You never know when you might need a recommendation for a good late night burger in Sydney.
So drop a pin on The Caterpillar Club in case you find yourself looking for a pre 3am fix any night of the week.
Now, I don’t even like cheeseburgers, so it’s important to give you context for this very authentic recommendation.
I love discovering new places in cities that are new to me as well as those more familiar, like Sydney.
Whether it’s on Instagram, a review from a friend or, in this case, a recommendation in a Qantas magazine, I drop a pin with a comment on my google maps to help me remember amazing places I might go.
The Qantas magazine has been a great source of information for restaurants, hotels and sights all over the world and this was no exception.
Located at 92 Pitt Street Sydney, the Caterpillar Club is owned by successful restaurant entrepreneurs Swillhouse who also have Hubert’s in Sydney – also worth dropping a pin on, particularly for their shared steak dish which is just divine.
My husband and I love jazz and the Caterpillar Club brings impressive lineups every night of the week as well as resident DJs to keep the vibe once the bands pack up.
But I couldn’t curb my curiosity about this cheeseburger claim. How good could it be? Who actually feels like eating a burger at midnight, or anytime after 8pm anyway?!
So I pinned it and pondered when I might get to put the claim to the test.
Turns out, we were soon to head to Sydney to see James Taylor perform. Planning on staying the night, we agreed to seek out the Caterpillar Club after the show.
Keen and hungry, we walked across to the city and downstairs into the warm, dark, endless tunnel of the Club.
It was 11:30pm on a Tuesday night, so finding a table was easy.
Unfortunately, the band had just finished, but the DJs spinning their vinyl didn’t disappoint and we continued our fill of good music.
Craig headed straight to the bar to order the cheeseburgers and a couple of spicy margaritas. ($114 thanks very much. Ouch! Well, this is Sydney!)
A business man passes by, briefcase in hand. Long lunch maybe?
A group of 20something girls bounce in looking somewhat like I did in 1994 but with way more confidence.
There are couples, small groups, all ages and walks of life.
The vibe is chilled, but lively.
It’s not pretentious and I decide I love it here.
The margaritas arrive and are stunning. Made by proper mixologists, young and effortlessly cool in black bow ties, these are sip worthy concoctions best taken slowly.
Soon after, the main event arrives: the cheeseburger!
They’re a decent size, not a slider and no way near a pub grub burger like you might expect. There’s no side of fries. It’s all about the burger, baby.
It’s a seeded bun. A proper pattie with cheese melting down its sides. Pickles and burger sauce that’s just enough to give you that tart, sweet flavour but without overpowering the whole thing.
I cut mine in half – this is a classy joint after all and take a bite.
It’s bloody delicious.
The meat is tender and juicy. The ratios of cheese and sauce to patty is perfect. The bun is perfectly toasted.
It is simple perfection on my plate and palate.
I try to savour every bite but it’s over all too soon.
All that’s left to do now is sit and savour it. And order just one more spicy margarita.
Heading back to our hotel with full bellies I’m already talking to Craig about when we come back so we can enjoy the jazz band and have another late night cheeseburger…
The Caterpillar Club is open Sun-Thurs 4pm-3am and Fri-Sat 4pm-4am. No reservations, walk ins only. To keep up with live acts and DJs, follow them on Insta.
the-well-club.com 