Burger Project

Using 36-month-old Cape Grim grass-fed beef, free-range Lilydale chicken and Black Forest pork – the latter raised without concrete pens, which typify much mainstream pig farming – Burger Project pushes Neil Perry’s “slow food fast food” motto hard.

Burger Project brings in whole chuck and brisket by the tonne. Then it's hand-sliced and formed into pucks before being pressed onto the grill and seasoned with Murray River salt. Perry believes you get a better texture and juiciness doing it this way, as opposed to machine forming.

There are 13 burgers on the menu, including the American Cheese with house-made pickles, “secret sauce” and rose mayonnaise. The Magic Mushroom has crumbed confit field mushroom, cheese, onion, pickles, tomato and lettuce. Chips come with either chipotle or Szechuan salt.

There are two thick shakes, Valrhona chocolate and salted caramel, and strawberry, which are made entirely in-store.

Perry's longtime collaborator, winemaker Jeffrey Grosset, is behind Project Red and Project White, a shiraz cabernet and riesling that'll add a further touch of Rockpool to your meal. The kicker is that, unlike the $22 Wagyu burger at Rockpool, Burger Project’s basic offering starts at $8.90. The chain joined the Urban Purveyor Group in 2016.