Better Burger

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As we keep saying, burgers have become the hottest thing to hit the Auckland food scene since Richard and Maurice McDonald opened their first McDonald’s restaurant in 1940. From such humble beginnings to the wave of burger innovation we’re seeing today there’s something to be said for bringing back the classics – and Better Burger does just that.

Cramming a US-style burger joint into the courtyard of 1885 (and run by the gang behind Orleans, BCC, Racket and 1885 Britomart) in downtown Auckland, this snack-size eatery follows the trend of In-N-Out Burger – a simple, no-nonsense menu of chips, burgers, fries, shakes and sodas, made with organic, locally-sourced ingredients. You won’t be finding a focaccia bun or chorizo topped offerings, but you will discover the classics done to perfection: hamburgers, cheeseburgers, double cheeseburgers and veggie burgers (it is Auckland after all).

Whether you’re parking up a courtyard table to mix your combo with a beer from next door, or brown bagging it up for a meal on the go, you’re guaranteed to get a high quality handmade burger – it’s like everything a McDonald’s cheeseburger wants to be when it grows up; juicy, delicious and cooked to perfection.

Despite the no doubt hefty ground rent, prices are extremely reasonable, especially for downtown Auckland; $5 to $6.50 for a burger or make it a combo for $11 to $12.50. This combined with Better Burger’s location and commitment to simple tasty eats has created a mecca for the drunk, the hunger-busting and the casual daytime office worker looking to escape their desk-bound existence with a little mental break to Southern California.

Going custom is a little tricky. You’ll find additions are slim pickings with the only real downfall being the lack of bacon, it’s heartbreaking that something so small could change so many lives. Aside from that if you’re after something that’s no-fuss and committed to the classics in superb fashion, you’ll be hard pressed to do better.

All that’s missing is a secret menu…