The 20 best burgers in Australia

If there's anyone you can trust to pick Australia's best burger, it's Jimmy Hurlston – better known as @jimmysburgers – one of the country's most prolific burger reviewers since 2012. At the inaugural Australia's Best Burger Awards 2025, he crowned CBCo Brewing’s ‘Fillet-O-Shrimp’ with the coveted National Burger Award.. The brewery's next-level burg is an ode to the Maccas fish fave, featuring a panko-crumb prawn patty, lettuce, onion, and a creamy ranch and Japanese Mayo sauce. Yes, yes, yes!

Order the: Fillet-O-Shrimp

Address: 89 Bertie St, Port Melbourne, VIC

Price: $28

One of Sydney’s best burgers is found at subterranean swish steakhouse, The Gidley. And, you can also get your hands on it at Surry Hills bar and bistro, The Rover. Made on a milk bun, the burger features a double beef patty sourced from their in-house butchery at new sibling restaurant Alfie’s, rich cheddar cheese and zingy pickles. You won’t find any salad or fancy relishes, and after one bite, you will forget they even exist. If you’re in a group, waiters recommend getting one as a starter to share, which would be an excellent idea, except you really won’t want to – trust us.

Order the: Gidley Burger

With four locations across Canberra, Brodburger’s variety is unbeatable. Their classic Brodburger is a 200-gram flame-grilled beef patty stacked with lettuce, tomato, red onion, house-made aioli and tomato relish. Choose between brie, blue, cheddar or Swiss cheese for extra goo. Brodburger puts every thinkable protein in between their buns, from steak to lamb patties to salmon fillets, and a large selection of burgers have mini options available. We recommend pulling up to their Fyshwick location tucked inside Capital Brewing Co, where their brews with a burger are a match made in heaven.

Order the: Brod Burger

Address: Fyshwick, Phillip, Tuggeranong & Kingston, ACT

Price: $18.50

Let’s get this out of the way: SK Steak and Oyster isn’t your run-of-the-mill burger joint. This is where you go when you’re ready to flex a little and spend a few extra bucks. The Wagyu burger here is all about understated perfection – premium juicy Wagyu, melted cheese, pickles, a swipe of American mustard, ketchup and a side of fries. For those with commitment issues, extra toppings like lettuce, tomato or a fried egg are on hand. This burger isn’t trying to reinvent the wheel; it’s simply here to remind you that the wheel was perfect to begin with. If you’re out to impress a date or just splurging solo, SK is the place to do it.

Order the: SK Wagyu burger

Address: The Calile Hotel, G12/48 James St, Fortitude Valley, QLD

Price: $38

At this stage of the game, Bad Love Burger Co is a Perth institution when it comes to the saucy buns that we all know and love. From humble beginnings as a pop-up to their now West Leederville home ground, Bad Love is here to stay, and for good reason. Wafer-thin beef patties are smashed to near a crisp, forming a laced edge of sorts that keeps crowds coming back for more, alongside their famed fried chicken and vego burgers alike. Get around the Smokin’ Mike’s BBQ burger with two smashed beef patties, double cheese, bacon, pickles, crispy onions, smoky barbecue sauce and a slathering of tangy chipotle mayo – holy smokes!  

Order the: Smokin’ Mike’s BBQ

Address: 39 Harrogate St, West Leederville, WA

Price: $22

Long before Melbourne jumped on the burger trend train, it had the humble corner shop grilling the good old Aussie burger with ubiquitous add-ons of egg, beetroot and pineapple. This home-grown burger style has become a niche and is all the more reason to seek out the guilty pleasure of a crusty white roll encasing a super-caramelised patty topped with canned pineapple and beetroot, tomato, shredded iceberg lettuce, chopped white onion and bottled tomato sauce. Set aside your pretensions and support the guys who've been doing it since 1939. The classic Andrew's burger order is The Lot, of course, but we really love the Hawaiian Five-O. It comes with your choice of beef, steak or chicken, paired with pineapple, double cheese, fresh tomato, onions, beetroot, lettuce and tomato sauce. Word of warning: this is the kind of burger that warrants plenty of napkins (and not a white shirt). Fun fact: even Ed Sheeran took the time to pay these legends a visit! 

Order the: Hawaiian Five-O

Address: 144 Bridport St, Albert Park, VIC

Price: $19-$21

There are mighty good burgers down in Adelaide, more specifically, at a 2024 addition to the city's food scene, Good Burger. The upmarket diner churns out American fare with a flair, from Philly cheesy fries to hot honey fried chicken, and the burgers are no exception. The G.B. Burger is bound to appease with its smashed beef patty from Marino, cheese, caramelised onion, pickles, chilli, tomato, lettuce and good sauce, tucked between a pillowy potato bun. The 28-seater puts on an extensive drinks list too, and welcomes both casual and nicey-spicy diners all the same.

Order the: G.B. Burger

Address: Daw Park & Bowden, SA

Price: $21

Tucked down a little lane in Fortitude Valley, this decade-old American-style burger joint proves that less truly is more. Take Ben's signature cheeseburger. It’s not one to overthink: beef patty, cheese, pickles, mustard and ketchup. That’s it. No frills, just flawless execution. Vegos can swap their beef patty for a veggie option at no extra charge, and wash it down with a house-made cherry cola or ginger ale. Oh, and don't forget a serve of their perfectly seasoned chilli fries. 

Order the: Classic burger

Address: 5 Winn St, Fortitude Valley, QLD

Price: $13.70

Eat at Robs (short for Rozelle’s Original Burger) was born when owner Michael Carter returned home from travelling and found a lack of good smash burger options. What began as a market stall has now grown into a burger shop that specialises in Oklahoma-style smash burgers with many loyal fans. The menu is short and simple. Choose from a grilled chicken or a smashed burger, featuring 100 per cent grass-fed beef, caramelised onion and melted cheese on Martin’s Potato Rolls that are soft, squishy and a little bit sweet. 

Order the: Original Smash Burger

Address: Darling Street Meats, 621 Darling St, Rozelle, NSW

Price: From $10.50

It was either Theodore Roosevelt or an inspirational quote on Facebook that said, “It is always better to be an original than an imitation.” In either case, the saying is true for the OG burger at Patty Shack Burger Bar in Darwin. The 100 per cent Aussie beef smashed patty is topped with all the classics: cheese, onions, pickles, lettuce, tomato and the secret Shack sauce. It’s simple, but it works. The chefs at Patty Shack know what they’re doing; you don’t mess with a good thing. But you can make a mess with it. Fair warning: you’ll need napkins for this one. 

Order the: OG

Address: 38 Progress Dr, Nightcliff NT

Price: $16

In Adelaide's Mount Lawley hive, there’s a quaint bar and bistro that transports you to a bygone era of ‘Gay Paree’ combined with the present-day charm of New York haunts – Le Rebelle. The intimate night café takes things up a notch with its European fare, along with its thoughtful wine list to match any dish that takes your fancy. By no means is Le Rebelle a burger bar; however, one bunned offering can be found on their menu. The Le Burger bleeds two types of French cheese in all their glossy glory, a punchy tomato relish, and features a melt-in-the-mouth wagyu patty that seeps with its grilled juices – simple yet effective, rebellious by nature. 

Order the: Le Burger

Address: 676 Beaufort St, Mount Lawley, WA

Price: $32

If you're after a late-night feed, look no further than Butchers. The American-inspired diner specialises in all things meaty, from steak and eggs to pork tongue skewers to blood sausages. But the real standout is its burgers, available from 11.30am until 1am, six days a week. Starting at 15 buckaroos for an old-school hamburger, the eats here are budget-friendly but don't skimp on quality. The cheeseburger is perhaps not as sauce-slathered or loaded with the accoutrements as some other burgers on this list, but the simplicity of its construction really allows the slightly caramelised flavour of the meat to shine. A great pick for true carnivores. You can also get it with crispy house bacon for an extra $3.

Order the: Cheeseburger 

Address: 10 Bourke St, Melbourne, VIC

Price: $20

From humble beginnings in a travelling food van, Billy has settled into his waterfront position on Hobart’s Constitution Dock with an epic menu including boozy shakes. But it’s burgers where Billy excels, and The Beast burger is unapologetically huge. Triple beef patty. Triple cheese. Double bacon. Double bun. Yes, you read that right. Smothered in Billy’s special sauce, with a punch from pickles, caramelised onions and a surprising sweetness from beetroot, this burger is for the brave and the ravenous. The Beast isn’t just a meal – it’s a commitment. Also, don’t miss their jalapeno cheese corn poppers – spicy, crispy and perfect for nibbling while you wait for your mountain of a burger to arrive.

Order the: The Beast

Address: Elizabeth Street Pier, Hobart, TAS

Price: $38.50

Grease Monkey, or Greasy’s as it’s affectionately known, is flipping gourmet burgers in three locations around Canberra. Their burgers are served with chippies and the menu has something for everyone, be it a simple cheeseburger, an earth-shattering fried chook, or crumbed portobello mushroom. We love their Italian(ish)-inspired parmy, where chicken schnitzel meets Napoli sauce and melty mozzarella sticks. Grease Monkey also sell one of the country’s best Philly cheesesteaks. Once you’ve tried every burger on the menu, return for their burger special of the moment. Swing by on a Tuesday for their ‘Tightarse Chewsday’ special, when burgers come with a free beer.

Order the: The Parmy

Address:19 Lonsdale St, Braddon, ACT 

Price: $28

Chebbo's Burgers has taken the social media world by storm, and for good reason. They specialise in smash burgers, and they’re as delicious as they are good-looking. The team started as a food truck in Roselands, and they’ve just opened their first bricks-and-mortar store in Marrickville. If it’s your first time, go for their classic bad boy with a smashed beef patty, American cheese, the usual suspects (lettuce, tomato, fresh onion) and Chebbo’s special sauce. 

Order the: Classic Burger

The Broken Hearts team went from pop-up to permanent fixture, and for good reason. The Classic Smash here is a tribute to the art of smashing meat, featuring a patty blend that reads like a who’s-who of beef cuts (chuck, porterhouse, sirloin, oyster blade and yes, bacon), topped with American cheese, bread-and-butter pickles, and a house-made pink sauce that flirts with addiction. You’ll almost always spot a line out the door, but the payoff is one of Brisbane’s fastest and most delectable burgers. 

Order the: Classic Smash

Address: Multiple locations across QLD

Price: $11.50

Fancy pants Gimlet might be the last place you think of when you want a good old-fashioned cheeseburger, but think again. On late nights in the CBD when you're craving a cheesy beefy monstrosity, there are only so many spots that will welcome you in – and deliver. Gimlet's $28 cheeseburger is a fluffy potato bun sandwiching plenty of housemade dill sauce, pickles, onions, a succulent patty of Gippsland beef and, of course, a generous smoosh of American cheese. You can only get it two nights a week after 10pm. Well worth a midnight trip into the city, we reckon.

Order the: Cheeseburger

Address: Cavendish House, 33 Russell St, Melbourne, VIC

Price: $28

This casual café at Sydney's Petersham Park serves up nostalgic milkbar-style hits, including three cracking burgers – our favourite is the Cheeseburger. Just like a Macca's cheeseburger, it contains a beef patty, American cheese, pickles, white onion, tomato sauce and mustard, on a milk bun – but every ingredient is just that much finer, and a little more care taken in the assembly. 

Order the: Cheeseburger

Address: 2A Station St, Petersham, NSW

Price: $17

There’s a wood-centric small bar over in Adelaide's Osborne Park that takes drinkers and diners on an adventure to the Balkans through the medium of bites, burgers and beverages. The team at Chich do things a little differently, and it surefire shows in the best way possible. With a secret pljeskavica family recipe (that’s the grilled beef patty) hailing from Macedonia and going strong since the 1970s, it’s safe to say that you’re in for a treat. And although gnawing into the plain pljeskavica is tempting, the Godfather Deluxe is mighty irresistible with the addition of cheddar, coppa (pork cold cut), gherkins, red onion, tomato, lettuce and godfather sauce. It’ll have you saying, ‘wow, just like baba’s’.

Order the: Godfather Deluxe

Address: 232 Main St, Osborne Park, WA

Price: $26

Whether you pull up a pew in the decommissioned bus, claim a seat in arguably one of Hobart’s best beer gardens, or cosy up inside, Preachers is always a solid performer. They’ve nailed the vegetarian burger game with The Halloumi. Grilled halloumi brings a salty, creamy bite, balanced by roasted sweet potato and the zing of pickled onion. Add to that a crunchy mix of lettuce and tomato, and it’s all held together with a sweet chilli mayo that takes it to the next level. It’s a textural masterpiece.

Order the: The Halloumi

Address: 5 Knopwood St, Hobart, TAS

Price: $24.50