Big burgers, giant parmas: Gut-busting food challenges across Melbourne
WHETHER it’s a towering burger, a giant pizza or massive parma — there’s a challenge to get your stomach pumping and tastebuds tingling in many of Melbourne’s restaurants and cafes.
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ONCE the playground of America, there’s no denying the growing trend of food challenges across Melbourne.
Whether it’s a towering burger, a giant pizza or massive parmigiana — there’s a challenge to get your stomach pumping and tastebuds tingling in many of Melbourne’s restaurants and cafes.
You could be forgiven for thinking those challenges would be in Melbourne’s CBD, but with a little research we’ve found challenges in all corners of the city.
From a triple parma challenge in Nar Nar Goon to a Halal Snack Pack challenge in Boronia the following list has most food groups covered too.
SUCKER’S GUIDE TO A MELBOURNE FOOD COURT
NORTH
The triple bypass burger
Donnybrook Hotel, 825 Donnybrook Road, Donnybrook
The name says it all — now get ready to feel your heart start to pump harder as you read about the ingredients. Beef patties (plural), steak, chicken schnitzel, potato cakes, eggs, bacon, onions, pineapple, tomato, beetroot, cheese and tomato relish. You’ll need a paramedic waiting on standby. Only available at lunchtime Monday to Thursday.
Man mountain burger challenge
Chip Inn Burger and Grill, 2/9 Mill Park Drive, Mill Park
Four beef patties, four rashers of bacon and eight slices of melted cheese — that’s one large burger. Finish it in store and get on the wall of fame.
SOUTH
Big dog burger challenge
Big Dog Diner, 3/78 Cranbourne Rd, Frankston
Win an ipad when you finish Four 250 gram burger patties stacked with four slices of cheese and salads with a side of french fries in one sitting.
SOUTH EAST
Parmagoona triple parma challenge
Nar Nar Goon Hotel — Main Street, Nar Nar Goon
Finish three large parmas, chips and a pot of beer in 45 minutes and you get your meal for free. But be warned, only one man has completed the challenge — in January 2017.
The Burger Boss Challenge
Burger Boss Melbourne — 334A Highett Rd, Highett
Hungry? This six patty burger with cheese and toppings and a side of chips might tickle your fancy. There’s only one problem — to get a free meal, hat and your picture on the wall of fame you’ll need to polish it off in 10 minutes.
Dim sim challenge
Sally’s Big Arse Burgers — 24-26 Beaconsfield-Emerald Rd, Beaconsfield Upper
She might have big arse burgers, but Sally holds a dim sim challenge once a year where patrons are invited to chow down on as many of the deep fried treat as they can in five minutes.
Burger Challenge
Misty’s Diner — 103-105 High Street, Prahran
You have 14 minutes to eat this monster hamburger filled with five patties, five slices of cheese, five rashers of bacon, a whole lot of mayo, BBQ sauce and a half order of fries.
EAST
Heavenly burger challenge
Captain America’s Hamburger Heaven, 38-40 Forest Road, Ferntree Gully
This women’s only challenge asks female patrons to indulge in a double #4 heavenly burger and 300 grams of chips. If you finish it all in an hour you’ll get your picture on the Wall of Fame. Beat the women’s record and you win the meal free too.
Mount Halal Challenge
Jimmyz Kebabs, 2/255 Dorset Rd, Boronia
This gigantic Halal Snack Pack challenge gives patrons the chance to attempt to beat the secret menu item called the Mount Halal. Those who have tried and failed say there’s enough food to feed six people.
3kg Super Saiyan god burger challenge
JD’s burgers, 17 Hamilton Street, Mont Albert
Hold onto your stomachs, 16 layers of beef, bacon and cheese sounds like one of the biggest, most difficult food eating challenges in Melbourne. And you’ve got only 40 minutes to consume it all. If the 3kg seems all too much (who could blame you) then there is a smaller 1.5kg challenge that includes only (ahem) eight layers of beef, bacon and cheese. If you win, you get your picture on the wall of fame and get to take home some Dragon Ball Z memorabilia and a gift card.
WEST
2.5kg parma challenge and scorpion burger challenge
Cody’s Cafe, 16/455 Ballan Road, Wyndham Vale
If you like you’re food big and full of flavour Cody’s Cafe is the place to be. Their giant food challenges are well known by locals — so why not give it a try.
INNER MELBOURNE
22 inch pizza challenge
Shawcross Pizza Joint — 324 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
It’s equal to four regular 12” pizzas and those who can finish the pizza in one sitting wins a free shirt and a photo on the wall of fame.
60 buffalo wings in 60 minutes
Kodiak Club — 272 Brunswick St, Fitzroy
Competitors have an hour top polish off 60 buffalo hot wings and if they do, they win their meal for free and get a photo on the wall of fame.
One metre pizza challenge
Critinis — 198-204 Faraday St, Carlton
Finish an entire one metre pizza alone and be rewarded with free food at Critinis for a year.
Hell-fire chicken wing challenge
Smokey’s all-American BBQ — 144 Rouse St, Port Melbourne
Finish these spicy wings drenched in a sauce that contains both habanero peppers and trinidad scorpion chillies in 20 minutes and you get a free T-shirt, but don’t forget there’s a five minute “afterburn” period and no drinks or help is allowed.
Grandeosa double parma challenge
Hotel Albion — 146 Evans St, Port Melbourne
Two monsta parmas, half a kilo of chips and a large bowl of salad is no easy feat — but it’s well worth it, if completed in 30 minutes or less you get your picture posted on the restaurant’s Facebook Hall Of Fame and get a spin of the “Wheel of Glory” that decides your prize.
Schnitzelmeister Challenge
Munich Brauhaus — 45 S Wharf Promenade, Melbourne
Consume the 1kg schnitzle plus four sides in an hour and receive the super-schnitz free of charge and get a T-shirt and bragging rights.
What the hell burger challenge
Panned Pizza — 189-191 Bourke St, Melbourne
In the mood for food? Why not smash down a four-pound burger, one-pound of fries and a soda in 45 minutes. You’ll get a free meal and a $20 voucher for your efforts.
Ultimate burger challenge
Cafe 51, 51 Buckhurst Street, South Melbourne
A giant hamburger, a bowl of chips and a milkshake in half an hour? Easy! But you might change your mind when you hear it’s a 1kg beef patty, 10 slices of cheese, 800g cob loaf and salads. Finish it in the time frame and get your meal for free.
Three times ramen challenge
Kokoro Ramen — 157-159 Lonsdale St, Melbourne
Finish three bowls of Tokoyo ramen in 30 minutes and get a free meal voucher and your food for free.
Burger Challenge
The B-East — 80 Lygon St, Brunswick East
Most of the challenges have a 30 minute limit, but B-East offers their customers a 10th of that.
You must eat a Triple B-East Burger in three minutes or less to get your mug on the wall of fame. The kicker, if you beat the current record (under 1 minute) you get $200 cash.
The Don Challenge
Beer and Burger Bar in Richmond — 112 Swan Street, Richmond
Do you like bacon? Those deciding to take on this challenge — you have been warned. There are 16 rashers of bacon included in this burger, along with a 700g brioche bun, two beef patties. Add in 400 grams of chips and two cans of drink and it should be easy to beat the 25 minute record.
Are there any challenges we’ve missed? Have you taken part in any of the above challenges?
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