Whilst Newcastle may have its fair share of burger joints, Lake Macquarie’s turning up the burger heat with Burger Bros arriving at The Boat Shed Bar. With The Boat Shed Bar launching in 2015, and Burger Bros following in 2017, the kitchen team have continued to pull together a menu that meets all of our burger expectations and matched with all of our craft beer dreams.

The ultra-indulgent, yet relaxed dining experience is all thanks to the refurbished space which was the old Boat Shed at the Belmont 16s. This space has been transformed into a relaxed, modern, and sophisticated experience.

Whilst the bar itself may be tucked away from the Lake Macquarie scenery, the history behind the space is unique. Originally built in 1975 with the purpose of housing boats of all shapes and sizes, it lends well to the story that’s being told throughout the space.

Elements such as the historical sailing images on the walls, the old skiff boat that’s been transformed into a large dining table, and the quirky bell that tempts you to ring it and shout the bar, all come together nicely to make for an impressive venue and the perfect place to catch up with friends.

The nautical theme merges well with the industrial style fit-out that comes complete with exposed ceiling trusses, wire pendant lights, and most importantly those big copper beer taps.

What has quickly become the home of craft burgers and craft beer, Burger Bros at The Boat Shed Bar has built itself a strong reputation since its inception, and it continues to do so with the addition of their selection of plant-based burgers and sides.

“Burger Bros just seems to tick so many boxes for our locals – being tasty, easy, and really consistent. We were surprised to see our plant-based range of burgers and sides go from strength to strength in the last year or so,” Food and Beverage Manager, Joel Simmons shared.

Moving into the craft beer territory is where the Boat Shed Bar really gets an opportunity to shine. With a constantly rotating line-up of 14 independent craft beers on tap, there is guaranteed to be a beer that will be to your taste.

With a focus on the small craft brewers, the uber local brewers, the hard to get, and the interesting brews, you can expect to find some of our very own local favourites on tap.

Two notable mentions on the taps at the moment include Newcastle-based brewery, Grainfed and their Coal Porter, and Lake Macquarie-based brewery, Yard Kings Brewing Co and their MID XPA.

Rowan Carpenter, the Boat Shed Bar leader is incredibly passionate about their craft beer offerings. Regularly sharing on socials what’s new to the line-up and which has snapped up his attention.

“We were the first venue to place Yard Kings on our lines. It’s pretty special when you get to be a part of a craft brewery's journey like that,” Rowan shared.

Moving back into the venue's burger offering, starting with the beef category, expect deliciousness in the form of The Hickory Bro, completed with Angus beef, double smoked maple bacon, double American cheese, fried onion rings, pickle, hickory BBQ sauce, and burger mayo.

The 70s Bro is another beef favourite complete with Angus beef, oregano rub, lettuce, tomato, beetroot, pineapple, bacon, and old-school BBQ sauce.

Consider yourself more of a chicken burger bro? They’ve got you covered too! Keep it simple with The Southern Bro complete with fried chicken, slaw, pickle, and coleslaw mayo.

Or get back to those iconic Aussie burger roots with The Tropical Bro complete with grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato, grilled pineapple, avocado, mayo, and honey peach BBQ sauce.

But what about these plant-based burgers I mentioned? First off the bat is The Korean Fried Chick’n Bro - a plant-based chicken burger topped with Asian slaw, cucumber, Korean BBQ sauce, and vegan mayo on a vegan bun.

Your second option is The Buddha Bro – a kale and quinoa burger topped with lettuce, tomato, avocado, onion, pickles, and green goddess mayo on a vegan bun. In addition to the two vegan burgers, you can also get your hands on vegan nachos and a vegan loaded fries option; YUM. 

Whilst burgers are obviously at the forefront, the menu isn’t exclusively burgers, in fact, it offers up a whole bunch of your favourite flavours like Chicken Wings, Fully Loaded Nachos, and Fries.

Whilst beers and burgers quite literally go hand-in-hand, the venue isn’t all just about pleasing the craft beer drinkers. Rowan has also curated a cocktail menu that is both pleasing to the eye and tastebuds. Our recommendation? The Lemon Meringue is an absolute must.

In addition to the craft beers and cocktails, diners can of course expect a dedicated selection of wines, spirits, and non-alcoholic options.

So, have we twisted your arm to get along to Burgers Bros at The Boat Shed Bar? Well, a few more things to note, is that the venue is home to an ongoing selection of weekly specials which are well worth checking out.

Wednesdays see FREE trivia take over the space from 7.30pm with $9.90 Burger Bro Burgers available. Thursdays offer a $14 1kg chicken wings special, and for members of the club, you can get discounts year-round.

See you at Burger Bros at The Boat Shed!