Best burgers in Melbourne: Why we’re obsessed with fast food favourite
American fast food franchises are landing thick and fast in Melbourne, so what’s fuelling the city’s burger obsession?
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“Everyone remembers eating a good burger, especially their first and best.”
Chef Sean Connolly knows what’s feeding Melbourne’s cult-like burger obsession.
They’re affordable, portable, unpretentious, accessible, easy to make (dare we say) and downright delicious.
You’ll find them in every city, suburb and region across the country – flipped in a fast food frenzy by career-chefs and everyone in between.
And there’s no sign of the trend slowing soon, with American franchises landing thick and fast.
Five Guys planted a stake in Melbourne last August and LA-famous In and Out Burger hasn’t been shy of a Chapel St pop-up.
Earlier this year, US burger giant Wendy’s said it wanted a bite of our market.
Carl’s Jnr is also ambitiously vying to be among the top three burger joints in Oz – behind McDonald’s and Hungry Jacks – with the parent company of the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) chain Carl’s Jr supporting plans to double its footprint in 18 months and opening more than 200 stores nationally by 2027.
Next month Carl’s Jnr will open its 42nd franchise in Craigieburn, but managing director Andrew Firn said getting into the Aussie market wasn’t easy.
“For those with a drive-through model, finding sites can be problematic. Planning can take a long time and it takes time to get to any sort of scale,” he said.
“So when you see stories of these American chains wanting to open ... a lot of this is just talk.
“We have a pipeline now that we’ve been working on over the last five years that’ll see us build on our 40 restaurants open today, with signed agreements or construction on another 40 in the next 18 months.”
So what’s fuelling our city’s burger hunger?
Connolly, who opened his first Melbourne venue Shush Burger earlier this year, said meat between two buns was “an every man’s kind of dish”.
“It’s an affordable obsession. For the burger connoisseurs out there, it doesn’t break the bank.”
The Yorkshire-born chef turned hotel restaurant pro said he’s had to tweak his recipe for Melburnians.
“I reduced the fat content in our burgers. I think my burgers were a little juicy, but wherever you go, you’ll have to tweak your recipes for your market,” he said.
“There’s a real burger culture in Melbourne that I respect.”
Firn said the snack had always been a firm fave in fast food land.
“Burgers have always been front of mind for takeaway foods in Australia, along with pizza and chicken,” he said.
“We wouldn’t be opening 200 restaurants if consumers weren’t coming in and buying burgers from us. And (QSR’s parent company CKE Restaurants) wouldn’t be investing to turbocharge growth if we didn’t think we’d be successful.”
While burgers can be found anywhere, not all will be good.
“There’s a science to it. I respect people rolling them out constantly as it’s hard to get right,” Connolly said.
“You have to choose the right meat, texture and grind, the bun. I love seeing how (the chains) do things. Five Guys and Betty’s Burgers are some of the best. I love it when I see people raising the bar. It inspires me.”
As for Connolly’s first and best burger?
“I remember my first Maccas burger in Trafalgar Square, London, in 1978,” he said.
“We dabbled ... in the 70s with Wimpy burgers, but nothing was like the Maccas cheeseburger with french fries and a root beer.”
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