The Best Places for a Burger in Fremantle

The last decade has seen the rise of the humble burger from a simple snack to a culinary masterpiece.

In Fremantle, a neat list of contenders for best burger drives venues to perfect a pared-back classic cheeseburger or experiment with flavour combinations.

Flipside Burger Bar

After a decade of flipping burgers in North Fremantle, Flipside has proven itself a mainstay in Fremantle's casual dining scene. It's a quintessential neighbourhood burger bar, serving up great burgers starting with a char-grilled, 100% W.A. beef patty then adding a few tasty twists: Q.V.B. is Flipside's take on an Aussie burger, a beef patty with cheddar, egg and beetroot, while the Williamsburg(er) is a cheeseburger lover's dream with Monterey jack, dill, mustard and mayo. Chicken burgers like Taxi C.A.B. are filled with avocado and bacon, or the brie and cranberry sauce topped Triple B keeps the 'coop' happy. A lengthy list of additions means you can customise your burger to your liking. Run by husband-wife team Hamish Fleming and Siobhan Blumann behind the next-door bar, Mrs Brown, which will take Flipside burger orders to be delivered straight to your bar table.

Short Order

Short Order began life in Fremantle at the Sunshine Harvester Works food emporium back in 2015 before making a permanent move to their new location opposite the Fremantle Town Hall. It's a retro 1950s American diner in style, reflecting the burgers on offer with patties made with organic, grass-fed Blackwood Valley beef cooked medium-rare and served on a brioche bun with house-made pickles and a mayo-based house sauce. Fans also come for the Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich, spicy buffalo wings and thin-cut fries. Short Order Fremantle is licensed, serving up a namesake beer made by local W.A. beer makers, Rocky Ridge Brewing Co, plus a wine list that leans heavily towards W.A.'s Southwest. A cocktail selection includes a boozy iced tea and bourbon and maple pecan thick shake.

Meet & Bun

Owner John Pavlos spent six months perfecting his burger recipe for Meet & Bun's menu that features burgers made with hand-pressed, fresh (never frozen) organic beef patties in a soft brioche burger bun. Depending on your fill, choose from the likes of a classic hamburger with onion, pickles, mustard and chipotle mayonnaise to a Breaking Bad (filled with salad plus smoked bacon and American cheddar on a warm potato bun). You can also double up on the patties for an extra $3.50. Southern-style fried free-range chicken and panko-crumbed portobello mushroom burgers are part of the 'Other' menu. Meet & Bun was awarded Plate of the Year 2017 and Best Burger in Perth 2018 in a nod to their quality and flavour. And save some room for their hand made creamy custard ice cream, which also is used in their delectable thick shakes.

Smash Grill

Smash Grill styles their menu on classic mid-west American burgers, so expect juicy smashed patties and handmade buttermilk fried chicken served between soft potato rolls. The signature Smashburger comes as a single or double ground beef patty with salad, house pickles, grilled onion and American cheese. Three chicken burgers on the menu include the Spicy Chicken Sandwich with marinated chicken breast, coleslaw and house pickle combo. A panko-breaded portobello mushroom topped with salads, pickles, and cheese keeps vegetarians happy. It's a small menu focusing on quality products with all burgers made to order. Having moved from Fremantle Markets to their new home in the FOMO building, you can now grab a Smash Grill six days a week.

Big Rigz Burger Co.

South Fremantle based Big Rigz Burger Co. offers the obligatory classic burgers, yet its menu goes beyond the mainstream. Premium beef patties are used for their stacked burgers with, in the case of a Smoky Ribz, added bacon, cheddar, chipotle mayo slaw, caramelised onions, pickles and Mofo B.B.Q. sauce. Korean influences permeate the menu: Korean King is fried chicken thigh topped with bacon, cheddar, kimchi, pickles, pickled daikon, jalapenos, Korean sauce, gochujang mayo and their signature Big Rigz burger sauce. Two plant-based offerings with chickpea or mushroom-based patty are served in their 'secret' recipe buns for veggies. Fries come loaded – both in size and with added toppings – from chilli con Carne, cheddar and sour cream (Chilli Fries) or with bacon, cheddar, spicy kimchi topped with kewpie, gochujang mayo and Korean Sauce (Korean Fries). The venue holds a B.Y.O. license for drinks.

Two Stacks

Located in the Sunshine Harvester Works, just a skip from the Fremantle train station makes visiting Two Stacks a breeze. Every Two Stacks burger features two crispy smashed beef patties, hence their name, with a neat menu of just four beef burgers on offer. Choose between a Classic Cheese, Chipotle Cheese with added jalapeno and chipotle mayo, or the Black Stack Smash with black pudding, 'picklenaise' and burnt butter mayo. The Out-N-In burger features Two Stacks take on the American burger brand and their famous sauce. Classic Chicken and Nashville-style Hot Chicken burgers, and a few sides including rosemary salted fries, buttermilk chicken tenders, and fries topped with a signature smashed patty round out the menu.

Photo credit: Main image, Flipside - Jess Wyld