The Sydney Morning Herald logo
Advertisement

Five of a kind: cheeseburgers

Annabel Smith
Annabel Smith

The cheeseburger is an exercise in no-frills simplicity.

In its purest form, this bells-and-whistles-free burger is all about the meat, the cheese and the bun, with some pickles and a squirt of sauce thrown on for good measure.

The US can lay claim to this culinary creation, thanks to an enterprising short-order cook in a 1930s diner, although exactly which one is a matter of debate with three different establishments claiming it as their own. From there it has taken on a life of its own, served up everywhere from diners to fast-food chains to gourmet establishments. There's even a National Cheeseburger Day over there, celebrated this week.

Casey Wall of Rockwell & Sons grew up in North Carolina and agrees the key to the perfect cheeseburger is to keep it simple.

"No fancy cheeses, just good mince and a nice bun," Wall says.

Advertisement

Inspired by three Melbourne burger purveyors that have imported this US celebration to Australia in a bid to raise money for charity (details below), Annabel Smith taste-tested five of this city's fuss-free offerings.

Trunk Diner
The Wagyu burger $11.50 ($10 + $1.50 cheese addition)

Neat and cute as a button, Trunk's burgers come in perfectly round and glossy buttery brioche buns. Atop the thick, charred wagyu beef patty is a precision-melted slice of Monterey Jack, cheddar or gruyere. Burgers are presented on a wooden tray for DIY assembly, with tomato, lettuce, onion and tart yellow strips of house-made pickles alongside. No sauce is smeared on the bun, but there are plenty at the table including habanero and a spicy, thick tomato sauce.

Details: 275 Exhibition Street, Melbourne, trunktown.com.au/the-diner

Downstairs Burger Bar at The Merrywell
K.I.S.S. $13

Advertisement

Like the acronym, this burger keeps it simple with a classic combo of cheddar, cooked onions, pickles, ketchup and mustard. The "damper" roll is more of a floury bap, and is light and fluffy and holds together. The Merrywell menu insists "all burgers served pink and juicy" and they sure are, making them messy, greasy and delicious. American mustard and ketchup complete the package.

Details: Corner Clarendon Street and Yarra Promenade, themerrywell.com.au

The Beer and Burger Lounge
Cheeseburger $10

The cheeseburger comes in a toasted sesame seed bun, the underside brushed with butter and the dimensions tweaked just so to avoid any awkward disappearing bottom. Topped with two slices of melted Swiss cheese, the patty is medium rare and lightly charred. Jammy tomato sauce and thin strips of sweet pickles are added and a dollop of mayonnaise is a nice touch, balancing out the sharp mustard. A solitary battered onion ring slipped on top is a bonus.

Details: 112 Swan Street, Richmond, tbbl.com.au

Advertisement

Rockwell and Sons
Double patty smash burger $10

This double-layered beast arrives oozing with sauce and cheese. Meatball-shaped mince is smashed on the grill to make the juicy, salty patties, topped with old-school Kraft singles and house-made "special sauce". This creamy coral-coloured sauce is dotted with spring onions, gherkins and dill and is sweet and tangy. The sesame seed-topped brioche bun is not overly sweet and is surprisingly sturdy, considering the messy fillings.

Details: 288 Smith Street, Collingwood, rockwellandsons.com.au

Jus Burgers
Cheeseburger $11

This Perth import prides itself on local produce and has sourced all-Victorian ingredients for its Melbourne outpost. The cheeseburger comes stabbed with a knife on a wooden board. A $5 upgrade adds a serve of chips and small dishes of creamy coleslaw and tangy green tomato pickle. There are three cheese choices: blue, cheddar or Swiss. In the interests of consistency we tried the cheddar. The well-done, dense patty was quite dry, with the Gippsland beef lacking the fatty pockets of the more popular wagyu. A pair of overlapping cheese slices atop the patty were nicely melted and crisp iceberg lettuce, raw onion and tomato added freshness. The crosshatched Turkish bread roll was light and held its shape.

Advertisement

Details: 364 Chapel Street, South Yarra; 9827 1318; Tue-Sat 11.30am-10pm, Sun-Mon 11.30am-9pm; jusburgers.com.au/melbourne*

**National Cheeseburger Day will be celebrated in Joe's Bar & Dining Hall, Huxtaburger and Yellow Bird this Sunday to raise money for St Kilda's Sacred Heart Mission. $1 from every burger purchased will be donated to the Mission.

Where's your go-to spot for a cheeseburger? Jump on the comments and share your recommendation.

*Jus Burgers has closed.

Restaurant reviews, news and the hottest openings served to your inbox.

Sign up
Annabel SmithAnnabel Smith is deputy digital editor for Good Food.

From our partners

Advertisement
Advertisement