Dumbo

Burger lovers, get excited, because a new bar and burger joint from a couple of hospitality legends has just hit Portside Wharf. Bonnie Shearston and Tom Sanceau, co-owners of the Happy Fat Group, are the duo behind not only laneway CBD spot Red Hook, but also Ruby, My Dear in Newstead and previously Coppa Spuntino, London Fields and others—so safe to say, they really know what they’re doing when it comes to epic venues. 

Not content with just replicating Red Hook in a new location, they’ve created something new for Hamilton, an elevated, 90s New York-inspired bar and burger spot named Dumbo. Named for the iconic neighbourhood in Brooklyn, Dumbo is dishing up more than just burgers and beers—you’ll also find wings, salads, po’boys and bagels on the menu alongside a lengthy list of tipples, all being dished up from a stylish space near the waterfront that boasts seating inside and out. 

If it’s a burger you’re after, our pick from the 11-strong list of  stacks is the Uptown Funk, with beef, cheese, gorgonzola, caramelised onions, bacon and a Dumbo sticky glaze. There’s plenty more to choose from though, including chicken and plant-based burgers, or you can cast your eyes over the street eats menu, which includes everything from a classic NYC dog and a pastrami bagel to Southern fried chicken and waffles with Korean hot honey and beef brisket nachos. Whatever you order, you know you need salt and vinegar fries on the side. 

It’s not all about the eats though—as with any Happy Fat venue, the bar menu has been just as well thought out as the food. Pair your chosen feed with a classic martini, including an espresso martini and a bloody shiraz gin spritz currently on tap, tap or bottled beer or a vino from the curated list of bubbles, pinks, whites and reds, with a chilled red thrown in for good measure. And for the non-booze drinkers? Well an old school diner-style thicc malt milkshake is a must.

Also good to know, Dumbo will be doing $10 cheeseburgers every Monday night for all those in the grips of cosi livs, as well as a fried chicken and champagne deal that sounds like the boujiest way to eat fried chicken we’ve ever heard of—more details on that soon. 

Image credit: Ranyhyn Laine