Burger Liquor

The fundamentals of a good meal out in Wellington can be distilled down to two essential elements as seen at Te Aro's,  Burger Liquor. 

Here, the burgers are fist-sized and delicious. There are the usual suspects like Buttermilk fried chicken and the ‘standard’, with ground chuck beef, pickles, ketchup and mustard mayo, then there are fringe flavours like romesco and lemongrass to keep the kids or your boss happy. A series of snacks like edamame and jalapeno poppers will tide them over while you’re waiting for the rest of your order.

The liquor is raw and warming, either rum or its unhinged Dixie cousin. You can sup a Bourbon of the Day for just six dollars, which makes deciding between that and beer all the more harder, but in the immortal words of the young Old El Paso girl – why not both? Twelve bucks will get you a bourbon of the day and a cold glass of Juicehead lager to wash it back with. Other options include hard shakes (made with rum or bourbon for the ideal dessert digestif) and or bottomless filter coffee and tea.

Burger Liquor can be found in the old Crazyhorse Steak House premises (a tough act for anyone to follow) but even if you’re new in town, you won’t miss the building’s new winter-sky blue paint job with fresh art work from Wellington local ChimpOne leaping out from a sea of grey. The interior is neat but no-frills exposed brick lit by mechanic-lamps, and the music is pretty spot- on for a burger joint too, with a set list that includes the Animals, T-Rex and the Rolling Stones.