Overview
When it comes to a fried chicken burger, Colonel Sanders has nothing on the chefs of Melbourne, who, lucky for us, know just how to prepare a damn fine piece of poultry between bread. Across the city, you'll find tender pieces of chicken coated in a variety of herbs and spices, and drizzled in sauces from blazing hot to garlic and herb-filled ranch.
Whether you're after a 2am snack, a hangover cure of salty protein or just a big ol' bite to fill your hunger needs, some moments call for a deep fried bit of bird. We've journeyed everywhere from Chapel Street to East Brunswick, to put together this list of the best of the bunch. Sometimes, there's nothing that can fill your belly quite like a chicken burger.
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Leonard’s House of Love is here to fulfil your 70s dreams with its lounge room and cabin-vibe bar and restaurant. There’s no formal dining space but rather couches and arm chairs to slide into — burger in hard, of course. The folks in the kitchen make some pretty tasty bites, including their Melbourne favourite: the South Side Fried Burger. The soft glossy fun is heaped with a fried chicken thigh, ranch sauce, bacon, American cheese, lettuce and, of course, pickles. The burger will set you back $15, and goes perfectly with a $7 Melbourne Bitter or Young Henrys Stayer tinnie.
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When it comes to hot chook, Belles doesn’t mess around. Morgan McGlone’s fried chicken is legendary, and it’s all in the secret way it’s brined, floured, re-floured, pre-seasoned and spiced — before even hitting the fryer. In the Belles Chicken Sandwich, you’ll find one of these succulent thigh fillets alongside burger cheese, habanero mayonnaise, shaved onion, lettuce and your choice of sauce. Plus, the choice of spice levels is all yours too, whether you like it hot or mild. Plus, as well as Fitzroy, Belles has capital in Docklands and the CBD, so you won’t have to travel too far to get your feed.
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Peaches is the new whimsical CBD rooftop bar from the team behind Dexter. Alongside a colour palette of peach every way you look, the bar offers 90s pop-themed cocktails late into the night and fried chicken sangas until 1am Monday to Thursday (and 3am Friday and Saturday). Choose either a ‘hot’ sanga, which boasts Sichuan-spiced fried chicken, or a ‘cold’ one with the kick of yuzu mayo and pickles. The best part? You won’t have to dip into the weekly food budget for this one as the bird between bread comes for only $10, and $7 during the two daily happy hours: 12–2pm and 12–2am.
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Tucked away on High Street in Thornbury, Kustom Burgers is a beloved burger joint of the north end of Melbourne — and its Impala Southern Fried Buttermilk Chicken Burger is a perfect example of why. Order it and you’ll chew down on some southern fried buttermilk chicken coated in Kustom’s secret herbs and spices, accompanied by cheese, Kustom slaw and, for an added kick, jalapeños and chipotle mayo. All this for a sweet $15. If you want to stack it up, the joint offers plenty of add-ons too, from pineapple to a whole beef patty to go along with your bird.
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Brunswick East’s B.East (get it?) has been feeding hungry northsiders with burgers, fries, sides and shakes since it came to life in 2012. And when it comes to bites, its fried chicken burger is a huge local fav. Sink your teeth into their Clint Beastwood and enjoy a southern fried chicken fillet with Westmont pickles, thousand island sauce, jack cheddar and buttermilk slaw. If you want an extra kick of protein, you can add bacon for $3.50 and there’s a gluten-free option for an added $1.50. We recommend grabbing some fries on the side — which will only set you back $4 — and washing it all down with a crushed oreos and whipped cream shake (with the optional shot of booze).