Ribs & Burgers

Bradley and Savannah Michael founded Ribs & Burgers in 2011, and the brand still describes itself through the founders’ butchery background: grass-fed, hormone-free beef patties, free-range chicken, and ribs cooked to a decades-old family recipe. The idea was a sit-down grillhouse at fast-casual prices, with both of the things in the name done properly rather than one of them as a side act.

By 2018 the chain had seventeen restaurants across New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia, plus outposts in Teddington in south-west London and in South Africa. In 2016 it joined the craze for strange-coloured burgers with the electric-blue Mutant Burger. Today it is a smaller, more settled business with ten Australian restaurants, from The Rocks in Sydney to William Street in Perth.

The menu splits into classic “Mighty Beef” burgers, a premium line made with Wagyu from the Mayura station in South Australia, flame-grilled lemon-and-herb and chilli chicken, and ribs that cook low and slow for eight hours before going over the flame. It is the kind of place where the burger order often comes with a mini rack of pork ribs on the side.

Ten restaurants in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.

• Burger Urge (Australia, since 2007). Brisbane’s gourmet burger chain, as famous for its provocative marketing as its burgers. Also built on beef, egg, pineapple and barbecue sauce.
• Grill'd (Australia, since 2004). Australia’s “healthy burger” chain, where your change goes to a local cause. Also built on beef, bacon, egg and cheese.
• BurgerFuel (New Zealand, since 1995). New Zealand’s cheeky burger chain, with beetroot, pineapple and a burger called the Bastard. Also built on beef, bacon, pineapple and cheese.
• Lord of the Fries (Australia, since 2004). A Melbourne chip van that became Australia’s all-vegan burger chain. Also built on beef, egg, pineapple and cheese.