The best burgers in Melbourne: check out these spots now

Order the: Cheeseburger
Price range for a burger: $10 to $15

If the groovy vibes at Leonard's aren't enough to pull you in, the burgers will be. There's ten of them to choose from, so you're certainly spoilt for choice. Get yours loaded with funky blue cheese, Jack Daniels onion jam, habanero-glazed chicken thigh or a vego-friendly Beyond burger patty; at Leonard's, the sky is the limit and each one packs a saucy punch.

If you want to taste the classic iteration, opt for the cheeseburger that comes with nothing but a beef brisket and short rib patty, American cheese, special burger sauce, pickles and fresh lettuce. Is it revolutionary? Of course not. But sometimes, a simple cheeseburger is all you want. 

This one's a little greasy but in the best possible way, and comes with a crisp, fluffy bun and an excellent meat to cheese to bread ratio. Top marks.

X-Factor: Leonard's is decked out like a 70s-inspired log cabin and bar – quite a special and unique ambience for enjoying your burger feast. In a large group? Upgrade your meal with Cherry Bomb cocktails or a round of pilsners, really good fried chook and apple pies for dessert. Everything here's golden.

Order the: Good Good Burger
Price range for a burger: $14.50 to $24

You know when a burger joint consistently gets glowing reviews, something clearly fantastic is going on. Alright, where do we begin? First of all, the hand-pressed smash patties here are beyond perfection. Seasoned perfectly and with a juicy-sweet, crispy skirt, each meaty bite is eyes-rolling-to-the-back-of-your-skull levels of good.

The pickles and sauces are all made in-house, and the size of each burg is generous – not too huge it's an unapproachable monolith but not too small you'll walk away hungry. The potato rolls for the chicken burgers are delicious (Gimlet also uses a potato bun so you know it's an elite choice) and the perfect vehicles to transport all that that burger-y, saucy flavour into your mouth. 

In other words, this place simply does a 'good good burger' and you'd be a silly sausage not to drive out and try one. Start with the classic option, but on subsequent visits try the garlicky beef deluxe burger, the chicken and cheese and the double bacon burger. 

X-Factor: This place has a super cute retro feel and the name is a nod to the '90s cult hit film Good Burger. Don't take away – eat in and soak up the nostalgic vibes!

Order the: Goodburger
Price range for a burger: $20 to $24

Though the French dip sandwich has enjoyed its fair share of popularity since Jollygood opened, it's hard not to fall in love with the diner's delicious sesame milk bun burgers as well. Smash patty lovers are sorted with their own version, as are vegos with a meat-free option that caters just for them. Me? I like the signature Goodburger best.

A juicy custom-made Meatsmith beef patty (130 grams) is layered generously with American cheese, ketchup, mustard, and white onions, but it's the housemade sauces and bread-and-butter pickles that truly rocket this super stack to the next level. It's just a good ol'-fashioned beef burger done well.

X-Factor: While reminiscent of an American roadside diner in both its menu and aesthetic, Jollygood's quality definitely has that Melbourne edge. From the Meatsmith patties to the ice-cold housemade peach iced tea (that's not too sweet!), everything here just freakin' slaps.

Order the: Rowdy Cheeseburger
Price range for a burger: $16 to $45

Easey's is one of Melbourne's most notable venues. Where else can you dine from a train car perched five storeys above the ground? It goes without saying that the view rocks, but their burgers are just as big of a draw. James Hurlston (aka Jimmy's Burgers) has designed the menu, which includes a range of super-stacked American-style burgs like the Oklahoma fried onion cheeseburger and the Louisiana fried chicken sandwich. One of them even won a national award a few years ago. 

Okay, so they're messy, big and sauced to the hilt, but how do they taste? Honestly, it depends on what you look for in a burger. If you love a smashed patty – a bit thinner and crispier than other types of patties – and you're a fan of traditional American burger flavour profiles (American cheese, pickles, onions, barbecue sauce, etcetera) then Easey's is the place to go. Bonus points, there's also a solid rollcall of diner-style bevvies, desserts and sides that, alone, are worth the trip upstairs. 

X-Factor: If you don't mind splashing out, go for the undeniably Aussie burger called the Metropolitan Mayhem. It's packed with two potato cakes, two dim sims and all the standard burger fixings for $45 a pop. It's the ultimate burger lover's bucket list experience.

Order the: Double Cheeseburger
Price range for a burger: $17 to $21

Beatbox Kitchen's Brunswick brick and mortar may have closed in 2021, but its legacy lives on through Juanita Peaches. Though fried chicken is the focus here, its cheeseburger has developed its own loyal following. It's not as simple as the name suggests: the base is a coffee-rubbed, grass-fed brisket patty topped with confit shallots and pickles.

For a bit of extra decadence, it's made with not one but two slices of cheese (one melted onto the patty and another curled up onto the top bun). Go for the double cheeseburger, though, if you want extra meaty cheesy goodness. It's the perfect size. 

X-Factor: Owner Raph Rashid is the brain behind some of Melbourne's best eateries, including All Day Donuts and Taco Truck. He also lays claim to kicking off the city's food truck craze, so you can bet his burgers are gonna be good. 

Order the: Supremo de Resistance
Price range for a burger: $21.90 to $26.90

Of their first burger (the Supremo), the owners explain: "everyone went crazy over it because, almost all the burgers outside of resistance in the pretentious branded world, tasted the same made with buns bought from a mass production bakery, meat from a factory, and ingredients from God knows where. We sure made a huge difference by doing everything from scratch, even today."

The Resistance's meticulous approach to handcrafting its burgers (from the buns and sauces to the patties shaped by hand) has clearly paid off. Not only is it a delightfully atmospheric spot to sip a cocktail and catch a vibe, it's also one of your best options in the eastern 'burbs for a bloody great burger. 

Angus beef is locally sourced, 100 per cent pasture-fed, dry-aged and every patty is cooked medium well (though you can let them know in advance if you'd prefer well-done). 

X-Factor: Honestly, while there's so much to love about this place the highlight is the flavour. Take the Supremo, for example, which comes with a 150-gram beef patty, yellow and white American cheddar, bacon, caramelised onion, lettuce, tomato, red onion, grilled pineapple and dark sauce with kewpie mayo. A burger with the lot doesn't get better than that.

Order the: Hawaiian Five-O
Price range for a burger: $11 to $20

Long before we jumped on the burger trend train, we had the humble corner shop grilling the good old Aussie burger with ubiquitous add-ons of egg, beetroot and pineapple, not giving a stuff what the rest of the world thought of us.

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 pretension and support the guys who've been doing it since 1939. Fun fact: even Ed Sheeran took the time to pay these legends a visit!

The classic Andrew's burger order is The Lot, of course, but we really love the Hawaiian Five-O. It comes 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).

X-Factor: Nostalgia, nostalgia, nostalgia!

Order the: Royale with cheese
Price range: $13.50 (a burger with just beef, cheese and tomato sauce) to $45 (the Royale Joker with quadruple beef, quadruple cheese and triple bacon)

If you ever find yourself in Brighton craving a simple fuss-free feed, this recently refurbished burger spot is your saving grace. Pulp Fiction fans will recognise the reference to the Royale with Cheese, a balanced combination of everything you’d expect from a classic burger: beef, cheese, onion, lettuce, pickles, mustard, mayo and Royale sauce. It tastes like a Big Mac made from real food, and it won’t leave you with that signature sickly feeling often experienced after visiting the Golden Arches. As Samuel L. Jackson would say, “This is a tasty burger”.

X-Factor: There's no funny business here. If a real handmade burger's what you want, a real handmade burger's what you'll get – grilled to perfection, juicy and dripping with melty cheese, and sandwiched between two toasty buns. Oh, and there's also an ice cream parlour on site if you've got room for dessert.

Order the: Cheese and Bacon Burger
Price range for a burger: $10 to $18

There's "this was a good burger" and there's "this was one of the best burgers I've ever had." A lot of folks I've spoken to about Brüger tend to lean toward the latter expression and yep, it's true – this Art Deco-inspired eatery and bar is slinging some exceptionally tasty two-handers.  

So what should you order? Well, there's about 10 wonderful (and different) burgers to choose from, but our vote goes to the cheese and bacon. It comes with a wagyu beef patty, sauteed leek, American cheddar, house sauce, ketchup, pickles and bacon and it's pure comfort in a bun. 

If you'd like to branch out into bolder burger territory, try the avocado and jalapeno-spiked Mexican, the Kewpie mayo-slathered Chilli Katsu or the Indian-inspired Pakora. Yum.

X-Factor: Mozzarella sticks, jalapeno poppers, cheeseburger spring rolls, root beer and Dr. Pepper whisk you out of the western suburbs of Melbourne and drop you right into the heart of a small-town American diner. We love it.

Order the: Cheeseburger
Price range for a burger: $12 to $19.80

If you're after a late-night feed, look no further than Butcher's. 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 noon until midnight, five days a week.

Starting at twelve buckaroos for an old-school hamburger, the eats here are budget-friendly but don't skimp on quality. As the name suggests, all the patties are prepared in-house by the team's dedicated butcher, and cuts rotate day to day depending on availability.

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. 

X-Factor: Just like those old American-style diners, Butcher's serves filter coffee all day. If you're into breakfast for dinner, we recommend pairing it with the aged cheddar and housemade bacon burger – and add a fried egg. Oh yeah, baby.

Order the: Filthy
Price range for a burger: $14.50 to $24

There are people who love burgers and then there are people who love tear-your-tongue-out spicy chilli cheeseburgers. The B.East caters to both. This rowdy and disarmingly casual joint's burgers come with premium Mayura Station wagyu beef cooked medium (unless otherwise specified), marking it a worthy addition to this list alone.

But if you love the hot factor on top of your burger fun, you're in luck. B'East does a mean one. No surprises there as it even hosts an annual chilli eating competition. Try the Filthy burger with Wagyu beef, Jack cheddar, pickles, lettuce, tomato, jalapeño miso aioli and ketchup – and super hot B.East chilli paste. It'll knock your socks off. 

Honourable mentions go to the Holy Cheezus (comes with bacon, ranch and a mac 'n' cheese croquette wedged inside), the Japanese-inspired katsu fillet burger and the fancy-as-heck Ron Swanson. 

X-Factor: The B.East's burgers may be grand but so is the energy here. Pop in on the right night and you'll come across some stellar live music to accompany your burger. Oh, and the cocktails slap. What a vibe.

Order the: Hot Bird
Price range for a burger: $13.50 to $19.50

300 Grams opened its Northcote doors to much fanfare in 2019. Since then, they've launched more stores in Coburg, Richmond and Prahran to meet demand for its beloved burgers. The secret to its moreish quality is its smash patties, which get pressed onto the grill until they develop a delicious and crispy finish.

The 300 Gs burger, which comes with all the classic fixings plus the shop's secret sauce, is a foolproof option. But if you can handle the heat, the super spicy Hot Bird fried chicken burger is also well worth a try.

What do we love about this joint? The curly lettuce adding extra crunch and texture. The fact the beef is 100% hormone-free. The enticing selection of so many different burgs to cater to all tastes. The generous size. And let's be real: pretty much everything else. Seriously, this is one of Melbourne's best.

X-Factor: IYKYK, beef burgers aren't 300 Grams' only claim to fame. The team make a delightfully nostalgic fish fillet burger (inspired by a certain fast-food chain), and they even have an Essendon store called Scaleable devoted entirely to seafood. 

Order the: Rizin's Classic Burger (Triple)
Price range for a burger: $9.80 to $16.40

Not only are the burgers at this Dandenong gem super affordable, they're insanely delicious. All ingredients are 100% halal and you can tell these grill masters really care about what they're dishing up.

Yes, you might have to wait a bit on busy nights, but it's worth it for one of their freshly made burgers. Cloud-soft, fluffy buns. Not greasy. Filled with juicy, quality meat and salad. Just perfect. 

The fried chicken burgers are addictively tasty here, standing well up to the standard of the beef options, and there's even a crispy 'shroom burger to satisfy your plant-based pals. 

X-Factor: Just watch this video and you'll want to drive there straight away. Oh, and it's open 12 hours a day almost everyday, ready to fix you up whenever a burger craving strikes.

Order the: Hot Chicken Burger 
Price range for a burger: $25

There's only three burgers at this Brunswick East haven for fried chicken and they're all a steep $25. So it's not like this spot gets a gold star for diversity of selection or affordability. And yet. If you're someone who prefers chicken to beef between your burger buns, Bird is one of the best spots in town (if not, the best.)

We love the Hot Chicken Burger: a spice meal of fried thigh tossed in smoked hot sauce with cheese, pickled onion, cabbage and jalapeno mayo in a sesame milk bun. The simple Chicken Sanga is also mouthwateringly good, courtesy of a juicy breast with a generous amount of napoli sauce, parmesan and pickles.  

X-Factor: Bird is currently numero uno on our round-up of Melbourne's best fried chicken, thanks to their buttermilk-soaked, brined, coated and golden-fried approach. 

Order the: Classic Burger or Veggie Burger
Price range for a burger: $14.50 to $24

Richmond locals are blessed with 1090, a fastidious burger purveyor that sticks to a ten per cent fat and 90 per cent meat golden ratio for all its burgers – hence the biz name. Owner Son Nguyen took the business to a brick-and-mortar store on Swan Street in 2015 after operating it from a trailer around Northcote.

But history shmistory, let's talk about the burgers. Why are these so good? Well, there's a few reasons. Aside from that ratio method, there's also the quality of the meat. 1090 only uses grass-fed black Angus sourced from Mt Beauty, which is aged and minced on site daily. Another reason is the exceptional nine-ingredient secret seasoning 1090 uses to increase the umami hit from its patties. 

But if you can't eat meat, don't overlook the Veggie Burger! On a delightful milk bun, it comes with a super tasty veggie patty, cheese, mayonnaise, ketchup, beetroot, pineapple, pickles, lettuce, tomato and red onion. One of the better veggie burgers in town, for sure.

X-Factor: The crispy fried onion rings and old-school milkshakes here are the perfect way to round out your meal.

Order the: Hamburger with the Lot
Price range for a burger: $9.75 to $25 

Danny's is another old faithful amongst Melbourne's saturated burger scene. The Fitzroy North institution opened in 1945 and has managed to keep its prices incredibly low since then.

Last we checked, a standard beef burger with lettuce and diced onion starts at $7.80, and a vegetarian burger (which swaps the burger patty for egg, cheese and an assortment of veg) is just $8.50. When the whole meal costs around a tenner, it's tempting to tack on a few extras, too, which range from bacon to beetroot to jalapeños. 

Will this burger be the most mind-blowing you've ever had in your life? Probably not, unless it's 11pm and you're absolutely tanked (circumstances during which, everything salty and fatty is mind-blowing.) But if you're a fan of no-nonsense burgers that do the trick – the homestyle kind you're likely to whip up in your own kitchen – then Danny's is the GOAT.

X-Factor: If one burger isn't enough to fill you up, go for a heaping side of hot chips. Even the small size is surprisingly large and always seasoned to perfection.

Order the: Cheeseburger with as many toppings as you want
Price range for a burger: From $17.50 (a simple hamburger) to $22.50 (a bacon cheeseburger) – all toppings are free

When one of the most famous burger brands in the world set up shop in Southbank, (and then not long after, opened a second spot in QV), Melbourne's burger lovers rejoiced. Hailing from the D.C. area in the U.S., Five Guys is so loved by Americans that it was voted "Number 1 Burger" by Washingtonian Magazine for seven years. Even former U.S. president Barack Obama is a reported fan. 

But what is it exactly that makes these burgers so good? Well, there's a science behind the unique recipe, of course. The meat is a perfected 80/20 lean-to-fat ratio. Patties are hand-made seven days a week on-site. And the bread, which is Five Guys' only proprietary item, is baked fresh five days a week and never frozen.

X-Factor: Sure, the burgers are solid (if a little too tall for my liking), but on my last visit here I was also bowled over by the cleanliness of the Southbank location and the friendliness of the staff. It's a well-oiled operation with an open kitchen so you can watch your burger as it's being made.