Chew Burger - Preston

Chew Burger is yet another burger establishment making a bit of a name for itself in the Melburnian burger scene.

Founded by 3 friends, who are local to the area, Chew Burger is their way of giving back to their beloved community. The place serves quality burgers with house made pickles and sauces whilst their brioche buns are sourced from the nearby Northcote Bakehouse.

The space is a simple combination of exposed brick and deep green tiles, where locals can dine at a table or get a burger to go. The menu has 7 burgers, two of which accommodate for vegetarians along with a small selection of sides including fries or onion rings. The wait for the burgers can get a bit long but it didn't bother me too much.

On that night, it seemed the popular burgers were The Plenty or the 3072, the first being a fully loaded double patty beast and the latter a spicy burger with jalapenos and a sriracha slaw.

As for my burger, the brioche buns were buttery and sweet whilst the wagyu beef was cooked perfectly, having a nice crust on the outside whilst still juicy and pink in the middle. I really like the patty at Chew Burger, as the meat is loosely packed together allowing the meat to just fall away with each bite. On the other hand, eating the whole burger proves to be quite messy but I guess that's all just part of the fun.

Photo taken from Nior Art

Not just a place for burgers, the venue is also a gallery where it's shop windows acts as the canvas for local talented artists. So stop by and admire some gorgeous masterpieces and maybe look at some artwork too. *winkwink*

147 Plenty Road, Preston 

Tue to Wed 12:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Thu to Sat 12:00 pm - 9:30 pm

Sun 12:00 pm - 9:00 pm

www.chew.net.au

8bit Burger - Footscray

Footscray isn't just for your usual Pho or Banh Mi fix anymore. Shayne McAllum, Alan Samm and Long Tran are mixing things up with their new joint, 8 bit burger. 

Inspired by vintage video games, the place is a boldly coloured classic diner with old but beloved video game characters scattered throughout. 

The menu includes beef, chicken and mushroom burgers along with your usual accompaniment of hot dogs, shakes and beer bartered fries. I had the 8bit Burger; a classic burger with beef, cheese, red onion, crispy lettuce, pickles and their 8bit sauce sandwiched between soft brioche buns. If you're feeling rather adventurous though, give the Double Dragon burger a try. 

The staff are friendly but take a very long time to assemble a burger. From watching the kitchen, I could tell the staff haven't got an efficient system happening just yet but hopefully they'll find their footing soon. Unfortunately this results in a 30-45 minute wait for the burgers but let's hope that means your burgers are made with precision and care. The burgers are really tasty with a good balance of flavours and texture, so it's definitely worth trying out. If you have spare time and a good friend to talk to, the wait will just fly by.