Delivery burgers: do they work? In the name of science, we simultaneously ordered cheeseburgers from six of Sydney’s more respected burger joints* each with a side of fries – and to be delivered via pushbike to our Park Street office for Friday lunch. Here are our findings:
- We tried to include Paddington’s Cheeky Burger and the Fish Shop in Potts Point in our study, but neither was servicing our location during Friday lunch.
CHUR BURGER
CHUR BURGER
48 Albion St, Surry Hills, (02) 9212 3602, churburger.com.au
Delivery service: Foodora
Price: $19 with chips, plus $5 delivery
Distance travelled: 1.1km
Delivery time: 29 minutes
COMMENTS
Six minutes before the 35-minute estimated delivery time the Chur burger arrived, with a smile and a “have a nice day” from the delivery cyclist. Thanks to its cardboard packaging, the burger was as intact as it would have been flying straight to the dining room from Chur’s Surry Hills kitchen. The mustard mayo was concentrated at one end of the burger, and a good half of it had puddled in the bottom of the box, but this ended up being a blessing (the burger would have been soggy otherwise). The patty was thick and medium-rare, though not as warm as we would have liked, and the cheese appropriately oozy. Extra taste points awarded for the crunchy pickles.
**Score: 80/100
**
RIBS & BURGERS
RIBS & BURGERS
_Central Park, RB09A, Lower Ground, 28 Broadway, Chippendale, (02) 7903 0288, ribsandburgers.com
_
Delivery service: Deliveroo
Price: $12 with chips, plus $5 delivery
Distance travelled: 2km
Delivery time: 26 minutes
COMMENTS
This was a very sweet-looking little burger. A buttery milk-bar style bun arrived tightly wrapped in paper and then boxed, so it held its shape perfectly. The patty was nicely pink and there was a generous amount of cheese and lettuce, but sadly, it was let down by the temperature – the Ribs & Burgers order got to us lukewarm. The chips, on the other hand, were top-notch and saved the day. They were thick, perfectly salty and piping hot (the best across the board). For $12 (excluding delivery), it satisfied, but only just.
Score: 68/100
deliveroo.com.au/menu/sydney/chippendale/ribs-and-burgers-central-park
MARY’S
MARY’S
154 Castlereagh St, Sydney
Delivery service: Deliveroo (only available from Mary’s CBD; Newtown to come)
Price: $18 with chips, plus $5 delivery
Distance travelled: 230m
Delivery time: 22 minutes
COMMENTS
The Mary’s cheeseburger arrived pretty close to how it would come if you stood in line on Castlereagh Street (which, we must confess, is barely 100 metres from GT HQ). The burger bun is steamed, so the whole thing is pretty flat; order more than one and you’ll start to feel sorry for the poor patty at the bottom of the bag. It didn’t seem hot enough for an order that had travelled only half a block, so points were deducted there, but the chips were still on the crunchy side and well-seasoned, and there was a good balance of mustard, tomato sauce, pickle and bun – hitting a solid 20 for taste. Service was not super-friendly, but not unpleasant.
**Score: 60/100
**
BURGER PROJECT
BURGER PROJECT
_World Square, lvl 1, 644 George St, Sydney, burgerproject.com
_
Delivery service: Deliveroo
Price: $13.40 with chips, plus $5 delivery
Distance travelled: 750m
Delivery time: 24 minutes
COMMENTS
Given that Burger Project burgers are served in paper sleeves rather than boxes, they’re not the most delivery-friendly. Sadly, a good chunk of cheese remained on the sleeve when the burger was removed. Nothing irreparable, but it had definitely been shaken by the ride. Despite it being a little more deflated than the eat-in versions, the burger tasted more or less the same as you’d expect in-store – a medium-rare patty with lots of pickles and onion. The chips came in a small cup: they were crisp, lightly salted and, most importantly, arrived warm. Deliveroo originally proposed 75 minutes for delivery, but luckily, it was way off, only taking 24 minutes in the end.
Score: 78/100
deliveroo.com.au/menu/sydney/sydney/the-burger-project
BAR LUCA BURGERS
BAR LUCA BURGERS
1/151 Oxford St, Darlinghurst, (02) 9357 4527, blburgers.com.au
Delivery service: Foodora
Price: $17 with chips, plus $5 delivery
Distance travelled: 1.7km
Delivery time: 19 minutes
COMMENTS
Aside from an escape attempt by a rogue pickle or two, Bar Luca’s classic wagyu cheeseburger arrived tall and plump thanks to a sturdy cardboard fortress. The patty was as rare as it should be, though not as hot as you might expect from such a quick turnaround. The accompanying fries were heavily seasoned with herb salt (herbs on chips: just say no), but the size and juiciness of the burger made up for any lost points. Bar Luca is known around town as not being shy with the sauce or cheese, and it didn’t disappoint. We’d order seconds, no question.
Score: 84/100
BURGER 10
BURGER 10
39 Glebe Point Rd, Glebe, (02) 8283 3878, burger10.com.au
Delivery service: Foodora
Price: $21.50 with chips, plus $5 delivery
Distance travelled: 2.7km
Delivery time: 32 minutes
COMMENTS
Both the classic beef burger with cheese and the chips arrived neatly and individually boxed and relatively warm. Chopped beetroot and mayo made for some pink seepage at the edges, but otherwise the shiny-topped bun fared well. The patty was medium-rare and the pickled cucumber crisp and tasty. One quibble: we’d prefer lettuce over rocket. Service points were granted for extra tomato sauce, masses of napkins, and pedal-powered delivery from Glebe to the CBD in a whisker over half an hour from ordering.
**Score: 68/100
**
