DA’Burger’s West End store has ‘the lot’

A GROWING Brisbane boutique burger chain is set to open its third restaurant — and claims it has a unique edge in a crowded market.

DA’Burger owner James D’Ath, general manager Matija Stefancic and agent Ben Hackett at their latest location in West End. Picture: AAP/Megan Slade

A GROWING boutique burger chain will open its third restaurant late next month in a venue it promises will provide “the lot”.

DA’Burger, the brainchild of James D’Ath and wife Wendy Mason, has a seven-year lease with an option on a 223sq m space on the ground floor of 187 Melbourne St, at the corner of Boundary St, on the South Brisbane-West End border.

In a space previously occupied by Irish pub Copperface Jacks, the new DA’Burger will include a restaurant with outside seating and a 12-tap bar.

Mr D’Ath said they would also have an industrial kitchen large enough to provide food to his other outlets in New Farm and Ascot.

“We needed a footprint big enough for me to bring in experimental and day-to-day production in-house so we can bring costs down,” he said.

DA’Burger, which started in 2013, will be paying about $180,000 gross a year plus GST for the Aria Properties-owned site, in a deal struck by Elders Commercial’s Ben Hackett and Robert Koster.

Mr D’Ath said the restaurant would continue DA’Burger’s focus on Australian-style burgers with fresh ingredients such as his family’s own brand of beetroot, tomato and chilli jams.

“There’s a lot of competition out there but I’ve always maintained that we’re unique,” he said.

“I just wanted old-school burgers that Mum used to make when we lived in the bush. None of this brioche American-style yellow cheeseburger that everyone is doing.

“We’re the only ones doing Australian-style burgers and our burgers go out – not up. Our burgers are huge and that’s probably our big point of difference. They’re massive.”

Mr Hackett said the location immediately caught his eye.

“The day I informed them of the site they inspected and they gave us an offer two days later,” he said.

“The property has never been vacant. They signed a heads of agreement while the other tenant was trading.

“Food retail is extremely popular here. This building is on the corner of Boundary and Melbourne streets, which is one of the most popular hub for foodies.”