Five Guys

When cult US burger giant Five Guys announced it would be coming down under, Penrith made plenty of sense as the location for its Australian outpost. The suburb counts several burger joints in its arsenal, including Burger Head, Brothers Burgers and American smokehouse, Smoky Sue’s. If Sydney has a burger capital, Penrith must surely be it.

Located next-door to Penrith Leagues Club – aptly positioned between McDonalds and KFC on Mulgoa Road – Five Guys whooping red-and-white debut clocks in at 500 square metres.

Inside, you’ll find a short menu of hamburgers and cheeseburgers, with the option to add bacon to both. There are also free toppings so you can customise your burger – think mayo, lettuce, grilled onions, HP sauce, jalapenos and relish. Mini burgers are available for the kids.

Also on offer are hot dogs, sandwiches (including grilled cheese, BLTs and veggie sangas) and fries. To drink, it’s milkshakes with as many mix-ins as you want: peanut butter, chocolate, salted caramel and Oreos are some of your options.

Launched in 1986, Five Guys’ fresh approach to ingredients, house-made patties and fries has seen it expand across North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The group doesn’t use freezers or microwaves; patties are handmade, local bakeries bake the buns and fries are hand-cut in-house daily and cooked in peanut oil.

In Australia, the diner has been launched by Seagrass Boutique Hospitality Group, which also runs restaurants such as The Meat & Wine Co, Hunter & Barrel, and Ribs & Burgers.