Burger Plus A Geelong mainstay within the burger community, Burger Plus has been at it for a while now and cemented itself as one of the best burger purveyors in Geelong, voted Geelong’s best burger in the past. Tucked away at the northern end of Mercer St, right under the Belmercer Hotel, Burger Plus have been slinging juicy, stacked creations and satisfying our hunger cravings and undying affection for meat in a bun since 2017. Expect to find the finest ground beef burgers (from your regular beef, to double beef), chicken schnitzel burgers, pulled-pork burgers, and even juicy vegan and veggie burgers that have you licking your fingers for days. Standouts include the Fyre Chicken Burger, made with chicken schnitzel, cheese, jalapeno, coleslaw and spicy mayo; as well as double beef No 1, which comes stacked with double beef, double cheese, tomato, lettuce, caramelised onion and homemade sauce. While they nail the classics, their inventive and testing nature has led to some of the best burgers our region has ever seen, like the truffle beef burger packed with beef, cheese, lettuce, caramelised onion, fries and truffle mayo; or the chorizo beef burger with beef, cheese, chorizo, lettuce, salsa fresca, chipotle mayo and caramelised onion. Their plant-based burgers are also known to make our tummy rumble, featuring a plantbased meat patty, cheese, lettuce, caramelised onion, tomato, pickle and homemade sauce, pulled off with flawless execution If you’re not feeling like a burger (infrequent, but possible), they’ve got you covered with a selection of beef and chicken wraps, chilli-cheese fries, bacon cheese fries, chicken schnitty strips, hard and soft shell tacos, sweet potato fries and even macho fries – complete with Japanese style seasonings and spicy mayo. Save room for their sugar-filled selection of shakes for the full burger experience. Where: 14A Mercer Street, Geelong
Blackman’s Brewery and Burger Bar When beers and burgers come together it’s always an epic time, especially when it’s in an epic location on the main street of Ocean Grove, courtesy of Blackman’s Brewery and Burger Bar. This independently-owned brew company known for its colourful, in flavour and appearance, beers have created another bright and bubbly venue to reflect its signature brand on Ocean Grove’s main strip in one of the town’s most historic buildings and with it, an epic burger menu to match. Blackman’s Brewery’s inventive and testing nature has led to some of the best burgers the region has seen, a credit which can be attributed to head Chef Russ. An Ocean Grove local who previously owned an award-winning burger bar in Melbourne, chef Russ made his return home to the coast, bringing along a renewed focus on fresh and seasonal ingredients, including innovative new specials bi-weekly. On the meat and bun front, hero burgers include the signature beef burger and crowd favourite, The Blackman, featuring an Angus beef patty, bacon, lettuce, tomato, pickles, American cheddar and house mac sauce. Entirely memorable, the Southern Chicken burger (complete with pickled slaw, American cheddar and house chipotle mayo) and the Barramundi Burger round out our top three choices, providing an impeccable pairing to beers and ocean views. Perfecting the basics, the cheeseburger is top-notch, their cheesy schroom burger is a great option for one of the best veggie burgers going around and they also nail the double beef and bacon burger. All are served with chips, there are also gluten-free buns on hand. You’ve also got chilli chips, pickled slaw and mac n cheese croquettes, plus onion rings, Southern chicken pieces and buffalo wings for when you’re feeling snacky. Oh, and these legends even dish out an option for the kids with the Lil Shorty. With locations in Geelong and Torquay too, the summerinspired Ocean Grove space includes a beer garden, rotating taps of their core range and seasonals and live music on Sundays, truly making this spot well worth the trip. Where: 82 The Terrace, Ocean Grove
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