The Local Burger

Local Burger Co, there aren’t enough words to describe how good the burgers are here. It’s the hidden secret if Carlton North.
Menu options include Philly Cheese Steak burgers which are pretty great. The salted caramel or vanilla malt milkshakes are killer, along with a hefty range of drinks from the fridge, means you’re not short on options for a beverage.
Burgers run from $ 10 – 15, and are worth every cent.
Hot tip here is that you can get any drink from the fridge with ice cream for an extra $ 2.

This is certainly one of those hidden gems and I ended up coming here on the recommendation of a friend (who seems to know all of these places). All I can say is that they make some really good hamburgers, which are also quite fresh, and their chips (I always judge a place on their chips) are pretty damn good. Okay, the place is pretty small, so if you have a fairly large group you may need to consider takeaway, but since there is a park across the road you really don’t have to walk all that far. I should also mention that their prices are really good, and while they did take a little while to get our orders, the fact that we did rock up here with more people than could physically fit in the store, that is understandable. Also, take a look at their collection of mineral water — it is quite unique.

Hmmmm, not really sold. Better burger bread «buns» than most, granted, but that horrible bright yellow plastic american cheese? Ghost-​busters left over plasma material anyone? The prices are alright, but once you package in a drink, and fries it’s around the $ 20 mark. It’s a cool little space, and the seasoning of the meat patty is better than a lot of others, but it doesn’t seem to just quite get there in terms of a top 3/​top 5 best burgers of Melbourne listing. I find local burger co middle of the road, better than a lot, but some are still better.
Come to think of it what’s with the weird horror movie knife in the burger thing? Are we going to look back upon this with the same curiosity of oddness as many of the early 90’s food trends? Sweet potato fries are a redeeming feature!

I’d been meaning to try The Local Burger for sometime before we actually did it on Sunday. Being a relatively nice day, I was a little concerned that it would be busy in there at lunch time when we went — the place is not massive so… However, there were only a couple of other guys in there, which was great.
We went with the beef, bacon and cheese burger, the duck burger and chilli cheese fries. I know, I know, that’s quite a lot of food (depending which way you look at it) but I’d had a big night prior so I was starving and (don’t take my word for it) I might have had half of the duck burger after finishing mine…
It was good though — juicy patty, proportionate bun-​to-​meat ratio and the chilli cheese fries were nice as well. It didn’t have all the necessary qualities and the wow factor to becoming my new favourite burger but I’d highly recommend it if you are in the area.
I actually drive past almost every night on my way home and there’s always people in there so they’ve definitely got game.
We shall meet again…

Great burgers.
Treat yourself and eat as much as you can here. This is another local of mine which I would appreciate you not overcrowding. If possible, when ordering, be efficient and don’t deliberate, just take a punt and you’re sure to score a goal.

Burger me up baby. Delicious burger are flipping out of this small corner shop.
The menu hosts the usual burger range that we have all come to love and enjoy. With good options for vegetarians and vegans.
We grabbed a basic cheese burger and a BBQ sauce burger. The burgers here are of a decent size. I am ashamed to say I couldn’t finish mine. Perhaps because I had eaten half the potato chips on the way home.
Space is at a premium in this small venue. Take away is a great and delicious option. Don’t pass by the chance for some sweet tato fries.

Beautiful produce is highlighted at the local burger co. The standard menu includes the usual favourites, and they are of exceptional quality. The specials menu can be a bit hit or miss, especially at a premium price.
The selection of American sodas are a nice touch, along with the large selection of sauces available. The milkshakes are a nice idea, but sometimes need a bit more flavour to punch through the milk.
An enjoyable meal, and very affordable.

Not the great burger I was expecting from this place near my house, unfortunately. I had tried to go here previously but was told that they had run out of meat. That’s actually a good sign to me, because it means that despite perhaps not being great at inventory management, they probably grind their own meat daily which is a Good Thing.
I returned over the weekend and we got the cheeseburger and the bacon burger with chips. The burgers came out quite cool — only slightly above room temp — and this is a BIG problem for me. I assume they were sitting out, waiting for the chips to be done, because the chips were piping hot.
The ingredients were good quality; the buns were a bit on the overly substantive side for me, and the bacon didn’t add much because it was normal supermarket-​style bacon and a little on the undercooked side.
They also make their own ketchup, which as always is a HUGE mistake. No ketchup compliments a burger as well as good old Heinz, and homemade ketchup usually just tastes… weird. If you are a burger place and insist on making your own ketchup, at least have some Heinz on hand as an alternative. (Ironically, they only offer their one kind of homemade ketchup, but they had at least 20 different varieties of hot sauce.)
The chips were pretty good. But I don’t plan on returning soon. I’ll probably give it another try in a few months to see if anything’s changed, since a good local burger place would be very convenient!

We came here on a balmy Wednesday evening and the place was rammed. Everyone else obviously had the same idea. We managed to score a table but did not expect the 70 minute wait for the burgers. The owner/​staff kept their poker faces on and you would not be able to tell they were highly stressed. (Supposedly 2 people called in sick that day).
When the burgers did finally arrive, they were good but not great. They lacked any stand-​out flavour and the chips were on the same level (only bringing out a small when we ordered the large).
Once again, they are still new, so I think they just need to iron out a few things and they could be a great local. With the friendly service and cute fit out, I’ll keep my eyes on them.

There’s a lot to like about this new burger joint with it’s local produce store feel but theyre still in the teething stages so don’t be too judgemental.
What started off as a vision quickly became The Local Burger Co, a little too quick for owner Evan who didn’t forsee how quickly the locals will take to his his burger joint (they’ve sold out every service since opening & have been begging media to hold off on any reviews or write ups).
But what did I think? Honestly, I think it’s got a whole lotta potential. The burgers, though basic, as delicious and satisfying (Evan has some great ideas for future menu improvements, choosing to crawl before he walks). The chips are good too, served with a side of ketchup, no fuss & perfectly crispy.
I will definitely return & am keen to try a coffee from the Wega. Like I said, it’s got a whole lotta potential, & with the park across the road I forsee burger eating in the sunshine this summer.
Its a yes from me.