Pete’s Food N Blues 36, Burger Plus + Blackman’s Brewery & Burger Bar

Burger Plus

A Geelong mainstay within the burger community, Burger Plus has been at it for a while now and cemented itself as one of the best burger purveyors in Geelong, voted Geelong’s best burger in the past.

Tucked away at the northern end of Mercer St, right under the Belmercer Hotel, Burger Plus have been slinging juicy, stacked creations and satisfying our hunger cravings and undying affection for meat in a bun since 2017. Expect to find the finest ground beef burgers (from your regular beef, to double beef), chicken schnitzel burgers, pulled-pork burgers, and even juicy vegan and veggie burgers that have you licking your fingers for days.

Standouts include the Fyre Chicken Burger, made with chicken schnitzel, cheese, jalapeno, coleslaw and spicy mayo; as well as double beef No 1, which comes stacked with double beef, double cheese, tomato, lettuce, caramelised onion and homemade sauce.

While they nail the classics, their inventive and testing nature has led to some of the best burgers our region has ever seen, like the truffle beef burger packed with beef, cheese, lettuce, caramelised onion, fries and truffle mayo; or the chorizo beef burger with beef, cheese, chorizo, lettuce, salsa fresca, chipotle mayo and caramelised onion. Their plant-based burgers are also known to make our tummy rumble, featuring a plantbased meat patty, cheese, lettuce, caramelised onion, tomato, pickle and homemade sauce, pulled off with flawless execution If you’re not feeling like a burger (infrequent, but possible), they’ve got you covered with a selection of beef and chicken wraps, chilli-cheese fries, bacon cheese fries, chicken schnitty strips, hard and soft shell tacos, sweet potato fries and even macho fries – complete with Japanese style seasonings and spicy mayo.

Save room for their sugar-filled selection of shakes for the full burger experience.

Where: 14A Mercer Street, Geelong

Blackman’s Brewery and Burger Bar

When beers and burgers come together it’s always an epic time, especially when it’s in an epic location on the main street of Ocean Grove, courtesy of Blackman’s Brewery and Burger Bar.

This independently-owned brew company known for its colourful, in flavour and appearance, beers have created another bright and bubbly venue to reflect its signature brand on Ocean Grove’s main strip in one of the town’s most historic buildings and with it, an epic burger menu to match. Blackman’s Brewery’s inventive and testing nature has led to some of the best burgers the region has seen, a credit which can be attributed to head Chef Russ. An Ocean Grove local who previously owned an award-winning burger bar in Melbourne, chef Russ made his return home to the coast, bringing along a renewed focus on fresh and seasonal ingredients, including innovative new specials bi-weekly.

On the meat and bun front, hero burgers include the signature beef burger and crowd favourite, The Blackman, featuring an Angus beef patty, bacon, lettuce, tomato, pickles, American cheddar and house mac sauce.

Entirely memorable, the Southern Chicken burger (complete with pickled slaw, American cheddar and house chipotle mayo) and the Barramundi Burger round out our top three choices, providing an impeccable pairing to beers and ocean views.

Perfecting the basics, the cheeseburger is top-notch, their cheesy schroom burger is a great option for one of the best veggie burgers going around and they also nail the double beef and bacon burger. All are served with chips, there are also gluten-free buns on hand. You’ve also got chilli chips, pickled slaw and mac n cheese croquettes, plus onion rings, Southern chicken pieces and buffalo wings for when you’re feeling snacky. Oh, and these legends even dish out an option for the kids with the Lil Shorty.

With locations in Geelong and Torquay too, the summerinspired Ocean Grove space includes a beer garden, rotating taps of their core range and seasonals and live music on Sundays, truly making this spot well worth the trip.

Credit Jamie Wdziekonski

Chopped Festival

Amyl and the Sniffers lead Victoria’s cult hot rod, motorcycle and music festival

Words by Talia Rinaldo

Rain, hail or shine, the drag races of the 1950s and 60s went off regardless; tearing up the dirt and mud, flicking it up into the wheel trims and panels of the hundreds of cars and bikes that took its path. Regional Victoria’s Chopped festival is a homage to this time and returning for 2022 with more than 25 powerhouse bands performing, it’s an event that’s for the rockers, the petrolheads, hipsters and greasers.

Hailed a hybrid hot rod, motorcycle and music camping festival that embraces the path less trodden by mainstream society, Chopped is making a triumphant return for its 11th year, taking over Carisbrook with a wild three-day event (from December 2 to December 4 2022) headlined by Melbourne’s explosive retro-punk rockers Amyl and the Sniffers, presented by Always Live.

Since 2016 Amyl and the sniffers have been a snarling, dirt-covered gem of the Melbourne punk-rock scene. They sport a raw, 70’s style in sound, dress, and attitude, and their records demand being played at max volume, which barely compares to their blistering live performance, which sees frontwoman Amy Taylor consistently deliver maniacal, lewd energy as she careens around the stage between her mulleted companions. Renowned for their ball-tearing live show, Amyl and The Sniffers – rounded out by guitarist Dec Martens, bassist Gus Romer and drummer Bryce Wilson – has gone from strength to strength in recent years, going from Melbourne dive bars to US television screens, bringing along their raw self-expression, defiant energy, and unapologetic vulnerability. You couldn’t find a band more fitting to headline the return of this Victorian favourite festival.

Alongside The Sniffers, Chopped has managed to lock in the best Australia’s got in punk, rock, garage, psych and country including the likes of Andy Golledge, C.O.F.F.I.N, Grindhouse, Smoke Witch, Parsnip and Nick Nuisance & The Delinquents, among many others who will keep you pumping throughout all the action of the cars and bikes in the smoke and dust.

These acts will perform across the iconic ‘Wolfman’s Rambling Truck’ which will roll through the festival by day moving the music to the people through the campgrounds, arenas and displays, as well as the favourite ‘Main Stage’ by night, belting it out in the middle of all the action at the Entertainment Arena.

The music is merely one part of this rip-roaring event. Chopped will also feature noisy, smokey and powerful Asphalt Drag Racing presented by ‘HARD METAL’; the tradition of live ‘Dirt Drag’ racing; and Chopp’A’rammA, an indoor Chopper Motorcycle Show presented by ‘Thanks Tattoo Sydney’. The curative vision of Mitch Bailey, one of Australia’s lead painters within the traditional custom chopper scene, here you’ll find 30 of the best Choppers from across the nation on display. You can also get some fresh ink from the Thanks Tattoo crew who will have their mobile studio on site.

Over in the vehicle arena, punters can get around pre-1966 Traditional Rods and Customs from every corner of Australia mixed with Traditional Style Bobbers and Choppers. Driven and ridden from all corners of Australia these bikes and cars are a tribute to the scene, hours of devotion and love are poured into the creation of the vehicles, they are artworks of their own.

Within the Entertainment Area, there’s a genuinely excellent ‘Young Henrys’ Tiki Tavern and Tiki Isle ‘Cocktail Cave’ where a range of Young Henrys will be flowing among the palm and the coconuts, with cocktails shaking in the island sounds and vibes. Drop in a Saturday night Toga Party and this island will get loose with the late-night DJs taking over when the Main Stage wraps.

As with every quality multi-day festival, there will also be an excellent range of vendors and food fitting for the scene.

This is also a camping festival, so get your shit in order because you’ll be pitching a tent. Camping is included in the Chopped Full Festival Pass, and if you have a Camper, Bus, Caravan, 4WD with roof tent there will be a dedicated campground for you all.

Chopped will take over Carisbrook Racecourse and Recreation Reserve, Carisbrook, Victoria from December 2 to December 4 2022. Purchase tickets at www.chopped.com.au