Even before I arrived in New Zealand to study abroad, I was told over and over again by both strangers and friends that I “HAVE to go to Fergburger.” Fergburger, located in Queenstown, New Zealand, is known for its unique burgers of beef, falafel, chicken, lamb, and deer. The seemingly endless line is present from the time they open (8am) up until the time they close (5am).
As someone who does not eat red meat, I didn’t really see the big attraction. However, after waiting in line (in the sun) for 40 minutes, I found myself at the hectic counter ordering a burger.
My Order
Since I don’t eat red meat, the Sweet Bambi and Tropical Swine burgers were out of the question for me. I ordered the Sweet Julie — a grilled chicken burger marinated in a ginger soy sauce, with sweet chili, lettuce, tomato, red onion and aioli. Was it delicious? Yes. Was it worth a total of an hour wait? ….Eh. I’ve come to the conclusion that people go to Fergburger to say they went to Fergburger. It’s good, but it is definitely not the best sandwich or burger I have ever had — and it seemed like this feeling was shared by most of my friends, too. Fergburger is legendary, yes. They make their buns homemade, they have insanely unique burgers and combinations, they are known internationally. However, if you’re going for the food… I would reroute your journey and focus on going for the experience. We may have built up our expectations a bit too much.
Still Make the Trip!
Although it may have not been the best burger I have ever had, saying that you visited is worth the hype! The burgers are fairly reasonable and delicious! Get your burger, walk a block down to the beach, and enjoy.
My Favorite Burger in New Zealand…
On to a burger that IS worth the hype, my favorite in New Zealand so far is definitely Velvet Burger. Velvet Burger is a tiny but yummy spot with locations all over New Zealand, one of them being only a block away from my flat in North Dunedin. The Velvet Lady has won the top spot for me, a grilled chicken breast, salad, bacon, avocado and cheese with relish and aioli. The veggie burger is also amazing, probably the best I have ever had, and the 2-for-1 Tuesday deals make this perfect for university students.
