Are you the friend in the group that licks their plate clean? The one whose appetite is rivaled only by Rory and Lorelai Gilmore (seriously, how do those two do it)? If you fancy yourself one of Brisbane’s biggest eaters, then we’ve got good news. Our beloved River City is packed with plenty of weird and wonderful food challenges sure to satisfy those blessed with bottomless stomachs.
From 3.5kg burgers to stacks upon stacks of golden buttermilk pancakes, our city’s eateries rival even Joey Tribbiani’s endless appetite. Time to loosen that belt buckle, here are our top picks for the most insane food challenges on the table in Brisbane right now.
Hashtag Burgers And Waffles
West End
If you like your burgers big, thick and juicy, you’ll want to take on this inner city eatery’s Hashtag Burger Challenge. Serving up four beef patties, one fried chicken breast, four rashers of bacon, one buttermilk waffle and four slices of American cheese, this challenge is not for the faint of heart. Contenders have 20 minutes to devour the meal in its entirety, including the side of fries and 600ml brownie thick shake. Better still, if you beat the current record (17 minutes and 20 seconds), you’ll score your meal for free, saving yourself from forking out $55. Not a bad deal, if you’re feeling up to it.
Challenge: 2.4kg burger with fries and a thickshake Time limit: 20 minutes Prize: $45 meal voucherZe Pickle
Fortitude Valley, Camp Hill and Hawthorne
Care to try your luck with the Ze Pickle Burger Challenge? To earn your status as reigning champ, you’ll have to knock back more than 21 beef patties, 21 slices of American cheese and 21 pieces of maple bacon—all in less than 24 minutes. Think you can achieve it? Head to any Ze Pickle location across Brissy and show the world (or at least, the other patrons) what your mouth can do, but don’t delay, because if anyone else beats the current record, the challenge will increase to a 22 ingredient high stack.
Challenge: ZP Burger Challenge Time limit: 24 minutes Prize: Eternal gloryLing Lings
Fortitude Valley
Consider yourself a chopstick champion? Do your reflexes rival those of Mr. Miyagi? Take on Emperor Kong’s Challenge at Ling Lings, our fave late-night Asian hub. Devour 25 prawn and ginger dumplings in 2.5 minutes (with only a set of chopsticks to handle them) and score yourself a $20 venue voucher, plus a photo on the restaurant’s Wall of Fame.
Challenge: 25 prawn and ginger dumplings Time limit: 2.5 minutes Prize: $20 voucherMy T Burger
North Lakes
They don’t call it My T Burger for nothing. Take on Brisbane’s biggest burger challenge with a 1.5kg monster, served alongside 1kg of BBQ wings and 1kg of fries. Beat the time limit of 30 minutes and score the entire $80 meal free, not to mention a photo on the My T Burger Wall of Fame and various social media sites. Because the cholesterol bump is totally worth it for the ‘gram.
Challenge: 3.5kg burger Time limit: 30 minutes Prize: Free mealRamen Champion
Sunnybank
This is one food challenge we think we can handle. Slurp up 2.5kg of drool-worthy ramen noodles in under 25 minutes at Ramen Champion and win a $50 store voucher, plus a photo of your winning smile (and bloated belly) on their Wall of Fame and social media sites. Otherwise, if you’re having a slow slurp day, the cost comes in at $35. The current record sits at 6 minutes and 41 seconds: are you up to the challenge?
Challenge: 2.5kg bowl of ramen Time limit: 25 minutes Prize: $50 store voucher and free mealRibs And Rumps
Milton
Serious about steak? Try your hand at Ribs and Rumps’ Man vs Meat challenge, with a 1.2kg rump steak, 1kg of beef ribs, 800g of chips, 200g of onion rings, and—what else?—a salad. Winners eat free and receive a specialty steak knife, or else you’ll fork out $99.95 for the privilege. Keep in mind, the challenge is only available every second Thursday of the month, so you have plenty of time to train your tummy in the intervening weeks.
Challenge: 1.2kg of Rump Steak Time limit: 30 minutes Prize: Speciality steak knife and free mealOutback Jack’s
Aspley
Knock back a 1kg rump steak at Outback Jack’s in under 30 minutes and score the entire meal absolutely free. You’ll also get a mystery prize, specified on the day, to keep things exciting. Register ahead and even if you don’t quite reach the cutoff, you’ll still save $10 just for trying. Consider it an adult-version of those participation ribbons you were given as a kid.
Challenge: 1kg rump steak Time limit: 30 minutes Prize: Free meal and a prizeLord Of The Wings
Westfield Carindale
Warning: you’ll need a stomach of steel for this one. Devour eight spicy chicken wings (coated in a sauce containing some of the world’s hottest chili peppers) in under two minutes at Lord of the Wings Carindale, and score yourself a prize. Better still, beat the record and earn yourself a place on the Wall of Fame, not to mention unlimited bragging rights. Word of warning though—no gloves, napkins or drinks are allowed while you attempt the challenge.
Challenge: Eight spicy chicken wings Time limit: 2 minutes Prize: Venue voucherThe Plough Inn
South Bank
You’ll have to wait a while for this one, but we thought it was worth getting the word out so you have adequate time to truly prepare. Every year on January 26th, South Bank’s The Plough Inn unleashes an epic ribs challenge: the fastest person to gobble down 2kg worth of pork ribs wins a year’s supply of the barbecue beauties for their efforts. The reigning champ has won two years in a row, so you’ll need to do some serious stomach stretching to take her on in 2022.
Challenge: 2kg of pork ribs Time limit: Fastest person to finish Prize: Year’s supply of ribsPancake Manor
Brisbane CBD
Win yourself the coveted Pancake Trophy at the annual Pancake Manor Eating Competition. It costs just $10 to register, and once you do, you’ll be served all the pancakes you can eat in one hour. The prize is winner-takes-all, and by all, we mean a year’s supply of delicious, golden, buttery pancakes. Even if first place seems a little out of reach (the current record sits at 29), $10 for all you can eat pancakes is a solid win in our books.
Challenge: All you can eat pancakes Time limit: 1 hour Prize: Pancake trophy and free pancakes for one yearPrefer to keep things a little more sophisticated? Try one of Brisbane’s best degustations instead.
Image credit: Ribs and Rumps