Before there was Macca’s, there was Paul’s Famous Hamburgers, which opened on the outskirts of Sydney in 1957. Just don’t expect wagyu patties or brioche buns. These are old- school Aussie burgers through and through. The Works is a whopper, stacked with beef , lettuce, tomato, cheese, bacon, pineapple, and fried egg. Add beetroot for free. 12 Princes Hwy, Sylvania; paulsfamoushamburgers.com.au.

There’s something about Mary’s. The juicy, smashed med-rare patties? That tangy Big Mac-style burger? The super soft, squishy rolls? It’s all of the above, plus the natural wine and craft tinnies you can get on the side. Mary’s has had a stronghold on the market since it opened in Newtown in 2013 – and it’s unlikely to be toppled anytime soon. 6 Mary St, Newtown; 7 Macquarie Pl, Sydney; 250 Old Northern Rd, Castle Hill; marys.wtf.

A visit to His Boy Elroy is an exercise in American excess in all its glorious forms. The solid selection of beef, fried chicken and pulled pork burgers – piled high with plenty of fixins inside a pillowy milk bun – are stars in their own right, but it’s the monthly burger specials that make Elroy the gift that keeps on giving. Keira St, Wollongong; hisboyelroy.com.au.

What happens when three 20-something fine dining chefs decide to pack up their culinary tweezers and flip burgers instead? Burger Head, that’s what. The roving Sydney-based food truck offers the complete package. Soft buns, tangy Burger Head sauce, American cheese, and beef patties that are so good you can buy the mince to take home. theburgerhead.com.au.

A 1925 weatherboard cottage in Merimbula is the unlikely setting for one of the state’s best beer and burger bars. Patties are flipped in a sky blue caravan and served to sun-lit picnic tables, spread with craft beers and salty margs. American-style burgers bring together Milton grass-fed ground beef, melty cheese and frilly green oak lettuce on locally baked buns. 60 Main St, Merimbula; dulcies.com.au.