Eat Burger, Cronulla

From Sojourn Restaurant and Banc to Vic’s Meat in Melbourne, owner and head chef Paul Camilleri has steered in a new direction from fine dining to Eat Burger. Along with co-owner Kim, this Cronulla spot has been on their radar for a long time. Only steps away from the beach, the burger joint has been years in the making. Paul always wanted to break into the burger business, and it took him six months to perfect the menu.

Ingredients are key – it’s all about that meat and the bun. The meat speaks for itself. Nothing but salt is added. Brasserie Bread milk buns hold the burger together perfectly. The buns follow old traditions of making soft, white bread in Hokkaido, Japan. Pickles are by McClure’s.

Purists will dig the cheeseburger made with Angus beef patty, cheese, onion, tomato jam, pickles and mustard aioli. Of course you can’t go wrong with bacon, especially when it’s maple glazed and served on a beef burger with caramelised onion, a smoky BBQ sauce, pickles, cheese and mustard aioli. But if chicken is your thing, find enlightenment in a chunk of Southern fried chicken with streaky maple bacon, slaw, chipotle mayo, and cheese on a milk bun.

Inspired by a visit to Napa Valley in California where Paul and Kim ate fries in a cone with a green, vinegary sauce, Paul has recreated this memory at Eat Burger. The fries with salsa verde, parmesan and lemon are a moreish marvel – the fries are tossed in parmesan after frying, topped with more parmesan and daubs of salsa verde, then served with a wedge of lemon.

A burger isn’t complete without a soda (you can order it as a spider, too), or better yet a good, old-fashioned shake. The shakes are made with soft serve and real, fresh ingredients. The strawberries & cream shake is draped with a playful pinch of Persian fairy floss. All shakes can also be boozed up with hard stuff (Kahlua, whiskey or rum).

Amber Road Design have instilled a minimalist but beachy vibe in the space. While the dine-in seats are limited, there’s always the option to grab your favourite burg and get stuck into it on the beach.

Eat Burger
43 Gerrale Street, Cronulla, NSW
Open every day 11am-late