Beatbox Kitchen

Location Varies

Melbourne, VIC

We waited 20 minutes and climbed 6 flights of stairs, only to find that Beatbox Kitchen at Rooftop Bar is no longer Beatbox Kitchen. Seeing as we’d already come this far, we ended up chasing the truck all the way to Carlton.

What greeted us was a surprisingly beautiful scene of families, friends, couples, and their dogs having a burger picnic on a beautiful Friday afternoon. Beatbox Kitchen has chosen its location well.

Raph Burger ($12)/Chilli Billy ($13)

15-20 minutes is a long wait for a burger, especially with my blood sugar being as low as it was. So was it worth it?

Raph Burger ($12)

Their classic burger, aka the Raph Burger ($12) was named for the hippin’ and hoppin’ founder of Beatbox Kitchen. Clearly a lot of thought has gone into the creation of this burger, because every bite was flawlessly balanced. The patty was thick and juicy, accompanied by a simple but devastating double whammy of creaminess, courtesy of the melted cheese and tangy Raph sauce. The flavour of the beef shone through the addition of crisp cos and tomato, and the overall taste was clean and satisfying. 

Chilli Billy ($13)

I don’t know who Chilli Billy ($13) is, but I love his fire. Though built similarly to the Raph, this one had the critical additions of jalapenos, pickles, and chipotle chilli sauce. The addition of tanginess and spiciness to the placid burger was a full-scale attack on the tastebuds, and I let myself be won over more than willingly.

Beatbox Kitchen is pretty great. Competition for burgers these days is fierce, and whilst these may not be my favourite in all of Melbourne, they hold up extremely well. It has a clean and wholesome feel to it that’s lacking from all the other burgers I’ve tried so far, whilst being satisfying in the only way a good burger can be.

Rating: 15/20 – dance party in my mouth.

This rating reflects my personal experience at the time of visit.