Salt, fat, umami – you can’t beat the flavour hit of a well-made burger. Whether you love lacey smashed patties, buttery wagyu or just a simple fast food cheeseburger, Australia is packed full of delicious places to eat patties of all styles, sizes and price points. Here we've ranked the best burger joints from every state and territory in Australia, from family-run food trucks and timeless milk bars to fine dining establishments.
Click or scroll through our gallery as we reveal the ultimate burger spots in Australia. Has your favourite made the cut?
We’ve based our ranking on genuine diner reviews, awards and accolades, and the experience of our well-travelled (and well-fed) team. The list is unavoidably subjective.
One of the oldest and most beloved burger joints in Melbourne, Danny's Burgers has been sizzling beef patties in North Fitzroy since 1945. Classic and traditional, this iconic spot is open until late and is the ultimate place for a post-pub bite. The no-frills interiors match its no-nonsense burgers, all served with deliciously crispy hot chips. The prices have remained good value too, so treat yourself to a double or triple burger with the lot and pull up a stall at the red counter to tuck in.
From street van to prime location on Elizabeth Street Pier on Hobart’s waterfront, family-run Billy's Burgers has gone on a journey. The joint serves all the classics, from beef and chicken to plant-based burgers, including an inventive pulled-faux pork 'char siew' option. If you’re hungry, though, the Beast is the one to go for, featuring three beef patties, triple bacon, double cheese, beetroot, pickles, caramelised onion and Billy’s special sauce. The thick soft-serve shakes are the cherry on top, if you can find room for one.
Billed as a classic burger shack, Betty’s Burgers first opened in Noosa, Queensland, and has taken its trademark beachy interiors and quality burgers around mainland Australia. The Betty’s Classic pairs a juicy Angus beef patty with lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese and Betty’s special sauce – zhoosh it up with optional extras like beetroot, pineapple and smashed avo. The joint serves a plant-based version of the classic, too, as well as a killer fish burger, but arguably its tastiest item is the sweet, sticky and savoury glazed pork belly burger (extra pineapple is a must).
Firm and meaty with bold flavours, the beef burgers at this lively Point Noarlunga joint pile on the toppings. Set in an old shipping container with seating inside and out, there are cocktails, live music and a raft of burgers to graze on – from beef and chicken to veg, along with specials that pop up from time to time. Devotees rave about Port Burger’s Oklahoma Smash in particular, which sees two crisp smashed patties loaded with bacon, pickles, jalapeños, grilled onions, double cheese, Buffalo sauce and aioli. Highly smashable indeed.
Feeling a little bored of the smash burger trend? Wait until you've tried one of Chebbo's – one bite of its thin and crispy-edged brisket blend burgers and you'll fall back in love. This independent spot in Sydney's inner west started out flipping patties from a food truck before it opened up shop in Marrickville – although the truck is still trucking on weekend evenings in Roselands. It's hard to choose between the burgers on its confidently concise five-item menu, but you can't go wrong with the Classic, which comes with cheese, lettuce, tomato and onion on a soft milk bun.
So good they named it twice – Good Good Burgers do indeed get the double thumbs up. Located in Maidstone in Melbourne's west, the chilled dine-in and takeaway space has a retro feel and real passion for its craft. Sweet and soft milk buns wrap around perfectly cooked, hand-pressed cheeseburgers spiked with crunchy pickles and mustard mayo, or double patties with curls of bacon, onion jam, cheese and garlic aioli. Various chicken burgers and a mushroom burger are also available and come in a potato roll. It's a messy meal and gloriously so.
Music and meat collide with delicious results at Bonditony’s, a hip burger joint on Bondi’s bustling Glenayr Avenue run by local and ex-music industry exec Tony Gosden. Along with banging tunes, all the burgers are named after acts that Gosden managed – think Trippin’s Zeahorse and Just a Jezabel. The produce used is top notch with free-range chicken and grass-fed beef as standard. In between bites, you can indulge in some people watching at this celebrity hotspot. Although it's far from pretentious – communal tables and a kiddie-friendly attitude give it a lovely community feel.
Perfectly charred and crisp-edged beef patties and tender chicken fillets with crunch set this family-run fast food joint apart. Established in 2015, Christo’s in Landsdale is famous for its signature black sesame seed–sprinkled buns that are bursting with quality ingredients. Start the day with its Brekky Burger or slide straight into the OG – a double smashed patty with cheese, pickles, shredded lettuce, tomato, onions and Christo’s special sauce. Feeling extra? Indulge in the Mighty Mac, a loaded bacon cheeseburger with a slab of cheesy, panko-crumbed mac ’n’ cheese. The drool-worthy options are endless.
Looking for a burger with a Top End twist? Set your sights on Frying Nemo, an award-winning fish and chippery on the waterfront at Tipperary Waters Marina, which has an exotic selection of burgers, all made in-house with premium local produce. You could go for a toothsome crocodile or buffalo patty, but the standout burgers here are a celebration of the local waters. The chippie offers a choice of fish burgers – keep it healthy with a grilled fillet of locally caught threadfin in a soft bun, or indulge in a beer-battered barramundi burger.
With a name like Aussie Battler you know you’re in for a hefty hamburger. This is one of the specials you might expect to find at Burger Junkie, a Launceston-based burger joint. It boasts beef, cheese, bacon, beetroot, pineapple, fried egg, lettuce, tomato, barbecue sauce and mayo. For those with a slightly smaller appetite, Burger Junkie's Royale with Cheese is a popular item, as is the All Canadian featuring local bacon and a maple-whisky glaze. Like it hot? Go for the Diablo, a beef burger laced with hot sauce, chipotle mayo and jalapeños.
Juicy, 100% Australian beef smashed patties, pillowy brioche buns, house-made pickles and the secret Shack sauce are just a few reasons why Patty Shack Burger Bar is the best place to be in the Top End when burger cravings hit. There's a great choice of beef burgers, including some fancy options like its popular XXL Truffle and Black Garlic Melt burger, plus plenty of tempting chicken and vegetarian options. The crispy, battered barramundi burger, made with local wild-caught fish, is another absolute treat.
Live bands and belting burgers are on the agenda at this Lygon Street joint, with its playful approach to fast food. Highlights among The Beast's menu of stacked burgers include the Filthy – a tender wagyu beef patty with Cheddar, pickles, lettuce, tomato, Beast chilli sauce and jalapeño-miso aioli – and the Fat Mike Smash with a vegan patty. Add to that platters of house-smoked and cured meats, a raft of tasty sides and fairy bread pudding (all made on the premises), and The Beast has a winning formula.
Sauce-dripping American-style burgers, loud tunes, late openings and playful profanity is the modus operandi at Mary’s. The original Newtown cult burger bar was at the helm of Sydney’s new wave burger scene and now has five other venues in the city. The quality continues to be top notch. Once you’ve wrapped your mouth around the flagship Mary’s Burger – grass-fed beef, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and Mary’s sauce – branch out and try the spicy fried chicken burger. The mash and gravy side is dreamy, too.
Another pop-up turned permanent fixture, Hoodburger is the go-to burger place for many Perthians. Now with five locations, the mini-chain is the brainchild of brothers Matt and Tom Shaw, with its 'family restaurant' concept and retro aesthetic rooted in a childhood love of American fast food. Stick to the Double Cheeseburger or switch it up with the Ribwich (organic pork smashed patty, sweet barbecue sauce, onions and dill pickles). Spice fiends will also love the kick behind the house-made Carolina reaper ketchup, which is a welcome addition to the spicy cheeseburger.
Brodburger has a special place in the heart of many Canberrans, with die-hard fans recalling the early days when founders Sascha and Joelle sold their first burgers from a red caravan by Lake Burley Griffin in 2009. After bumpy beginnings they now have four restaurants and BrodDogs have joined the fold. Keep it classic with the Brodburger for a flame-grilled beef patty stacked with lettuce, tomato, red onion, house-made aioli and tomato relish and a choice of Brie, blue, Cheddar or Swiss cheese.
Non-meat eaters looking for a burger hit should look no further than this plant-first restaurant on Latrobe Terrace in Paddington. Among Yavanna's medley of 100% vegan options are a cracking clutch of burgers that include a miso tofu option with aioli and kale slaw in a brioche bun, the Southwest Burger with crispy 'chicken' and spicy Buffalo sauce and a classic cheeseburger. All are served with deliciously crispy fries.
A long-standing, family-run roadside café on the Princes Highway, Paul’s Famous Hamburgers might not be hip, but it’s had Sydneysiders hooked on its generous burgers since it first opened in 1957. The one to go for here is the Famous Works, the restaurant's version of the iconic Aussie burger featuring a beef patty layered with lettuce, tomato, onion, ketchup, bacon, egg, cheese and pineapple. Go all in and add a slice of beetroot (free of charge) and pair with chicken salt chips for some top Aussie tucker.
Slinging top quality, freshly ground beef patties to Adelaidians since 2013, Nordburger has retained its loyal customer base and expanded to two venues in the city. It’s all about American-style burgers here, made with the tastiest local produce. Go for the classic Nordburger or try the delightfully messy Sloppy Joe Burger, which comes loaded with melted cheese, beef chilli, pickled jalapeños and various sauces. Classic sodas, thick shakes and indulgent sides like tater tots, loaded fries and cauli pops complete a winning formula.
Promising 'burger perfection', Rizin’s Smash Burger is a real find for patty perfectionists. All burgers come with juicy and flavourful double patties (which can be tripled if appetites demand) slotted into squishy buns and topped with oozing cheese, lettuce, tomato and the signature Rizin’s Sauce. Sweet-toothed diners will be drawn to the Sweet Rizin’s with grilled pineapple, bacon and honey and mustard sauce, while the Crispy Shroom Burger is a cut above the standard veggie option. For dessert, get a thick mango shake to go.
Laying claim to introducing the smash burger concept to Perth, Bad Love Burger Co certainly knows its craft. The concept began as a pop-up, but is now a bricks-and-mortar operation in West Leederville doing a roaring trade in its signature lacey-edged patties. Backing up its range of beef smash burgers (all served as doubles, unless otherwise requested) are fried chicken burgers, veggie options, loaded fries and some downright delicious sides (crispy panko mushrooms, anyone?) along with a dizzying choice of zany sauces.
Inspired by founder Joe Farah’s childhood love of the Big Mac, 300 Grams’ signature smashed burgers have been named among the best in the world. Made fresh to order and simply served with cheese, lettuce, onion, tomato, pickles and house-made 300 Sauce, not only does the 300 GS signature burger taste incredible, but it's made thoughtfully using hormone-free, free-range beef. It’s Not the Whopper is a notch (or five) above its inspiration, while the Scalable is a souped-up version of that other well-known fish fillet burger. You’ll find the flagship 300 Grams restaurant in Northcote and others in Coburg, Richmond and Prahran.
A true celebration of fast food, Short Order has a glorious selection of stacked burgers. Go for the classic Short Order featuring a juicy beef patty, cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, ketchup, mustard and house-made sauce. Chilli fiends should be sure to come back for the FNZ Nashville Hot Burger Sandwich, where tender fried chicken is spiked with chilli oil, chilli dust, slaw, crunchy pickles and comeback sauce. With locations in Perth CBD and Baldivis following on from its original Freo joint, Short Order’s juicy burgers continue to grow a loyal fan base.
You might want to swerve the surf for a while after wolfing down one of Ze Pickle's irresistible burgers. The Gold Coast gem, just a short stroll from the sands, is a go-to for a ravenous post-beach crowd with its crew of irreverently named creations. There are beef burgers like Ya Mum, Chee-ze and Beef Cake, several crispy fried chook options and three veggie burgers, along with tasty sides like kumara fries and fried cheese sticks.
This late-night favourite continues to shake up the burger scene in Adelaide. The 99 Classic is hard to better, but for a truly indulgent treat order the Butter Burger – a wagyu beef patty with American cheese, cheeseburger butter and sliced onion. Another standout is the Fillet’o Gang, a lightly crumbed prawn and barramundi cutlet paired with piquant pickles, American cheese, lettuce and tartare sauce. Don’t swerve a side of fried pickles or, in the name of balance, pair your burger of choice with some greens – options include a side of broccolini (topped with Gorgonzola sauce and crispy breadcrumbs) and a yuzu Caesar salad.
Bar Luca is best known for its Blame Canada burger – a juicy beef patty with American cheese, maple-glazed streaky bacon, maple aioli and poutine in a glossy milk bun. But it’s the specials that keep curious diners going back time and again. You might find a Thai-inspired chicken burger (fragrant with nam jim and cucumber salad) or a vertiginous Trump Tower. Get yourself some shoestring fries, poutine or maple-fried cauliflower bites on the side and you'll find yourself in fast food heaven.
A Melbourne success story dating back to 2011, Huxtaburger is now slinging its superior patties in various places around Victoria, Western Australia and New South Wales. The secret to success here is simplicity: the squishy burger buns are baked daily in house, while the Victorian grass-fed beef patties are simply seasoned with salt and pepper. As well as the classic Huxtaburger, the Cheesus gets our vote, while the tasty chicken burgers can be either grilled or deep fried – a nice touch.
Fire is central to the cooking at Terra in Canberra, with its flame-grilled Brisk Mac burger the star of the show. Those lucky enough to bag one will see why. It's a drool-worthy combination of smoked beef brisket, iceberg lettuce, pickles and house-made burger sauce in a pillowy bun. The unshowy and deeply savoury burger is both meltingly tender and deliciously crispy. Pair with brisket-fat chips and don't scrimp on the extra sauces, with toum, Old Bay mayo and chimichurri rojo all optional extras. Terra might only serve one burger, but what a burger it is.
Not just the best burger in Sydney, but potentially all of Australia. The Gidley, a classy CBD steakhouse, has garnered global recognition for its burger after the World's 101 Best Steak Restaurants named it the best burger in all of Australia in 2024. Does it live up to the hype? Slide into a plush banquette and see for yourself. The dish is an exercise in simplicity, made with two dry-aged beef patties draped with cheese and daubed with sauce. For a more low-key vibe, you can also get your hands on the pickle-speared Gidley burger at sister restaurant The Rover in Surry Hills.
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