The secret to the marble score 2+ brisket burgers at fire-fuelled Terra in Canberra is the high-end brisket that does double duty as a main dish elsewhere on the menu. “Most burger shops use budget brisket but ours is really good quality,” says co-owner Anthony Iannelli. “When the boys are making it, they separate some of the crispy bits and some of the more meaty bits so you get a mix of textures in the patty. You end up with a bit of crispiness, a bit of chewiness and a bit of juiciness.”

While beef typically gets all the glory, an excellent chicken burger can’t be overlooked. There are two options at Good Burger in Adelaide (Tarntanya); the plain fried comes with Kewpie mayo, cheese and lettuce, while the spicy version includes jalapeño and a fried fillet drenched in chilli-spiked honey.

Known for lobster and T-bone, Gimlet at Cavendish House in Melbourne (Narrm) dabbles in lo-fi eats, with its supper-only cheeseburger. “It’s casual meets fine dining,” says head chef Colin Mainds. “You have the calibre of front-of-house staff who work here, the beautiful architecture of the building, the dimly lit room. Eating a burger in that setting feels really special.”

Without wanting to alert the lawyers at McDonald’s, the Mr. Chuck at this vegan chain from Los Angeles is a pretty good dupe of a Big Mac. It’s made of two faux meat patties, three layers of bun, plant-based cheese, onion, lettuce, pickles and a patented sauce. The goodness doesn’t stop with the burger; the Redfern store also has a mission to only employ people in need.

Named for one of Australia’s most celebrated cricketers, the Bradman burger at this café in Sydney’s Petersham comes with the sort of local accoutrements that confound overseas visitors, including a fried egg and beetroot. Best enjoyed with a pineapple and coconut Splice shake for maximum nostalgia.

The burger urge can grip you at any hour, most pressingly after a big night out. Lucky for Melburnians, Butchers Diner on Bourke Street is open until midnight or 1am five nights per week and serves up juicy aged-cheddar cheeseburgers and low-key hamburgers when you need them most.

Every Friday between noon and 2.30pm at this Adelaide restaurant, the classic cheeseburger – thick patty, soft bun, thin rings of Spanish onion – is served with fries and a tap beer for just $32. Returning to the office afterwards is entirely up to you.

When a venue only does four chicken burgers (plus one veggie option), you know they’re putting some serious thought into it. The classic at this East Brisbane spot is an exercise in simplicity, dressed with chilli mayo and cucumber pickle so the huge chunk of crisp-fried chook remains the star. The Burning Bird also demands attention, thanks to a kick of jalapeño and housemade hot sauce.

Is it really necessary to use premium Wagyu in a burger? Absolutely not but no-one in their right mind would turn it down. If all that marbled beef didn’t make things juicy enough, this Brisbane joint piles on melted cheese, American mustard, ketchup and pickles. You can add the accompanying serve of tomato and lettuce if you like but it really needs nothing more than the fries that arrive on the side.

What might madame or monsieur expect from a French-leaning bar in the WA capital, famous for duck frites and baguettes? A burger “avec fromage”, of course. With a house-cured WA Wagyu neck and brisket patty, comté and a squishy white bun, this burger from of one of Perth's best restaurants comes medium rare – don’t quibble – and once the kitchen runs out each night, they’re gone.

When is a burger not just a burger? When it’s a tongue-tingling sensation from Darwin’s Patty Shack. A heady mix of spices including garam masala and cumin flavour the central potato and pea patty, while a jalapeño jam and housemade pumpkin and tomato kasundi kicks the taste into another dimension. For good measure, a squirt of vegan aioli and a tangle of fresh rocket top it all off.

This long-standing Adelaide CBD outfit specialises in crispy fried ‘chicken’ burgers… that are actually vegan. The hydrated gluten ‘chicken’ is made from scratch, on-site, every morning and, in the case of the Buffalo burger, turned into a golden, crunchy patty by way of (plant-based) buttermilk. Then, it’s pumped up with housemade creamy ranch and buffalo sauces, both animal-product-free, of course.

If your idea of burger heaven involves a patty so juicy it drips down your fingers, then the America-by-way-of-Japan-inspired menu of Canberra’s Mookie has a novel offering. The Mr. Miyagi replaces a standard patty with slabs of succulent char siu pork belly, sandwiched by a dollop of kewpie mayo, some tangy pickles and a sprinkle of pork crackling.  

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