Where to find the best burgers in Melbourne’s northern suburbs

WELCOME to the burgerhood, where the beards are long and the burgers are high. From Pascoe Vale to Craigieburn, Mill Park to Sunbury, here’s the best burgers in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.

YOU know you’re on fertile burger ground when a suburb’s biggest claim to fame is that it is home to the second-oldest burger joint in the city.

Well, welcome to the burgerhood (otherwise known as The Northern Suburbs), where the beards are long and the burgers are high.

GUIDE TO THE BEST BURGERS IN THE WEST

With restaurants the likes of Danny’s Burgers — a North Fitzroy burgstitution (burger + institution) that has been bringing meat and buns to the people since the mid-1950s — Royal Stacks, Easey’s and Huxtaburger setting up shop in these historically hipster strongholds — there is no shortage of nice buns (of both the meat and man variety) in the north.

Here’s where to find them.

BEST BURGER JOINTS IN THE NORTH

BRUNSWICK

THE B. EAST

80 Lygon Street, Brunswick East

Burgers, beers and bands is always a winning combo. Try the Clint Beastwood:

Southern fried chicken fillet, Westmont pickles, Thousand Island dressing, jack cheddar

and buttermilk slaw. Be rude not to. To quote the great man: “You see, in this world there’s two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded buns, and those who dig. You dig.”

RUDE BOY BURGER

482 Albion Street, Brunswick West

Turn the beef around. The self-titled Rude Boy burger with wagyu, cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, ketchup, mustard and Rude sauce is a classic crowd fave. The Big Popper is also a must eat. I mean, there are jalapeño poppers, like, in the burger. Eyooo.

ROYAL STACKS

800 Sydney Rd, Brunswick

It’s a regal affair at this Brunswick burger shop and their pasture-fed, GMO and hormone-free Aussie beef is clearly the crown jewels. Better make it a double. Burger that is. Lock lips with the Prince Harry or take on Queen Bee. The best bit? Frozen Cookie Monster custard for dessert.

WHAT’S ON IN MELBOURE OVER CUP ‘LONG WEEKEND’

The DBC at Rude Boy Burgers in West Brunswick. Picture Andrew Tauber

The Huxtaburger from Huxtaburger.

JOEY SMALLS

284 Sydney Road, Brunswick

Apparently it’s all about burgers and bars in Brunswick, and Joey Smalls Cantina is coming up trumps with their fusion flavoured buns and spuds. Think beef burgers with Nepalese sauce and loaded fries with Thai bolognese or Japanese-style Okonomiyaki.

LITTLE OSCAR

41 Lygon St, Brunswick East

Get a taste of summer with the Hawaiian Rocker Feller. Wagyu beef, double cheese, grilled bacon, pineapple, jalapeños, lettuce, Oscar sauce and North Carolina BBQ sauce. We can tell you our love for you will still be strong, after the buns of summer have gone.

BURGER BUZZ

33 Sydney Rd, Brunswick

the aussie burger spirit is still alive and kicking at this north-side burger kitchen. get around the Chickie Parma burger, the Rack Off lamburger or, if you’re in need of the ultimate cheat meal, the Brunswick Boss. That’s triple beef, triple cheese, bacon, beetroot, egg, lettuce and beer-battered onion rings. Not for the feint hearted.

B3 BBQ

1a/460 Victoria St, Brunswick

You can now buy a burger that features a hollowed-out beef patty — which is wrapped in bacon and stuffed with pulled pork and cheddar cheese and then smoked — then topped with a cut out bun filled with bacon and hot, liquid cheese that you can dip your chips in. The Big Dipper is available until the end of November at B3 BBQ. After that, the world will probably die of a broken heart.

BEATBOX KITCHEN

692 Sydney Rd, Brunswick

What began as a humble burger truck has now blossomed into ridgy didge, bricks and mortar burger bar. However, if you have a sense of adventure AND a hankering for a burger — you are more than welcome to get trucked. Their kerbside four-wheel kitchen is still taking burgers and beats to the street. Check Facebook for location debts.

JUANITA PEACHES

12 Edward St, Brunswick

Fried chicken, burritos, burgers and doughnuts dished up from a laid back, LA-inspired, Palm Springs-style diner. The cheeseburger is a cult favourite.

CAMPBELLFIELD

BURGIES

3/1488 Sydney Rd, Campbellfield

While The Lava burger is a widely celebrated option (it comes with a lava cheese patty, which is exactly what it sounds like it would be — premium beef patty topped with oozy, aged cheddar), it’s all about the waffle fries at this Campbellfield burger depot. Yes, you read that currently. Waffle. Fries. Cheesy waffle fries. Loaded waffle cheesefries. Whichever way you put it, there’s not denying they’re the bomb.

CARLTON

MASTERS OF BURGEROLOGY

802 Swanston St, Carlton

Is this Melbourne’s fanciest two-handed sandwich? Buns N’ Burner. The delicious double meat patties are cooked in sriracha, topped with freshly cut and grilled jalepenos. We dress it with spicy mayo and sriracha while it sits on a beautiful bed of fresh green oak lettuce and tomatoes. Order some fries and we will serve it to you as all good science experiments should ... expect a flavour explosion!

REVIEW: CARLTON NORTH BAR MAKING A SPLASH

NEW YORK MINUTE

235 Faraday Street, Carlton, 46 Lygon Street, Brunswick East, 491 Mt Alexander Road, Moonee Ponds

Get into an Empire State of mind with these loaded New York-style burgers. Go full Yankee with a Wall Street Eye-Fillet Burger of smoked bacon, Swiss cheese, fresh tomato, spinach and homemade smoky BBQ sauce. Or indulge your southern tastebuds with a Southern Beef Burger of grass-fed beef pattie, slow-cooked brisket, slow-cooked pork, smoked bacon, Swiss cheese, smoky BBQ sauce and cream cheese.

SONNY’S FRIED CHICKEN AND BURGERS

The Curtin, 29 Lygon Street, Carlton

Southern fried chicken and burger specialists. You’ll want to come back time and again for the crispy double chook burger with double cheese, lettuce, mayo and house-made sweet chilli jam with a side of deep-fried pickles. Then dance it off at a live gig after.

THE BEAUFORT

421 Rathdowne St, Carlton

Booze and burgers. Go for broke with The Hallouminati burger. Yes, that’s a burger dedicated to halloumi. Hello, fried halloumi, kale slaw, marinated tomatoes, chipotle peanut butter and ranch dressing. And pair it with a classic cocktail. What better way to wash it down than with a Negroni or a Spiced Rum Swizzle. Because #YOLO.

COBURG

COBURGER AND CO

67 Moreland Rd, Coburg

All the people in my life are like, settling down and having babies and what not. I’m just over here trying to complete the Coburger 8-minute Insta Challenge. Double wagyu, double cheese, double bacon, double KFC, jalapeño poppers, onion rings, ketchup, mustard, pickles and house sauce in under eight minutes? Now that right there is some serious #lifegoals.

PENTRIDGE BURGERS

1B/41-43 Stockade Ave, Coburg

To quote PB: Sun’s out, buns out. And we totally agree. Turn up the heat with a Hell Division burger. Double beef patty, double cheddar, double pickle, chilli sauce and aioli. Heyoo.

COLLINGWOOD

EASEY’S

3/48 Easey Street, Collingwood

Take your tastebuds on a trip down Easey Street with these epic buns. Plus, you can eat them sitting in a train carriage on top of the building. So yeah. It’s pretty hard to top that. See what we did there?

HUXTABURGER

106 Smith Street, Collingwood

Burger for breakfast, lunch and dinner? Don’t mind if we do. Buns are buttery, meat is melt in your mouth. and interior is adequately hipster.

CRAIGIEBURN

RIBS AND BURGERS

Craigieburn Central, 340 Craigieburn Road, Craigieburn

Classic burger combos, done well. Made using Aussie Angus and Wagyu beef, cooked medium, and with a good balance of flavours. Available between buns or naked (in an iceberg lettuce cup), for those looking for a lighter option.

ESSENDON

BEATS BURGERS

255 Keilor Rd, Essendon

A Lenny Crabitz soft-shell crab burger exists and everything seems right in the world. Sidenote: We would also like to unofficially award this the highly coveted title of Best Burger Name in Melbourne. #lovesaburgerpun

DEMAZZI’S STONEGRILL

1142 Mt Alexander Rd, Essendon

This family-owned business might just have some of the most Instagrammed burgers in Melbourne. The Tower burger is basically like playing a game of Jenga and is a precariously stacked pillar of beef, fried chicken, pulled pork, maple bacon, double cheese, lettuce, jalapeños, mustard, ketchup, mate sauce and chilli cheese fries between glossy, lightly-toasted brioche. But it’s not just their savoury buns that bring all the boys to the yard. Their dessert burgers are also a thing of beauty. Think: Golden Gaytime burger, Nutella burger. Nutella platter for two with Nutella mousse brownie, hazelnut crumble, Nutella jam doughnut, Nutella pouring cream and a strawberry Nutella burger in mascarpone. Sorry, got sidetracked.

DRIBBLES BURGERS

2/1142 Mt Alexander Rd, Essendon

All the burgers at Dribbles are inspired by the NBA. There’s the Jordan Royale, the LeBron Burner, the Shaq Stack, Landry’s Field. It makes sense, then, that this burger joint is named after a basketball action. So basically, anyone who eats here is a baller / mad dog / NBA tragic.

The Birdman — with crispy fried chicken, cheese, slaw, kewpie mayo and chipotle — is our go-to.

The Plenty Burger from Chew Burger. Picture: Tony Gough

Dexter’s The Pig’s Head Bun. Picture: Nicole Cleary

JOHNNY PUMP

87 Fletcher St, Essendon

Burgers and monster shakes: a glutton’s fantasy. The pulled pork burger pairs nicely with the caramel popcorn and Oreo dessert shake. The zesty blue heaven and lemon tart shake offsets the crispy southern fried chicken burger. Black Angus beef burger with a Nutella fudge brownie shake and the Veggie B with a white choc and wild berry. Drool.

BIRD AND BURGER

9 Napier St, Essendon

Flick yourself the bird with a succulent chicken burger from this fancy Essendon chook shop. The Satay Chicken is our fave, closely followed by the BBQ ‘Slaw Chicken.

FITZROY

DANNY’S BURGERS

360 St George’s Road, Fitzroy North

If you’re looking for a master burgerologist, Danny’s is it. Having been stacking patties since 1945, this is one of Melbourne’s original bunsters. Though their burgers are more Aussie fish and chip shop style than American-inspired monster towers, when you’ve got 70-plus years’ experience, you don’t need gimmicks to help you sell. Here’s it’s all about lightly toasted (and buttered) homemade buns. Juicy patties. Perfect proportions. Just good, old-fashioned, no-frills burgers.

BROTHER BURGER

413 Brunswick St, Fitzroy

Let the hunger games begin at Brother Burger. The Fun Guy — with Wagyu beef, sauteed shrooms, double cheese, jalapeños, house made onion jam, BBQ sauce and truffle oil — really knows how to throw a burger party in your mouth.

KENSINGTON

JERRY’S BURGERS AND SHAKES

482 Macaulay Rd, Kensington

If there’s one type of burger that is highly underrated, it’s the steak burger. And no, we’re not talking about a steak sanger, we’re talking a proper steak-between-two-buns-burger. If you’re wanting a no-frills scotch fillet burger with the lot (for under $10) — look no further. Or, beef it up (so to speak) and go for a Roadhouse steak burger book ended with double steak, with fried egg, grilled onion, grilled tomato, cheese, lettuce and BBQ sauce in between.

MILL PARK

FAT STAKS

Shop 20/314 Childs Rd, Mill Park

Mill Park locals are not going to pleased that their delicious little secret is out, but get ready for stacks on at Fat Staks. We love a bit of spunk, and these guys have it in spades. They have taken the time to think of hashtags for you, so that’s awesome and will save you time when you are uploading pics of your cheat meal to social. The #pulled is a must-eat. Pulled pork and crispy bacon smothered in molten cheddar, deep fried mac and cheese, slaw, BBQ sauce and house-made Staks sauce. A hidden gem in the north.

CHIP INN BURGER AND GRILL

2/9 Mill Park Dr, Mill Park

Fish and chip shop-style burgers. Mix things up and go for the Trice the Trouble burger. Because sometimes you just want beef, bacon and crispy chicken to be together under the one roof. And also in your mouth.

NORTH MELBOURNE

BABU BURGERS

364 Victoria St, North Melbourne

Build your own gourmet burgers and get a side of juicy balls. Start with a Number 5 as your base: blue cheese, chilli butter bacon and a fried egg, and then do with it what you please.

WONKY TROLLEY

47 Errol Street, North Melbourne

Burgers and beer: a match made in heaven. Go the Full Trolley. Beef, Free Range Bacon, Cheese, Egg, Pineapple, Salad, Relish and Aioli. They also have kids’ sized burgers and shakes

PASCOE VALE

BURGER BASEMENT

3/1 Pascoe St, Pascoe Vale

The Portuguese chicken burger from the Basement will have you feeling very clucky. Peri-peri chicken, tomato, lettuce, grilled onion, jalapeños, cheddar, Peri-Peri mayo and tomato chutney on a fluffy, brioche bun — that is one seriously good looking birdger. Like burger, but with the word bird instead.

COOKHOUSE BURGERS

444A Gaffney St, Pascoe Vale

You’ll definitely be pleased to eat this signature Cookhouse creation. The Pleased to Meat You burger boasts double beef, double cheddar, double bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion, relish and Cookhouse mayo. We suggest bringing your appetite. Or, keep it simple with the classic Times Square combination featuring all your favourite beef burger accompaniments. The Angry Bird is also a tongue tingling option.

PRESTON

CHEW BURGER

147 Plenty Rd, Preston

If Italy swiped right on Mexico, they had a one-night stand and accidentally got pregnant, this burger would be their love child. Wagyu beef with pesto, jalapeños, pan-fried red onion, roast capsicum, spicy salami, bocconcini, spinach and paprika mayo. It’s got some of Italy’s flavours, but it’s spice kick is definitely from Mexico. Either way, it’s still pure bread burger deliciousness.

DEXTER

456 High St, Preston

BBQ meat and buns. That’s what gets Dexter’s juices flowing. There’s the pulled pork bun. The beef brisket bun. The but-why-don’t-we-have-both-bun starring pulled pork AND beef brisket. And the fried chicken bun, to name a few. Whet your appetite with a pickle back (25ml each of bourbon and pickle juice) and then launch straight into the pigs’ head croquette burger with pickled pineapple, pickles and vinegar slaw. Grab a side of hot meat doughnuts. Because yum.

SUNBURY

THE BEST BURGER BAR

55 Oshanassy St, Sunbury

Bringing the old school hamburger vibes to Sunbury. Be sure to order the chips, though. The burgers are delicious, but the beer-battered fries are the real heroes here. We’re talking bacon-loaded fries, nacho fries, gravy fries, jalapeño fries. They even have a range of sides dedicated to the humble mac ‘n’ cheese, which can also be used to pimp your burgers. Just saying.

THORNBURY

KUSTOM BURGERS

861 High St, Thornbury

Kustom by name and by nature. Choose your bun — brioche, old school, gluten free, naked, then choose your burger, then beef it up (so to speak) with add ons.

FOOD TRUCK

MR BURGER

Multiple locations

It’s Melbourne, so of course you can get epic burgers from a food truck. From Brunswick Street to Coburg, Mr Burger has your beef and bun needs sorted.

ROAD TRIP

MAJOR TOM’S

57 Piper St, Kyneton

Gourmet burgers and a great atmosphere is what keeps people coming back to this Piper Street burger project. Burgers are fresh and made using quality local ingredients, washed down with local beers and ciders. We are salivating just thinking about the juicy halloumi burger with beetroot relish, Spanish onion, tomato, lettuce and pickles.

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