US cult burger chain Five Guys is finally coming to the big smoke, with a Sydney CBD store set to open in May. It is headed to Spiden House at 383 George Street, opposite The Strand Arcade.

The chain dipped its toe in the Australian market last year, opening a store in Penrith after switching to a suburban-led roll-out due to the pandemic. With the Sydney CBD starting to recover, the city is back in its plans,

When Good Food revealed in 2020 that Five Guys was Australia-bound, the story went viral online.

So, what's all the fuss about?

The American chain prides itself on doing things properly: there are no freezers or microwaves, and burger patties and fries are made fresh every day. Lettuce is hand-shredded and the level of detail to the operational procedure documents is NASA-like.

With its signature red and white colour scheme, the Penrith store opened with an entry-level burger for $17 ("little" hamburgers start at $14), while toppings free. The 15-item extras list brims with the likes of grilled mushrooms, onions and jalapeno peppers

Seagrass Boutique Hospitality – the group behind venues such as 6 Head and Ribs & Burgers – picked up the local master franchise for the brand and plan to open additional Five Guys outlets in 2022, with Melbourne on the radar.