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The best burgers in Wellington

words by niall roeder

No one is exactly sure when the burger craze hit Wellington, but when it did, it hit harder than Julian Savea. Hamburgers have obviously always been popular in Welly, but in the last few years, the boundaries have been pushed to the greasy limit.

Locally sourced ingredients are being slapped between buns by maniacally inventive chefs and scoffed by ravenous burger fanatics every single day. These delicious Frankenstein-like hot plate creations are our new favourite past time, that’s why we made a list of the best burgers in Wellington:

Bang Bang Burger @ Apache
Grilled lemongrass, free range Primestar chicken with mango, tomatoes, coriander, with a chilli, lime and coconut mayonnaise on a housemade cashew bun, with kumara bim bim – that is the Bang Bang Burger from Apache – the 2016 winner of Burger Wellington. It’s Vietnamese and French-inspired and next-level tasty. Match with a Death From Above beer and bon appétit.

Ekim Burgers
The 26 different Ekim burgers are cooked out of an orange caravan and affectionately devoured by locals. Perch amongst the graffiti and prepare yourself for a burger that’ll put flayva in ya mouth like Craig Mack did to your ears in ’94.

The Cheese Burger @ The Portlander
This popular Welly steakhouse is all about hearty, meaty feeds. The pick of the bunch at The Portlander is the Cheese Burger. They haven’t messed with the name and they haven’t messed with the recipe – order this weapon and you’re staring down the barrel of half a pound of medium rare Black Angus beef, McClures pickles, bacon, cheese, American mustard and ketchup on an Arobake bun, served with fries. If you’re as big as the Mountain from Game of Thrones, make it a double – twice the beef, twice the bacon, twice the cheese.

Row DAY oh @ Five Boroughs
This New York-style diner and bar dishes up ‘Murican sized plates of heavy and delicious grub. You don’t come to Five Boroughs for a detox feed, you come here for chill atmosphere and the Row DAY Oh – double brisket patty, onion rings, bacon, American cheese and BBQ sauce. It’s on the secret menu, so you have to specifically ask for it with a wink. Partner it with some truffle fries for maximum gluttony.

The Cabbie @ Burger Wisconsin
These guys have been lovingly flipping burgers since ’89, so trust me when I say the y now they trade. Just like the Portlander does a classic cheesy, Burger Wisconsin does a classic chook burger – loaded with chicken, avo, free farmed bacon, salad, mayo and relish. For those after some tang, the Beef & Blue Cheese is up there too – Angus beef pattie with blue cheese mayo, caramelised onions, salad and relish.


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