A hamburger is not an easy dish to make. Deceptively simple, this classic comfort food can go sideways quick and there are key factors to the success of a real good handheld. You’ll know it instantly upon the first bite.
We confidently invite you to enjoy the fine selection of burgers our neighbourhood has to offer. The variety is immense and the flavours, memorable.
In honour of Hamburger Month, come celebrate all that is wonderful about this fantastic bit of nosh. Here’s a plateful of solid recommendations on where to get a great burger in Gastown. Long may the pickles be in your favour!
Meet In Gastown is one fantastic vegetarian restaurant. Arguably, hard core carnivores could hit the joint multiple times and not feel deprived. The casual eatery serves no less than 9 tasty burgers. Most notable are the Southern BBQ Burger – a house-smoked burger with whisky bbq sauce, 2 crispy onion rings and aged cashew-cheddar cheez and the Mac N’ Cheese Burger, also with onion rings or the Marinated Portobello Burger – marinated & grilled portobello, topped with a house-made chipotle mayo, grilled onions, roasted red peppers, house feta & pea pesto. A delicious add on is their coconut bacon.
131 Water has a unique Stilton Bleu Burger – bleu cheese, bacon, greens & tomato and a Almost Famous Fish Burger – crispy cod & house made tartar. Also tasty is their Grilled Wild Sockeye Samon w/ spicy siracha mayo.
Local Public Eatery in Maple Tree square has one of the best patios in Gastown. Grab a table outside in the sun and mow down on one of their signature juicy hand pressed burgers nestled in-between fresh buttered buns. Notable are THE LOCAL BURGER – Cheddar, Jack cheese, hot sauce, pickled jalapeños & onions, BROOKLYN BURGER -aged cheddar, red pepper relish & beer battered onion rings. Load on shrooms, extra pickles or grilled onions.
Gastown’s Pourhouse has something interesting: you can add a fried egg to either of their burgers – the Pourhouse with Pork Belly or the Veggie. The fried egg option is delicious, ups your protein and adds pizzazz to the patty!
For great blues and Texas Swing, Southern style eats and good times, check out Revel Room. There’s one burger on the menu but it’s a goodie – The Revel Classic Hamburger with pork belly, brie, Southern fried spiced onions,and garlic aioli.
New to Gastown and brought to you by Chef Lee Cooper of L’abattoir, Coquille Fine Seafood is a top notch spot for seafood platters, shellfish and raw fresh edibles from the ocean. They have a burger on the menu – a simple Cheeseburger with a choice of hand-cut fries or greens.
There are some good burgers to be found at Six Acres – kickoff this special month of May with some Mini Burgers or try their Crab Burger – rock crab patty, pickled daikon & carrot, cilantro, chili mayo.
The Black Frog cooks up a delicious burger with meat options; their MOON BURGER: (Beef, Chicken or Veggie) with melted brie & caramelized onion, garnished with lettuce, tomato, and sundried tomato mayo on a garlic buttered multigrain bun. Of additional interest is their SCHNITZEL BURGER: pork schnitzel, dijon, lettuce, tomato, and red onion and the BBQ CHICKEN BURGER: chicken breast smothered with BBQ sauce & layered with homemade slaw on a garlic buttered multigrain bun.
Recently under new management, Water Street Café has been a favourite haunt by locals and tourists in Gastown for many years. The café uses high quality beef in their Grilled AAA Angus Beef Burger – Canadian cheddar cheese, double smoked-bacon, tomato, lettuce, red onion, tomato jam, frites and the fish is delish in their SALMON BURGER – served in a brioche bun with local salmon, arugula, onion, tomato and tartar sauce.
Vera’s Burger Shack has such a selection and with so many options, that one could go there a couple times a week during Hamburger Month and still not have gotten through the menu. Look for daily specials (comes with fries and a bottomless Coke). Vera’s Hall of Fame Menu has 8 amazing burgers on the list. If you like rap and mushrooms, try G-Money – Double patty, cheddar & fried mushrooms or if you love Mexican inspired flavours, try the Baja Burger – single patty, pico-guacamole, Cheddar, hot peppers & Chipotle Mayo.
The Clough Club dishes up a fine pair of burgers – The CC Burger – Russian dressing, jalapeño cheese sauce, iceberg lettuce, tomato, house pickles (option to add extra beef patty/ double smoked bacon) and a house-made Veggie Burger – quinoa & brown rice patty, pumpkin seeds, pickled cabbage, chipotle mayo, butter lettuce, tomato.
Guilt & Co. has great jazz music and swing dancing and also great burgers. Try their Bison Burger – a hand-made burger with tomato jam, sticky onions, zucchini relish, all on a brioche bun.
The Lamplighter offers 4 tasty handhelds, with 3 using naturally raised beef from Cache Creek. Along with a Veggie Burger, choices include – a Blue Cheese Burger – caramelized onions, crumbled blue cheese, iceberg lettuce and vine ripened tomato, the HOUSE SIGNATURE double patty, sherry sautéed mushrooms, swiss cheese, buttermilk onion rings, iceberg lettuce, vine-ripened tomato and the CLASSIC PUB American cheese, iceberg lettuce, vine- ripened tomato.
Steamworks has 6 different burgers to choose from including the House-made Quinoa Burger – smoked cheddar stuffed quinoa roasted vegetable patty, pesto mayo, lettuce, tomato, grilled parmesan tuscan ciabatta and the juicy Brewhouse Burger – applewood cheddar, beer braised onions, bourbon bacon jam, house bbq sauce, dijon mayo, lettuce, tomato, black sesame brioche bun.
For delicious burgers at affordable prices, The Cambie Pub Gastown is a homerun. Try the So-Cal Burger: cheddar, pico de gallo, guacamole or the loaded BBQ Bacon Burger: fried bacon, provolone, caramelized onions.
The Charles Bar at the foot of The Woodward’s Building makes a cracking good Fish Tail Burger – Beer Battered BC Cod, American Cheese, House Sauce, Iceberg Lettuce, Grilled Bun as well as an excellent Crunchy Chicken Burger – Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Arugula, Pickled Red Onion, Maple Mayonnaise, Brioche Bun.
If you’re craving a bit o’ Irish then head to The Blarney Stone for their Blarney Burger – Angus beef, Blarney burger sauce, lettuce, tomato, onion, dill pickle, brioche bun.
The Metropole Pub on Abbott Street has one of the best combo deals in town -their House Made Burger is $7 and it includes a beer or glass of wine and potato chips.
Visit L’abattoir on the weekends for their brunch time Breakfast Burger – uarter pound patty, hashbrown, fried egg.
Lunch at The Flying Pig includes a BEER BATTERED HALIBUT BURGER with hand cut fries and house coleslaw.
