There are few times—if ever—when a good burger won't satisfy your cravings. What's not to love about a hand-held that delivers both flavour and value, and can be eaten practically anywhere? Topped with a runny egg for breakfast, smashed and smothered in American cheese and devoured post-trail, or served up on a pretzel bun, this list of burgers on the Sunshine Coast will have you dreaming of your next meal.
First, a Disclaimer
This list covers burgers from Gibsons to Lund, but it's also by no means comprehensive. The places mentioned here are intended to provide you with a well-rounded look at what's available, but we know burgers are highly subjective, so if we've missed your favourite, let us (gently) know. Burgers are a staple on the Sunshine Coast, and with so much choice, there can be no definitive list of burgers—so you might as well come try them all for yourself.
Batch 44 Brewery's Bayou Bite
The iconic Nashville-style hot chicken has inspired a new wave of burgers and for that we're all thankful. Batch 44 Brewery & Kitchen's take on this Southern classic veers more into well-seasoned and flavourful than outright tear-rendering spicy, subs Texas toast for a Portuguese bun, keeps the pickle, adds bacon jam, coleslaw, lettuce, tomato, a white BBQ sauce, and comes with fries and a salad. Come hungry—this chicken stack deserves an empty stomach. Wash things down with one of Batch 44's craft beers.
The Lamb Burger from Monks on Marine
Yes, smash burgers are having a moment, but there's something about a formidably stacked burger, layered with all the fixings (and more) that can be equally as enticing. Monks on Marine, a relatively new fixture along Powell River's main drag, is one of those places. Their lamb burger shares the same architecture as their beef burgs, only made with a lamb patty, olive tapenade, roasted garlic mayo, feta, pickled onion, lettuce, and tomato. It's a Mediterranean take on a classic (North) American staple. Flavour-wise, Monks was voted Best Burger in the 2022 Best of qathet awards, so you can't go wrong with any of their options.
Tapworks' Crispy Chicken Parm
Tapworks Brewing wears a lot of hats: it's a brewery, a restaurant, an event space, and a communal gathering hub, where more often than not, you'll be mingling amongst a crew of both locals and visitors, sharing the good vibes, good beer, good views, and good burgers. Home to the Tapworks Burger Shack, you’ll find more than one option for burgers, including everything from a California club or cheesesteak to a Po "Buoy” cod or their crispy chicken parm. We'll leave the "are sandwiches a burger?" debate for next time, and instead, redirect your attention to their mozza and marinara-slathered crispy chicken, sandwiched between two pieces of bread, and finished with greens, red onion, fresh basil, and mayo. Add fries to really throw that debate off, and you've got a burger-esque meal worthy of this list.
The Triple B's Classic
Some formulas aren't worth riffing on: an unassuming food truck, parked off-the-beaten road in a quaint oceanside community; foil-wrapped single or deluxe burgers, topped with American cheese, sauce, pickles, lettuce and tomatoes; medium-cut Kennebec fries, served well-seasoned, hot and crispy from the fryer. Often these are some of the best burger spots you can find and the highly-rated Triple B's is one of them. This Madeira Park legend is a real IYKYK ("if you know, you know”) place—and well worth a detour if you're not already passing by. Simple, classic, messy, delicious. Come early (and hungry)—this spot gets busy.
PKLS Portobello Burger
Vegetarians, fear not. There are burgers on this list for you, too. Located along Cowrie Street in downtown Sechelt, this unassuming burger joint serves up a glorious portobello burger atop grilled potato buns with your choice of unlimited toppings (really). PKLS Burgers lets you pick your base and continue from there. Will you have grilled onions? Avocado? Or your classic combo of tomato, lettuce, pickles, and raw white onion? There are sauces and, of course, cheese, plus sides and add-ons. It's a great stop for large groups and restrictive eaters, but we can't promise indecisive eaters won't have a tough time.
Coastal Cookery's Smash Burger
It's not a burger list without a smash. It's as simple as that, really. This universally-loved, unfussy and highly simple burger preparation boils down to the patties (here they're 2.5oz chuck patties), the cheese (it must be American, aka "orange" cheese), the bun (potato or bust), be highly sauced, and come with pickles and iceberg lettuce. Coastal Cookery's smash burger nails all these, and adds a few extras, including smoked bacon and grilled onion. Fresh cut fries round out this burger, and while you're there, you might as well grab local craft beer to finish things off. Happy smashin'.
The Boardwalk Restaurant's Sturgeon Burger
Chalk this one up as perhaps the most unique burger on this list. Sturgeon are prized for their caviar, but this firm-fleshed white fish also makes great filets—and in the case of the Boardwalk Restaurant, a pretty delicious burger patty. Theirs is battered, the perfect base for a jalapeño-peach aioli and chipotle sauce. There's no better place to try out sturgeon either—the Boardwalk sits at the end of a wooden boardwalk, right along the Lund waterfront where the views are just as great as the burgers.
Gourmet Girl's Breakfast Burger
Who said burgers can't be for breakfast? This Davis Bay spot offers a filling breakfast in a single hand-held, and with its beach-facing location, couldn't be a better spot for dining in the early hours of the morning. Their breakfast burger keeps things simple: bacon, cheddar, avocado, and sliced tomato are topped with an over-easy egg, a crispy onion ring, and garlic confit aioli between two toasted brioche buns. Burgers for breakfast—now this is something we can stand behind.
The Shinglemill's Smokey Beef Brisket
When you're not feeling a beef patty, but you're still in the mood for something meat-forward that packs a flavourful punch, you might want to opt for The Shinglemill Pub & Bistro's smokey beef brisket sandwich. Slow-roasted brisket, done in-house, is layered in a pretzel bun with onion rings, coleslaw for added crunch, Jack Daniels BBQ sauce and zippy, vinegar-forward Carolina mustard, and topped with two bread-and-butter pickles. It's a burger that requires focus—if you only tear yourself away from their patio view overlooking Powell Lake. Good luck.
The Gumboot Restaurant's Lentil Burger
Play word association with Roberts Creek and "Gumboot" is bound to end up there. There are two sister spots in the heart of the creek that share this name, one a long-standing cafe and one the Gumboot Restaurant. Both have a focus on veggie-forward dishes, made with high-quality and wholesome ingredients. Take the Gumboot Restaurant's lentil burger. Beets and legumes come together to form a delicious, nutty-ish patty that's adorned with the usual fixings. (Before there was the "Beyond Burger" and the "Impossible Burger," vegetarian patties were made with ingredients like legumes, nuts, or mushroomsand many vegetarian burger aficionados will tell you these still reign supreme.) The burger is finished with chipotle mayo and BBQ for a spicy kick, or you can get it served "deluxe," with avocado and aged cheddar.
Bonus: Make Your Own Burger
Many accommodations on the Sunshine Coast offer amenities such as kitchens or BBQ areas, meaning you can take things into your own hands. Local markets offer some great burger patties—try the prime rib beef patties at the Oak Tree Market in Pender Harbour, steakhouse burger patties from The Gibsons Butcher, or patties of different sizes (4oz, 6oz, or double stuffed) from the Chopping Block in Powell River. Stop by farmers' markets and grocery and specialty food shops to stock up on sauces, vegetables, and more.
Visit our Food & Drink page to learn more about the Sunshine Coast's culinary offerings.
