The 7 best burgers in Darwin right now

It was either Theodore Roosevelt or an inspirational quote on Facebook that said: "It is always better to be an original than an imitation". In either case, the saying is true for the OG burger at Patty Shack Burger Bar in Nightcliff. The 100 per cent Aussie beef smashed patty is topped with all the classics: cheese, onions, pickles, lettuce, tomato and the secret Shack sauce. It’s simple, but it works. The chefs at Patty Shack know what they’re doing; you don’t mess with a good thing. But you can make a mess with it. Fair warning: you’ll need napkins for this one. 

Order the: OG

Address: 38 Progress Dr, Nightcliff

Price: $16

When in the Top End, having a good barra burger is a rite of passage. Tick it off your bucket list at the Frying Nemo, overlooking the marina at Tipperary Waters. This casual al fresco eatery is famous for its fish and chips, and the barra burger is just as renowned. Made with local NT wild-caught barramundi, the fish is beer-battered and best paired with the homemade tartare sauce. Add a schooner of Great Northern to your order and you’ll be an honorary local. 

Order the: Barra Burger 

Address: 10/90 Frances Bay Dr, Stuart Park 

Price: $21.50

You know you’re in for a hit of spice when your burger at Laneway Coffee is served with a watermelon chaser. Game on. The grilled chicken in Laneway’s signature burger packs a punch with some help from Mexican spices. Add pickled slaw, manchego and chipotle mayo on a toasted milk bun, and you’ve got one hot combination. Embrace the heat at Laneway Café in Parap, which also does a mean juice of the day that pairs excellently with a burger. How fitting. 

Order the: Grilled Chicken Burger 

Address: 4/1 Vickers St, Parap 

Price: $26

The NT is buffalo country. You can spot wild ones roaming free in the bush, some hanging out in the lake at the Corroboree Park Tavern and a taxidermied beast standing proudly on the bar of the Adelaide River Hotel. All that to say, you could be forgiven for thinking a buffalo burger in the NT included buffalo meat. This is not the case at Besser Brew Bar, where the burger has crispy chicken that's seasoned with buffalo sauce – hence the name. The cayenne pepper kick is tempered with sour cream, pickles and cos lettuce, and it goes down a treat with fries. There’s a reason Besser won Best Burger gold at the NT Hospitality Awards in 2024. 

Order the: Spicy Buffalo Burger 

Address: 6/116 Coonawarra Rd, Winnellie 

Price: $28

On the burger spectrum – from servo takeaway to five-star restaurant – this burger by the chefs at De La Plage café lands at the top end of town. Served with a side of chips, the beef burger is made with Eva Valley beef, camembert cheese, pear, walnut, caramelised onion and vegan mayo on a coconut charcoal milk bun – and the flavours harmonise like a soulful symphony. Plop down on one of their colourful beanbags, drink in those ocean views of Casuarina Beach and take a bite. Bliss!

Order the: Beef Burger

Address: Surf Life Saving Club, Lot 9316 Darribah Rd, Brinkin

Price: $27.50

In the backstreets of Rapid Creek is a local favourite, Café Central, with a relaxed energy and ripper menu. The star of the show? The pulled pork burger featuring slow-cooked meat, crispy bacon, avocado, slaw and – most importantly – chipotle mayo. Trust us, you’ll want to order extra chipotle mayo to go with your side of chips. Come for the burger, and stay for the great service and dog patting opportunities at this charming café. 

Order the: Pulled Pork Burger

Address: 1/29 Rossiter St, Rapid Creek 

Price: $22