Minetta Tavern – 113 Macdougal Street, New York, NY, USA

Those who know a thing or two about burgers will tell you that Minetta Tavern is the be all and end all of burgers. Everyone who’s anyone in the NYC food scene has been there to try there $27 pride and joy. There’s good reason too. The guys behind Minetta Tavern are also responsible for New York institutes like Balthazar, Pastis and The Odeon, and, they only use the best of the best. In this case, it’s Pat La Frieda Meats. They’re world famous and still family owned since 1922. They worked closely with the Minetta team to get their Black Label Burger shining brightest amongst the galaxy of New York burger joints. Although they’ve only been around since 2009, the place will looks you into thinking it’s been there since the old days. What’ll trick you is all the old-style caricatures, checkered floors, portraits from decades past and the red leather booths. I sat down and triumphantly ordered their Black Label Burger that comes with a beef patty – a mix of dry aged, skirt steak and brisket – caramelised onions and a custom brioche bun.

“It was oh so soft. This was the most subtle burger I’ve ever eaten. It kind of felt like listening to a lullaby or piece of soothing classical music. Each bite was fluffy, juicy and delicate. The patty crumbled in with each bite reveal a beautiful shade of pink. I’d say it was probably cooked closer to rare than medium but I’m so up for that pink with that quality of meat. Every bite had a bit of a crunch from the clarified butter they use to give it a nice seal. The onions again were so subtle but sweet. I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re used to the fish and chip shop and that’s your jam. It’s the kind of thing burger enthusiasts dream about because the quality was just outstanding. Saying that, it’s not a burger I could eat everyday. It’s a burger that needs an occasion, a celebration maybe? It’s the birthday cake of hamburgers.”

Dr Morse – 274 Johnston St, Abbotsford, Victoria, Australia

“Just a ripping, well executed burger with all the important elements spot on. The beef patty was on the thicker side with a great amount of char and flavour burnt onto each side, yet the inside remaining pink and juicy. The cheese completely enveloped the patty with parts hitting the hot plate and leaving a delicious crust, which, combined with the sharpness of the mustard really married together well. Texture wise it was perfect, with a little crunch coming from the lettuce under the soft brioche bun.”

“It was a good looking burger. It was simple, small and didn’t try too hard. It did end up letting me down just a smidge though. For $13 I really expected some chips on the side. The beef was quality but could’ve done with a pinch more salt. The lettuce and tomato did nothing for it. They mainly just created more slide then necessary. The burger has real potential, especially if it were to be simplified even more. Just beef, cheese, mustard and pickles, and it would be great!”

Mr Scruff’s – 60 Smith St, Collingwood, Victoria, Australia

“Seeing a burger in Melbourne under $10 is becoming a rare occurrence nowadays so we figured it must be pretty small; how wrong we were. Not that I’m complaining, but a single patty would more than suffice. The beef was super juicy with a nice crumble to it, which the creamy cheese managed to intertwine with perfectly. A really great crunch and sharp flavour was provided by the pickle and onion with the ‘Scruffs Special Sauce’ complimenting everything really well and, the Brioche bun did its best to hold on until the end. For the price, this has to be one of the best value burgers in Melbourne at the moment.”

“Walking into the place I really didn’t know what to expect. What looked like a trendy/hipster bar with no kitchen in site and food aroma in the air I thought maybe we were going for some pre-burger drinks. That was not the case. What I was greeted with was a great tasting, juicy patty with heaps of melted cheese, mayo and a lovely addition of pickles. The lettuce and all that green stuff was kept at a minimum. I felt compelled to add another pattie for an extra $2. Overall it was a great value burger, even if you wanted to go for a single pattie. Chips were more’ish.”

“We opted for the double. Why not right? For 11$ we figured it would’ve been on the smaller side. Wrong. It was so soft when I bit in. The cheese was ridiculous and the patty was pink and juicy. Damnit, every bite was really was good. There was a Big Macness that I liked but the pickles I think, didn’t need to be so fancy. Straight up Maccas pickles would’ve been just fine. The bun fell apart a bit but I could live with it on this occasion. Bonus points on the chips because they were dynamite.”

Located in South Eastern suburbia this little cosy, woodgrain-walled shop greets you with friendly staff and the tantalising smell of BBQ. With mouth-watering menu options of delicious meat cuts cooked BBQ style, you can’t help go home still smelling like a cook-out. Their busy nights are Friday and Saturday so we recommend you get there early and be prepared to come back again to try all the assortments of “fall-off-the-bone” meats they have on offer. We went for their famous “Racks Burger” served on a brioche bun with a basted 180g pattie, mix lettuce, tomato, sliced cheese and Racks sauce.

“As we were the only one’s in here (and it’s quite a compact little shop), I could see how much care and attention the chef was putting into each burger. Which is why I was amazed when he opened a fresh bag of buns, then burnt one on the grill, turned to the girl working with him and muttered something along the lines of “oh crap, I burnt that one” and then continued to serve it to me. My dining companions seemed to be enjoying theirs, however it was pretty hard to accurately assess its flavour and texture when it felt like biting into a charcoal briquette.”

“I really enjoyed the whole experience; the service was friendly, the shop smelled of BBQ and was warm and cosy for a winters day. The burger itself was OK, but nothing in the burger really popped up for me with the exception of the delicious Racks sauce glaze. What really sets this place apart for me is entertaining the thought of sharing a rack of ribs with a group of friends then moving onto the burger. I did pay an additional $3 for the chips which I think was a no brainer; no meal is complete without chips.”

“As soon as the burgers went on the grill the smell of nice charred meat was in the air. It was a lovely looking burger although before I bit in I was a little worried the patty might be a little too far on the dark side. Yes, it was crunchy on the outer, but ended up being so soft on the inner. It was really well-balanced and had notes of sticky sweetness from the base sauce, sort of reminding me of a Big Mac Sauce. It was an all around solid burger but I wish it had a little more cheese and maybe even a pickle on the side to finish off the meal.”

‘Le Bon Ton’ derives its name from a common toast heard in the local roadside bars, oyster houses, crab shacks and BBQ joints of the Louisiana countryside. Inside the former Glasshouse Hotel you’ll find plenty of exposed brick, ornate ceilings adorned with chandeliers and some very heavy timber tables. As you’d expect from a Southern cocktail menu it features traditional ingredients like sweat tea, peaches, fresh mint and a range of Absinthe. The kitchen, headed up by two American brothers gets serious with dishes and cooking techniques drawn from multiple regions of the American South like oysters, pit smoked meats, crab cakes, fried chicken, burgers and pies for dessert. We ordered the Grilled Wagyu Cheeseburger that came with a 150g Wagyu patty, crispy bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion, ketchup and mayo.

“The crispy piece of bacon popping out the glistening bun like a turtles head was the first thing that caught my eye. Then and there I could already tell it was going to be great. The beef patty, although nicely charred, was super soft and crumbly and paired really well with the creamy cheese. The bun had been lightly toasted on one side, giving it enough of a barrier to not be completely dissolved by the juices. The only crunchy texture came from the bacon and lettuce, and to top it all off my favourite sauce combo of ketchup and mayo made for a memorable burger.”

“It’s one of those burgers that keeps you coming back for more. Simple in flavour and presentation this burger ticked all my boxes. The beautifully delicate patty was sweet and smokey that was perfectly balanced by condiments. The sweet bun held the right amount of moisture from the patty and sauce and was easy to handle. To top things off the fries were awesome! On a side note the menu was full of some southern gems like brisket and American style pies. Definitely going back!”

“What a burger! Just like all the exceptional burgers I’ve had before this, the patty was the highlight. It was fatty, soft and salty. Their smokey (a touch spicy) sauce was divine. A delightful brioche bun topped off one of my new favourites in town.”

Some of the finest chefs and restauranteurs call Melbourne’s CBD home. Their restaurants are usually choc-full, booked out and most of the time break the bank. Panned Pizza is not one of these type of venues. Unless of course it’s a Saturday night and the party bus has pulled up around the corner. But, Panned Pizza isn’t trying to be anything fancy. They’re mission is to feed the hungry drunk people that stumble in the early hours of the morning with some American-style comfort food. We were enticed by the fact that these guys serve up the Minneapolis icon that is the Juicy Lucy – a burger that comes with a patty stuffed with cheese. This is the first of its kind we’ve ever encountered in Melbourne so we were excited to say the least. So there we sat: four dudes in a brightly lit Pizza parlour waiting on some Juicy Lucys. They came out on a brioche bun with a massive 220g wagyu beef patty filled with double Monterey Jack cheese in the centre, crispy lettuce, ripe tomato slices, caramelised onions, tomato sauce, American mustard and mayo.

“As someone who has watched an unhealthy amount of American food shows, I had inevitably heard of the Jucy/Juicy Lucy burger. After we asked what cheese was in the burger, the utter confusion from behind the counter made me wonder if we were the first sober people to actually order this burger in Melbourne. It didn’t look anything like its American counterpart, be it covered in grilled onions, lettuce and tomato and, it was a good couple of bites until I reached the cheesy centre. As you’d expect, the beef was cooked right through to melt the cheese so it was left a little dry. However, the triple combo of ketchup, mayo and mustard helped mask the bland beef flavour.”

“I think for a place that predominantly specialises in pizza they make a better pizza, but hell you have to appreciate their effort at a Juicy Lucy. There was a good amount of cheese in and around the double pattie. The pattie was a tad bit dry and the bun held it’s integrity withstanding oozy cheese and mayo. The mustard really cut through the burger considering the amount of grease it had in it and the chips were substantial. I’d advise maybe skipping a meal before going.”

“Walking in I had no idea what to expect. The staff had no idea either to be honest. The burger wasn’t bad. But it was all a gimmick. I don’t think it would’ve made a difference whether or not the cheese was inside or on top of the patty because it kind of just sat there unappealing-like (instead of oozing out like the prophecies had predicted). Things I noticed most were the the onions as a highlight and, that the beef was pretty tightly packed (to hold the cheese in imagine). It wasn’t an all together great first Juicy Lucy experience but I’m sure after a box of wine and a night out it’d be super.”

As the gentrification of the inner northern suburbs of Melbourne rapidly expands, it was only a matter of time before people saw value and opportunity in Preston. Located only 9kms north of Melbourne with a large Macedonian and Asian population, 3 locals noticed a lack of a decent burger so decided to roll up their sleeves and fill a niche. With a sleek interior, consisting of plenty of concrete, bricks and dark green tiles, we grabbed a stool at one of the tables and considered our burger options. With everything sourced locally and all sauces and pickles made in house, it all sounded appealing but we settled on the burger named after their owner. ‘The Chew” came with a 190g Wagyu patty, cos lettuce, tomato, pickle, mustard, aioli and cheddar cheese between a brioche bun.

“What a pleasant surprise to be served a burger on a white plate, as opposed to a plank of wood that’s so prevalent at the moment. The slightly larger than standard patty was absolutely ideal; cooked to a perfect medium, pink and juicy in the middle, but not dripping wet, managing to trap in all the flavour. The crisp bite from the lettuce, tomato and pickle complimented it well without distracting me and the creaminess of the cheese and aioli rounded out the great flavours. Surprisingly my favourite part was the bun, that appeared to just be a standard sesame seed bun, turned out to be a perfectly toasted brioche bun with plenty of substance to remain intact right until the end. On a side note, be prepared to yell, as this place filled up it got really loud with all the voices and noises bouncing off all the hard surfaces.”

“With limited seating available, but great customer service and very catchy tunes to shake your head to while you wait for your burger, this little Northern suburbs shop has shot to notoriety in less than three months since opening. The menu basically consists of just burgers and making a decision is hard (I recommend flipping a coin to decide). The patty was beautifully pink in the middle covered with melted cheddar cheese and complemented by my favourite combo of crunchy pickle and mustard. The bun was your typical sweet brioche bun with no surprises and chips were good too.”

“This was a very decent burger. It basically sets the standard of how burgers should be made. It was hard to fault really. Everything was balanced and there was plenty of sweetness and saltiness. The only thing I’d say is that there wasn’t any particular ownable factor to the burger. But maybe it didn’t need one. It is was a classic, done well. I really liked it. Shame it’s not closer to home.”