Busselton food truck Burger Bones has long been a destination for Perth burger fans happy to drive three hours south just for lunch. With the opening of its new, permanent home on Busselton’s main street, it’s safe to assume its stock will continue to rise among WA diners.
Owner and self-taught cook Cooper Deville operated successful burger and hotdog stalls in London before returning home to Busselton in 2013 after 33 years away. The move was spurred when his mother fell ill. (An artwork created from a CAT scan of her head now dominates the dining space of his new restaurant.)
After searching for a suitable venue for two years, Deville acquired the keys to the site last year – then an empty shell. Two weeks ago, Burger Bones’ new bricks-and-mortar home finally opened.
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SUBSCRIBE NOWThe fit-out is classic burger bar, with knick-knack memorabilia from the truck scattered about the place. “It was a morphing process,” says Deville. “We had to stop looking at Pinterest for ideas and look for what was tangible, what we could get our hands on.”
Deville will remain in the kitchen full-time for now. While he won’t be serving customers anymore, he wants to maintain the level of personal service his regulars are used to.
“It’s hard for me because I’m not having the contact,” he says. “It’s nice when people make the effort to give you a compliment instead of just walking out the door. I’m training my staff to give them that moment back, say ‘Thanks for telling us, see you again’. It’s a big thing.”
The menu will be familiar to Burger Bones regulars, from the classic cheeseburger, to the Dirt Box with bourbon maple-bacon and black-cherry barbeque sauce. Spice fans will be pleased that the Habanero Smack Patty remains, with its perfect balance of goat’s cheese, Dr Paul’s habanero mustard and jalapenos. A veggie burger, and bun-less options for gluten-intolerant folk are also available. Drinks are limited to Jarritos Mexican sodas and Capi mineral water.
The 40-seat restaurant is currently open for lunch only; dinner service and new menu options will soon follow. But Deville remains focused on doing one thing very well.
“We get people coming in off the street saying, ‘Why don’t you do that? Why don’t you have coffee?’. But this is my ship and I’m the captain.”
Burger Bones
55 Queen Street, Busselton
Hours:
Thu to Sun 11am–4pm