Melbourne burger joint, Easeys, to open new Sydney venue

Melbourne's burger king Jimmy Hurlston is opening a restaurant in Sydney, but, hold the beetroot, it won't be devoted exclusively to burgers. "I'm not sure Sydney can sustain it because the burger rush has come so quickly. It's like bang, bang, bang," Hurlston says.

The burger guru, author and man behind Melbourne's Easey's will open Guilty, at the Republic 2 apartment complex in Darlinghurst, late April. The Republic 2 forecourt has had a food tornado pass through in recent times, with several closures. Civilian Bar & Kitchen [in the former site of Chris Manfield's Universal restaurant] was the first to pull up stumps, before it was a joined by Vittorio's, a start-up from a former pasta chef at il Baretto​. The laneway fronting the development had its own food casualty, with the excellent Kings Lane Sandwiches also closing.

Guilty will take the Civilian site. Hurlston says the sweeping menu will include everything from southern American food to hot dogs, high-end champagne and Melbourne beer on tap. The burger addict won't entirely ditch his passion at Guilty. "There'll be three burgers on the menu," he adds.