Lo-Fi Burgers

It seems that somewhere along the line, humans started to overcomplicate the burger. We tried to stack too many ingredients in a bun, losing the essence of what made us fall in love with this classic dish in the first place – not to mention it being physically impossible to pop in our gob. It is with the greatest relief, then, that we introduce you to Christchurch's Lo-Fi Burgers.

Located upstairs at The Crossing, this casual lunchtime spot serves up fresh, fuss-free and flavour-packed smash burgers. It’s a food fantasy that has been sizzling away in Mark Sanders’ brain for the better part of two decades. In that period, he’s had plenty of time to obsess over crafting the perfect burger – so when a space came along to fulfil that dream, there was only one right answer.

Mark adopts a ‘less is more’ approach to deliver a simple and affordable Oklahoma-style burger made using quality ingredients. Let’s run through it, shall we? It all starts with the signature burger patty, smashed fresh to order with thinly sliced onions to give it those gorgeous crispy edges while maintaining a juicy centre. A yum tangy burger sauce, McClure’s pickles, and slices of American cheese (because it MUST have American cheese) are layered up in a soft milk bun, each component playing an equally important role. Diners can choose from three variations – Classic, Supreme, or BBQ Bacon – available as a single or double serving with the option to add crunchy crinkle cut fries (thinking of sharing those? Good luck with that). Lo-Fi nails the burger portion size too: big enough to keep you satisfied, but not too big that you’ll be dozing off at your desk.

In keeping with the simple burger concept, the fitout follows a minimal – but fun – black and white diner aesthetic. It’s cool, casual and comfortable, the perfect balance of somewhere you can pop in by yourself and smash a burger at the counter, kick back with a bunch of friends, or take on the go. For Mark, this burger haven has been a long time coming – but boy was it worth the wait.