve experienced this myself.
“When I started this business, it was never about the profit,” owner Martin Philip David said. “There was no proper burger joint in our area and I saw that as an opportunity.”
Martin’s nonchalance is translated seamlessly into 21 South’s brand: no-frills burgers, ditching the frou-frou and focusing on quality components. Homemade buns, pure beef patties, a special house sauce, crisp and fresh vegetables—these are the core ingredients that make 21 South’s standout sandwiches.
On average, 21 South serves about 200 sandwiches daily, the Bacon Mushroom being the bestseller. During its first few months, Martin experimented with the burgers until he curated a menu with a solid selection: the Classic, the Double (Patty), the Chicken and Teriyaki Chicken Burger (made with deep fried chicken thigh), the Bacon Mushroom, and the Beast: a hefty stack of double patties, two slices of cheddar, lettuce, crispy bacon and mushrooms. Each order comes with a side of parmesan fries, too—quite a posh touch from a seemingly modest establishment.
When it opened in February last year, 21 South’s original space was previously his parents’ carinderia that he was supposed to take over. Inspired by a popular California-based burger chain, Martin took this chance to start a business and open his own burger joint instead. It didn’t take long before swarms of Cebuanos took notice (thanks to social media, of course) and flocked to try. To serve its customers better, 21 South moved to a bigger space in J&J Residences (just a few meters away from its first location) last July, now with parking space and a 36-seat capacity.
On plans of expansion, Martin prefers to keep it small, around five outlets so as not to saturate or spread the business too thinly. 21 South Burger is already slated to open in South Town Centre in Talisay City before the year ends. Martin also hopes to bring 21 South to Mandaue and Mactan. Opened just this month, the old space has also become the home of Slices by 21 South, Martin’s foray into another classic food item: pizza.
As the evening creeps in, we vacate our table to make space for other customers, leaving with full and happy tummies yet slightly groggy all from the burgers we devoured. Whether it’s about earnestly serving good quality food or making profit, 21 South Burger is a living, delicious testament that with the right ingredients, a business can successfully do both.
21 South Burger is located in Unit 105 of J&J Residences, E. Sabellano Street, Punta Princesa, Cebu City. Store hours are from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., Wednesday to Monday (closed on Tuesday).