Originally published on Broadsheet.

Pickle settles into Nicholson Street. You’ll be lucky to nab one of its 18 chairs.

“I know there are heaps of burger stores opening up, but we wanted one close to home, so we decided to set it up ourselves,” says co-owner of Pickle Burgers Anna Rogers, who opened the new store with her husband, Gaby Zakharia.

“As a mum, I don’t want to spend a whole lot of money on takeaway. So I think that’s our point of difference, trying to keep prices really reasonable,” she says.

“The Basic B has been flying out the door for that reason. That’s our beef burger with cheese, pickles, lettuce, tomato and American mustard for $9.”

The buns come from Ovens Street Bakery in Brunswick, and meat comes from Peter’s Meats on Sydney Road, Brunswick.

There are spiked shakes including a Baileys and Belgian chocolate version, and a Kahlua, espresso and vanilla bean shake. Regular shakes come in salted caramel, strawberry vanilla, and chocolate flavours.

The space, which Rogers and Zakharia designed themselves, is warm with hanging plants and a mural of a deconstructed burger by Melbourne-based artist Hayden Dewar. Pickle is small and probably more appropriate for takeaway unless you’re lucky enough to claim one of the 18 chairs inside. It only opened last week, but it’s already packed out each night – we visited on Tuesday and those 18 seats were already taken.

In addition to the Basic B, the people are coming for the Bruce Lee Burger, “which came from my husband’s love for dim sims” Rogers says. “It’s filled with a fried South Melbourne Market dim sim, beef, cheese, Sriracha-mayo and Asian slaw.”

Meanwhile the Zeecee Kids’ Combo is named for the Rogers’s children, Zahra and Camilla. It’s a beef burger with cheese, mayo and lettuce, with a side of fries and a drink.

“It’s their favourite thing on the menu, of course,” their mother says.

Pickle
1 Nicholson Street, Brunswick East

Hours:
Mon to Fri 12pm–10pm
Sat & Sun 12pm–1am

Image credit: Kate Shanasy