If you’ve taken a stroll or a stumble down Hindley Street lately, you may have noticed this takeaway burger spot cornering Bank Street. There’s no secrets here – the place sells burgers. But unlike other joints where you’re inundated with patties, toppings and sides, Bank Street Burger is keeping things simple. It’s just one burger, three ways, done right.
Bank Street Burger is the latest venture from the Bank Street Social team, located right next door in what was Cibo Espresso, pre-pandemic.
The idea was born when Bank Street Social owners Shaun Campbell and Simon Order, and Venue Manager Jason Ryan, saw a gap in premium burger options.
“We were keen to bring American-style smashburgers to Adelaide’s west end. That premium takeaway burger wasn’t really available in the area,” says Shaun.
For those new to the term smashburgers, it refers to when burgers are smashed on a flat top griddle, which gives a uniquely caramelised, crispy crust.
“Generally, it needs to be freshly ground meat,” explains Shaun.
“It’s seasoned, then we use a high heat to seal the meat and create a Maillard reaction.”
And a Maillard reaction is “the way the meat reacts on the grill, giving it a crispy, umami, savoury, punching flavour. You don’t get that cooking standard patties,” he adds.
“We designed the whole space from the ground up to deliver that style of burger – fresh and fast. We’re able to cook and deliver to the customer in five minutes.”
On the Bank Street Burger menu are three beef burgers. Each use heritage beef from the Riverina region, ground on-site daily.
Two are double-stacked patties – the ‘Classic’ with American cheese, tomato, lettuce and their signature sauce or the ‘Original,’ which swaps out the salad for sherry-glazed onions and house pickles. Then there’s ‘The Cheeseburger,’ a single patty, American cheese, fresh onion, house pickles, ketchup and mustard.
Served with fries and a soft drink. There’s talk of adding wine and beer to the menu come summer, but for now you’ll have to get your booze fix downstairs.
The menu is deliberately minimal, and the quiet opening intentional. The spot has been in “soft launch” for six weeks, dialling in and getting every element of the offering right. The focus is on stripping things back and perfecting the fundamentals.
“We’re just doing one thing, really well. We’re aiming to have the best takeaway burger in Adelaide. We’re limiting ourselves to 100 burgers a day at the moment.”
That said, it’s clear Adelaide has an appetite for it.
“The response has been great. The last couple of weekends in a row, we’ve sold out by midnight, and we trade ’til 3am,” says Shaun.
“We’ve already had people come back about five or six times. It’s great to already have regulars, plus great reviews across our socials.”
The space is still mid-reno, with moody red marble countertops on the way, tying into a “wine-bar-meets-burger-joint” feel in what the team calls “an intersection between the wine bars of Bank Street, Peel Street and Leigh Street, and the food of that area.”
If there’s one thing that’s synonymous with a boozy night out, it’s a greasy and smashable burger, and this hole-in-the-wall is offering it premium, beefy and unapologetically simple.
Open Wednesday through Saturday. Unofficially open as of six weeks ago, officially launching early August. Takeaway only (or available on the Bank Street Social menu).
For “the hungry and the hungover”
WHAT: Bank Street Burger
WHEN: Wed 5-9pm, Thurs 11am – 3pm & 4pm-3am, Fri 11am-3pm & 4pm-3am, Sat 5pm -3am
WHERE: Cnr Bank Street & Hindley Street, Adelaide
Follow along @bankstreetburger
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