The Melbourne burger scene may not be as vigorous as it once was, with new openings popping up just about everywhere and food trucks flying around Melbourne CBD. But it’s hard to ignore just how rich and vibrant the city is when locals and visitors inevitably embark on that admirable quest to find the best burgers Melbourne has to offer.
The choices are endless, with the likes of Collingwood favourite Easey’s, no-brainer picks like the stalwart Andrew’s Hamburgers, or the ever-reliable Leonard’s House of Love. Melbourne is, after all, a city that lives or dies on its well-sourced produce, and that penchant for culinary excellence certainly spills over to both fast-casual burgers and gourmet restaurant burgers.
Here we’ve rounded up the best burgers in Melbourne so you know exactly where to go next time you’re craving some carbs. Let’s get into it.
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The Best Burgers In Melbourne CBD
Bar Margaux
Located on Lonsdale Street, Bar Margaux is a classic French brasserie and a constant favourite for when anyone in Melbourne CBD is craving some steak frites. And yeah, the steak here is invariably excellent but you’ll be selling yourself short if you didn’t at least once try the $32 signature MGX Burger.
Also served with frites, the MGX Burger is as decadent and comforting as anything else on the menu, stacking up nicely with two 120-gram Wagyu patties, organic sliced cheese, bacon and a Bordelaise sauce made from bone marrow, shallots, red wine and pepper all layered onto a sugary soft milk-brioche bun.
Melbourne falls a bit behind Sydney when it comes to premium burgers in sit-down restaurants. But the city isn’t too far behind, especially with the likes of Rockpool Bar & Grill, Gimlet and Bar Margaux.
Address: Basement/111 Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Contact: (03) 9650 0088
Opening Hours: Tuesday — Wednesday (5 PM — 11 PM); Thursday — Saturday (5 PM – 1 AM)
Rockpool Bar & Grill Melbourne, Southbank
Fork out $23 at Rockpool Bar & Grill and you’ll get Neil Perry’s iconic David Blackmore’s Full Blood Wagyu Burger with bacon, gruyere cheese, onion, and a zuni pickle. Another option on the menu is David Blackmore’s Full Blood Cheeseburger (also $23) that arrives without the onion or zuni pickle, but promises an equally delicious meal.
The fine dining burger is still one of the best and most influential in Australia, making a strong case for simplicity as long as you’re using the right produce and, of course, know how to get one of those juicy David Blackmore’s Full Blood Wagyu patties perfectly medium-rare. A must-visit.
Address: Crown Casino, 8 Whiteman St, Southbank VIC 3006
Contact: (03) 9081 0532
Opening Hours: Monday — Wednesday (12 PM — 2:30 PM, 6 PM — 9 PM); Thursday (12 PM — 2:30 PM, 6 PM — 9:30 PM); Friday — Saturday (12 PM — 2:30 PM, 5:30 PM — 10 PM); Sunday (12 PM — 2:30 PM, 6 PM — 9 PM)
Gimlet at Cavendish House
As one of the newer entries on this list of the best burgers Melbourne has to offer, Gimlet has a lot of competition to muscle out. Fortunately, Andrew McConnell does it in style, with this incredibly attractive and highly ornate cocktail bar quickly shooting through as not just one of the best new restaurants in Melbourne, but one of the best spots to get a more refined late-night burger than what you’d find at a more casual restaurant.
You won’t find the $28 classic cheeseburger (Gippsland strip steak, bullhorn pepper, green sauce and chilli 58) on the regular dining menu here. You’ll need to grab the Supper menu that’s available after 10 PM on Friday and Satuday nights, which pumps out this late-night gem with equal attention given to each and every layer.
Address: 33 Russell St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Contact: (03) 9277 9777
Opening Hours: Monday – Wednesday (12 PM – 12 AM); Friday – Saturday (12 PM – 1 AM); Sunday (12 PM – 12 AM)
Butchers Diner
Located in the Imperial Hotel on Bourke Street, Butcher’s Diner is the go-to if you’re craving a good burger after a big night out in Melbourne CBD. The kitchen runs almost all day, and it’s just as viable for a feed at noon as it is when the sun goes down and those cravings for meat sweats come out.
There’s a slight Japanese influence here that doesn’t feel overdone, worked into the menu in a seamless way so grab some of that Japanese fried chicken to pair up with the signature $22 cheeseburger which has all the usual ingredients – aged chedar, bacon, pickles, and more – layered with a juicy 160 g beef patty. If you’re after something slightly more modest, the regular hamburger will set you back $14.50 and delivers a 120g beef patty, pickles, and sauce.
Address: 10 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Contact: (03) 9639 7324
Opening Hours: Monday – Saturday (11:30 AM – 1 AM)
The Best Burgers In Melbourne’s North/West
Easey’s, Collingwood
There are three decommissioned Melbourne trains atop the multi-level Easey’s, all spray-painted and beaming amongst Collingwood’s skyline. It adds a nice sense of visual flair to Jimmy Hurlston’s relentlessly hipster burger joint, but you’d be mistaken for thinking Easey’s is all style and no substance.
Yes, the Collingwood hamburger restaurant was once crowned as home to Australia’s best burger, for the kitchen’s wildly experimental Easey’s Motz Madness – a double Oklahoma fried onion burger with 2 beef patties, double American cheddar, a potato cake, and a dim sum – but there’s a reverence for simplicity here that Hurlston and his team have clearly perfected after years of research.
After all, Hurlston did write an actual book on burgers and is known as somewhat of an authority on the scene. You’ll be better off going for the more modest burgers on the menu (the $16 single cheesburger), but it’s good to know that Easey’s can rise to the occasion when you’re craving something a bit more experimental (like the $45 Metropolitan Mayhem, with four beef patties, bacon, potato cakes, dim sims, and more) from your favourite burger joints.
Address: 3/48 Easey St, Collingwood VIC 3066
Contact: (03) 9417 2250
Opening Hours: Monday – Thursday (11 AM – 10 PM); Friday – Saturday (11 AM – 11 PM)
300 Grams, Northcote
Grab some loaded fries and a crispy double patty smash burger at 300 Grams. The Northcote favourite has steadily built a loyal following since opening in 2019 and has since extended to multiple locations to keep up with demand.
The most basic burger on the menu is the $13.50 cheesburger with beef, cheese, onion, pickles, and 300 sauce, but if you’ve worked up a proper appetite, there’s also The Norfcote – 300 Grams’ answer to “The Lot” – with beef, bacon, cheese, egg, tomato, lettuce, beetroot, and sauces. $16.50 for a single and $19.50 for a double.
300 Grams is one of the newest contenders for Melbourne’s burger crown and there’s little doubt we’ll be hearing more from the business in the coming years, especially amongst those who like their burgers packed with heat – the Hot Bird fried chicken burger is incredible.
Address: 313 High St, Northcote VIC 3070
Contact: (03) 7009 6110
Opening Hours: Monday – Wednesday (11:30 AM – 9 PM); Thursday (11:30 AM – 9:30 PM); Friday – Saturday (11:30 AM – 12 AM); Sunday (11:30 AM – 9 PM)
Juanita Peaches, Brunswick
Although Beatbox Kitchen’s Brunswick store may have shut up shop in 2021, much of what made that one of Melbourne’s best burger joints has been transferred over to Juanita Peaches on Edward Street. It’s all fatty American goodness over here, primarily pumping out perfectly crisp fried chicken and a $21 cheeseburger that has a coffee-rubbed, 240g grass fed beef brisket patty flanked by pickles, two slices of cheese and confit shallots.
Given owner Raph Rashid has been known as a bit of an aficionado when it comes to dude food, considering he runs some of Melbourne’s best eateries for carb-lovers such as Taco Truck and All Day Donuts, and pioneered the city’s rich food truck scene, you can bet Juanita Peaches will always be in good hands.
Address: 12 Edward St, Brunswick VIC 3056
Contact: (03) 8060 6664
Opening Hours: Monday – Thursday (12 PM – 9 PM); Friday – Sunday (9 AM – 9 PM)
The Beast, Brunswick
The first thing you’ll want to note when heading along to rock-obsessed The Beast in Brunswick is that the kitchen specialises in Wagyu. The staple southern fried chicken burger here is well worth the price, but if you’re only gunning for one burger go for anything with beef, priced between $15.50 and $20.50.
The kitchen sources its Wagyu from Mayura Station in South Australia, which is some of the best in the country. It’s a dedication to produce you wouldn’t expect from the rather rustic and casual atmosphere, offering a burger menu that’s a bit more elevated and refined than some of the other joints on this list.
You’re here for gourmet burgers that show a nice little slice of creativity like King Khan, layered with a Wagyu beef patty, bacon, Swiss cheese, caramelised pineapple, fermented jalapeno, hot sauce and smokey BBQ sauce.
Address: 80 Lygon St, Brunswick East VIC 3057
Contact: (03) 9036 1456
Opening Hours: Monday – Sunday (12 PM – Late)
Fat Bob’s Bar & Grill, Moorabbin
Fat Bob’s is a beefy little number located out in Moorabbin, sporting a sizable burger menu that’s full of all those loaded American-style classics done incredibly well with good quality produce.
There’s not much in the way of concept here. You’re heading along for the kind of atmosphere you’d want from a grill restaurant, full of mac n cheese bites, chicken wings and – if you’ve chosen right – either a 24-hour braised pull pork burger with grilled pineapple and BBQ sauce or the hotter-than-hot Firestone with house made Carolina Reaper chilli sauce.
The Fat Bob is another popular choice, serving up a 180g grass-fed patty with beetroot, tomato, red onion, tasty cheese, bacon, pineapple, egg, cos lettuce, and Fat Bob’s sauce. For $20.50, you’re getting a great deal here.
Address: 80A Cochranes Rd, Moorabbin VIC 3189
Contact: (03) 9555 0909
Opening Hours: Wednesday – Thursday (5 PM – 9 PM); Friday – Saturday (12 PM – 9:30 PM); Sunday (12 PM – 8:30 PM)
The Best Burgers In Melbourne’s South/East
Leonard’s House of Love, South Yarra
Leonard’s House of Love doesn’t feel like anywhere else in Melbourne, ripping guests away from the city as soon as they enter and throwing them into a log cabin far out in the sticks. A particular craving for poutine and popcorn chicken always brings people through those unassuming doors, but it’s the kitchen’s excellent burgers that deserve all the attention.
The $16.50 signature cheeseburger (or a double for $22) is treated as high-art over at Leonard’s with a deeply flavourful beef brisket and short rib patty layered with melted American cheese, signature burger sauce, pickled and – just for a bit of freshness – lettuce. If you’re looking for a Melbourne hamburger restaurant that offers something a bit different than the usual, head straight to Leonard’s House of Love.
Address: 3 Wilson St, South Yarra VIC 3141
Opening Hours: Monday – Thursday (5 PM – 1 AM); Friday – Saturday (12 PM – 3 AM); Sunday (12 PM – 1 AM)
Andrew’s Hamburgers, Albert Park
Andrew’s Hamburgers is that reliable burger joint most major cities have. You know, the one that’s been around forever and has built up a cult following so fierce and dedicated that there’s almost no space for competition. Andrew’s is home to the best tuckshop burger in Australia.
The Albert Park burger shop has been around since 1939, pumping out what is easily some of the best burgers Melbourne has to offer. The tight menu doesn’t afford many options, but you don’t need many when you’re just going for the $19 signature classic Andrew’s Burger with the lot. The beef patty combines with lettuce, onions, egg, bacon, tomato, double cheese, and sauce is going to taste good. Andrew’s is a no-brainer for our best burgers in Melbourne round-up.
Address: 144 Bridport St, Albert Park VIC 3206
Contact: (03) 9690 2126
Opening Hours: Monday – Saturday (11 AM – 9 PM)
Sam’s Cali Cantina, South Yarra
Sam’s Cali Cantina in South Yarra is one of the more underrated burger joints on this list, constantly pumping out those weekly specials even though most people head here for Taco Tuesdays. The vegetarian option is one of the best meat-alternative burgers in Melbourne, with a mushroom arancini patty layered with American cheddar, lettuce, caramelised onion and truffle mayo.
Address: 760 Chapel St, South Yarra VIC 3141
Contact: (03) 9973 9551
Opening Hours: Monday – Tuesday (5 PM – 9 PM); Wednesday – Sunday (12 PM – 9 PM)
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