The New York City based brand launched just nine years ago when husband-and-wife team Chris Barish and Julie Mulligan opened a compact 15-seat burger bar in NYC's SoHo district. It is now trading in 23 locations, and with just seven in the US. Being international is in Black Tap’s DNA. 

As well as two stores in NYC, it has mainly chosen high-profile sites in iconic cities in the US and globally - from Las Vegas, Miami, Dallas and Downtown Disney to Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Malaysia and the UAE, among others. Next stop is London, just off Piccadilly Circus.

Central to the menu are its award-winning burgers - as Atlantic Club discovered when it visited Black Tap in Nashville with co-founder Chris Barish, the Black Truffle Burger with wagyu beef is a stand-out. 

But craft beer (as the name suggests), cocktails and its oversized, highly-Instagramable milkshakes, trademarked as CrazyShakes, are all part of the brand offering and identity. The restaurant is named after the black beer taps at the bar. The vibe is ‘80s and ‘90s New York, with a playlist to match.

As Barish said, Black Tap is different from most burger joints as the menu continually evolves, often reflecting local tastes and favourites: "Our chef likes to go and try a ton of places to get inspired. Our menu changes twice a year. We're constantly doing research and development on new items.”

It’s big on collaborations too, especially with local micro-brewers to keep its beer selection fresh and interesting.

We’ll soon see what it serves up for London.