Butcher’s Diner

10 Bourke St
Melbourne, VIC 3000
https://butchersdiner.com/

Butcher’s Diner used to be a 24-hour eatery, which became untenable post-COVID, as many wonderful hospitality things did. However, they are still open until the wee hours of the morning, and in a country where there’s not much of a late-night dining culture, there’s just something so special about being able to get a plate of steak and eggs at 1am. With those opening hours, the food at Butcher’s doesn’t even have to be that good. But it is. It is so good. What initially started out as extra space for The European’s in-house butcher quickly morphed into an American diner sort of thing. But instead of cheap and nasty grease, it’s all about the high-quality grease here (don’t get them wrong; this is still a down and dirty diner), with a dash of Melbourne cosmopolitanism thrown in. Think poutine rubbing shoulders with duck heart skewers, blood sausage rolls, and (apparently) the best Greek salad. But in true American style, they have burgers and hot dogs, daily specials, and slices of house-made pie on the counter to go with the all-day filter coffee. Butcher’s Diner has carved out a beloved niche for itself, and despite how hard it makes getting a seat, I am so glad for the constant rush of people in and out of this wonderful little place.

Rating: 15/20 – american diner done melbourne.
Must-order: cheeseburger +/- bacon (it’s even the crispy american type!)
Wish I had room for: Coney Island chilli dog, Mississippi mud pie, house-made dim sim, French dip sandwich (that’s Saturday only), octopus and smoked wagyu pepper sausage.

Most of the after-work crowd is here for the Cheeseburger ($19.5), and just, wow. The chunky 160g patty oozes the kind of complexity usually reserved for high-end steaks, which is exactly the kind of thing you’d expect from a diner sharing a supplier with some of the best restaurants in the area. Melted over is an aged cheddar that provides a saltier umami hit compared to its usual American cheese counterpart, whilst the drippings from the beef slowly soak into a fragrant brioche bun, crisped just enough to bring out its buttery sweetness. The accompanying veggies are thinly sliced and crisp, their freshness notable and welcome. But the best thing about this burger is that, though it’s made from gourmet ingredients, the pure joy of a simple, greasy burger is never forgotten. Whether this is the best burger Melbourne has to offer is down to opinion, but it’s definitely one of the very few flawless ones (on that note, I would also recommend Gimlet’s supper burger).

The Chicken Enchiladas ($22) had been on the menu for all of 20 minutes (that’s what the staff said!) when I got it, so let me be the first to tell you that you will not regret ordering it. There’s none of that black beans and tomato salsa nonsense. This is proper corn tortillas and refried beans in a spice-forward enchilada sauce, baked until bubbling. Props to these chaps for their dedication to getting it right.

The Poutine ($16) here is also dead legit, squeaky cheese curds and all. What I liked the most about this though was the pepper gravy, complete with green peppercorns, that gave this pile of fat and carbs a much-needed kick.