If you’re in the mood for that wondrous combo of carbs and protein (otherwise known as a burger), look no further than Lisa O’Neill’s round-up of Subi’s best in show.
Science says being cold increases our metabolic rate, which means during a chilly Perth winter, your appetite for satiating food naturally increases. Burgers appeal to this writer in any season to be honest, but if you’re looking for a bonus reason to work your way through this Subiaco ‘best of list’ – you’re welcome.
Hello Harry
1 Rokeby Road, Subiaco
If you love a dirty burger, dripping in house-made sauces with a ‘smashed’ patty, Hello Harry has nailed the brief. Hello Harry kicked off in Queensland’s Maroochydore before expanding to 15 stores across the country, including our Subiaco. With brioche buns made exclusively for the chain, locally-sourced ingredients and the preparation of everything in-store – Hello Harry isn’t necessarily a pretty burger, but it’s delicious. The maple bacon burger with smashed beef, cheese, pickles and three sauces (get a few napkins) is our pick – and on Monday nights, kids get their burgers free.
The Village Bar
10/531 Hay Street, Subiaco Village
For lovers of cheap-ass Tuesday specials and a hearty burger, head down to The Village Bar from 5pm for a $15 burger and chips. There’s only one choice, but they’ve created a classic with a touch of bougie – the beef burger comes with a wagyu beef patty plus lettuce, tomato, caramelised onion, American cheese and pickles. Once you’ve fuelled your belly, stick around for the Tuesday trivia at 7pm hosted by Quizmeisters. If you work in Subiaco, ask about the special prices for Subi local businesses, too.
BARK
502 Hay Street, Subiaco
Across the road at Bark, your tastebuds and wallet are in for a treat here on Tuesday nights, too. All you’ll need is a lobster ($20) to get you Bark’s smash burger (150g smashed beef patty, American cheese, crunchy lettuce and in-house burger sauce on a potato bun), ‘chicken shaker’ chips and a beer. All of a sudden, your week is peaking on a Tuesday.
Fenway
328 Barker Road, Subiaco
This Boston-inspired, old-school sports bar has a burger menu so impressive, I suggest going weekly and working your way through all eight burgers rather than trying to choose just one. With wagyu beef, fried chicken, battered snapper and veggie patties all featuring in various forms on brioche buns, our recommendation for your first Fenway experience is the Bulleit with wagyu beef, American cheese, crunchy onion rings, aioli and Bulleit BBQ sauce. Get your burger deals on a Saturday and Sunday night, with a burger and chips setting you back a mere $16.
Grill’d
20-38 Subiaco Square Road, Subiaco
Get a side serve of feel-good with your burger, as Grill’d rotates local community groups you can donate to. Many community groups have benefited across the country from Grill’d’s mission to give back. The burgers here are also among the best in Subi, with a menu catering to every taste and plenty of allergy-friendly options too. If decisions are hard for you, get the burger with everything – the Wild, Wild West is stuffed with a beef patty, crispy bacon, tasty cheese, cos lettuce, tomato, Spanish onion, relish and herbed mayo. And do not leave without a serve of the perfectly seasoned and crispy sweet potato chips.
1982 Food + Coffee
3/1 Rokeby Road, Subiaco
Send your tastebuds on an epic lunchtime journey and head to 1982 for their soft-shell crab burger in a charcoal bun with the aforementioned crab, cabbage slaw, smoked chilli mayo, sunny egg and bonito flakes. If you’re more into classic combos, you can soak up some lunch specials with the buttermilk-fried chicken burger on a Monday or the 1982 brotherhood burger (beef patty, potato bun, lettuce, tomato, grilled pineapple, caramelised onion, American cheese, crispy bacon, and BBQ and tomato sauces) on a Tuesday for only $10.90 each between 11am and 1.30pm.
The Subi Hotel
465 Hay Street, Subiaco
When your pub has been around for 125 years, you’ve earned the badge of ‘iconic’. The Subi Hotel is just that, and the kitchen has become well-known for producing some of the best pub grub in Perth. Their burgers are no exception, the beef option piled high with a ground-beef patty, bacon, cheese, caramelised onions and all the trimmings, while vegetarian friends are well-catered for with the Backyard Burger stuffed with haloumi, mushroom, avocado and tomato kasundi. Get down on a Monday and your burger and chips with a glass of house wine comes to only $22.
Hungry Jack’s
515 Hay Street, Subiaco
The nostalgic choice. Did you even grow up in Subiaco if you didn’t work at one of Hay Street’s big three – HJ’s, KFC or Baskin Robbins? I earnt my first dollars scooping at the hallowed grounds of 31 flavours, but plenty of my friends were next door at the home of the Whopper, which is still made with Aussie beef and free of all the nasties. For the ultimate winter night treat, you don’t even need to get out of your tracksuit and slippers as you cruise through the drive thru and feed a family of six for $40. Every once in a while, it’s fun to taste your childhood in the smokey flavours of a Whopper burger.
