Where to get the best burgers in NSW? The 17 nominees vying to take out the title at the AHA Awards

The AHA’s Best Burgers in the state have been announced – and they could well be worth a road trip to sample them all. See if your favourite hotel made the list.

Dan Nicholas and Georgia Bounds at Greenwood Hotel, which has been nominated for the Australian Hotel Association Best Burger competition. Picture: Adam Yip

Looking for the best burger around? The state’s 17 tastiest burgers have been announced and this year’s competition is getting juicy.

It’s one of the most competitive categories in the Australian Hotel Association’s Best Burger Award, to be announced on October 31.

North Sydney establishment the Greenwood Hotel were finalists last year and believe they have perfected their ‘wagyu Royale’ burger to clinch the win this year.

Head Chef Sam Matthews said: “using only the highest quality of fresh and local ingredients is what makes the signature wagyu Royale burger a winning burger”.

“The Greenwood Hotel’s overall food philosophy is to not compromise on quality for an approachable pub food menu,” he said.

Greenwood Hotel’s burger entry into AHA’s Awards

“All our ingredients are delivered and prepped fresh each day, making sure only the best is served. We try not to over complicate things, stick to what people love and let the quality speak for itself.”

But the other nominees will give the Greenwood Hotel a run for their money – see if your favourite hotel made the list:

Bushrangers Bar & Brasserie’s Beef burger combines high quality rump and sirloin steak, secret recipe relish and all the traditional fixings for $22 single or $28 double patty. You’ll find it at Largs, near Maitland.

Coramba Hotel’s Valley Burger’s grass-fed smashed beef brisket patty is made-in house at Coramba, near Coffs Harbour, with beer-battered onion rings and chipotle barbecue sauce for $22.

Eagle Hawk Hotel’s ‘The Eagle Hawk Burger’ is a “delectable” double-patty burger with grain-fed beef, bacon, fried egg and more for $28. Order one at the pub at Sutton near Canberra

Federal Hotel’s $17.50 Federal Summon Burger comes with a beef patty, cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, topped with aioli and their signature ‘Feddy’ sauce.

The giant burger at The Eagle Hawk Hotel

Hotel Gosford’s Classic Beef Burger is a tried and true classic that comes with burger sauce with a side of chips for $24

In the Hunter Valley,Huntlee Tavern’s Open Works Burger costs $27 for a 200 gram classic beef patty and the complete works on a brioche bun.

The Open Works Burger at The Huntlee Tavern

Lake Illawarra Hotel’s Southwest Chicken Burger is a delicious southwest buttermilk chicken thigh fillet with American cheese, slaw, Frank’s hot sauce, chipotle mayo and served with chips for $20.

Lakeview Hotel Motel’ at Oak Flats’Nashville Fried Chicken Burger Southern Fried Chicken burger with Oak Lettuce, Cheese, Pickles and burger sauce $20 for members, $24 for non-members.

Nags Head Hotel’s Beef Burger Nags comes with a Nags beef patty, pickled onions, American cheese, and their house burger sauce for $22.

Manning River Hotel’s Working Class Man Burger is a traditional, hearty “works” burger for the family, with double-smoked bacon and tangy barbecue sauce for just $19.

Manning River Hotel’s Working Class Man Burger

Plough & Ale’s Signature Cheese dishes up $27 worth of double wagyu patties, liquid cheese, maple bacon and fries.

Plough and Ale’s Burger

Royal Hotel Randwick sells 300 Royal wagyu Cheese and Bacon Burgers a week with a brisket, chin and rump wagyu patty, and a side of beer-battered chips for $25.

Royal Hotel Randwick’s Cheese and Bacon Burger.

Tattersalls Hotel Armidale’s Wagyu beef burger serves up a house-made patty, infused with mustard and ketchup for extra flavour, on a potato bun with onion rings for $26.

The Coffs Hotel’s $20 Brisket Beef Patty Burger comes with an urban milk bun, coral lettuce, American cheese, and their in-house signature ‘Coffs’ sauce.

The burger at The Coffs Hotel

Prince of Merewether’s, who won the award last year, have a $23 Prince Beef Burger which is a joint creation with EatRascal featuring RASCAL sauce, and a special $25 plant based VEEF option.

The Riley’s Beef Burger boasts a $22 juicy, flavoursome burger with “The Riley’s” secret sauce, that proves simplicity is best.

The winner will be named at a gala ceremony on Tuesday, 31 October 2023 at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney.

A full list of finalists for this year’s AHA NSW Awards for Excellence can be found at www.ahaawardsnsw.com.au