Get your grill on

If you love a burg and a brew, we reckon you’ll be ben-ding over backwards for this one. Bringing a stacked selection of USA-style bites like Buffalo burgers, Bacon poutine and Biscoff shakes – Adelaide-born franchise, Benny’s American Burger has branched out with a brand new patty-slinging location in Surfers Paradise.

Taking up residence on Hanlan St (a stone’s throw from Janus Bakehouse and The Island) the glitter strip’s latest Pulled pork burger and Buffalo wing bringer officially marks the eleventh location for South Australian export, Benny’s American Burger. The certified burger brainiacs behind this burgeoning Southern-born venture say the secret sauce for their success comes down to juicy burgers, crispy fries and warm hospitality… but we’re sure the frosty ales and loaded shakes don’t hurt either.

Founded in 2013 and fuelled by a passion for authentic American cuisine, the first restaurant quickly became a crowd fave among burger-loving Radelaidians. They slowly expanded their USA-inspired eats empire in the decade since, and with the count now well into double digits, it would appear we’ve got some catching up to do. Our minds and bodies are so bready.

Offering seating for 30 inside and a further 32 out, Benny’s is all-American grill served with swagger. Paying homage to West Coast hip-hop culture, insta-ready LA-inspired murals meld with retro diner nods in the form of classic red pops and glowing neon signage. The real star of the space is the large-scale mural which spans the length of one wall, with cameos from a couple of certified fire-spitting icons, Snoop Dogg and Tupac Shakur contributing infinite cool points.

With the fitout’s fresh vibes confirmed, we can turn our attention to the most pressing matter of all – the menu. And word to the zucchini fries, though this might be a star spangled burger slinger through and through, vego fans are truly in for a treat too.

Benny’s boasts a fully-stacked Veggie and Vegan burger menu to complement the usual burger suspects. Offering carb-a-licious creations like the Classic Veggie, or the mouth-tingling Hot Vegan, we’re tipping even a famously plant-based superstar like Snoop, would for shizzle give these bun-based munchies his seal of approval.

Tater tots, Onion rings, Mac n cheese and several iterations of gravy and cheese laden Poutine have got your comfort food hankerings sorted, in addition to a juicy selection of classic burgers ready and waiting to woo your tastebuds. For the purists, stripped back options like the Cheese Burger or Standard Beef, with Angus beef patty, cheese, burger sauce, onion, pickles, tomato and lettuce will be hard to go past. Or if you really wanna throw caution to the wind, the Spicy Beef comes with all of the above, plus a little extra jalapeño and hot sauce action.

If beef style burgers aren’t tickling your fancy, there’s an equally lengthy selection of house-marinated Chicken Burgers, such as the Nashville Chicken, made with glazed chicken breast patty, Cheese, Ranch, Pickle & Slaw. If meat sweats are your barometer for the perfect burg, skip straight to the Premium section. Where button-popping behemoths like the Bigger Than Texas, served with no less than four different meats, are up to the task. But, the question is… are you?

Where: 40-42 Hanlan St, Surfers Paradise
When: Sunday to Wednesday 11am to 10 pm, Thursday to Saturday 11am to 12am

Words by Kellie Leader
Images by Mathilde Bouby