Noshwellmenu

[rating:4]

Splitz Grill on Main Street is a relative newcomer to the burger scene in Vancouver (since 2007). They arrive via Whistler where they’ve been making noise for over a decade. Splitz’ focus on fresh, simple ingredients and cook-to-order burgers make it a favourite among burger afficionados.

(Clockwise: The Holy Trinity: 1. Turkey Burger with grilled onions, 2. Coke, 3. Onion Rings)

Splitz Grill is one of those joints that you’ve likely passed by a thousand times without giving it a second look. The low-key storefront and restrained exterior decorations make it blend into the Main street landscape like it was draped with some sort of urban camouflage. We notice a lonely sandwich board sitting off to the side claiming, “Best Burger in BC.” — fighting words, indeed.

Inside, a ghetto blaster sits on a counter blasting mid-90’s hip-hop (Wu-Tang, Tupac, A Tribe Called Quest) — I like this place already. The setup is simple, the menu is next to the cashier, and down the line is the grill with the fixings bar in front. They’ve got the classic burgers, but the menu also boasts the “Wild Side,” where patrons can sample creatures less docile than the average dairy cow: i.e. bison, lamb, turkey,etc.).

I ordered the Bison Burger with cheese, Case ordered the Turkey with grilled onions. And to accompany our meal, we shared an order of onion rings and a Coke. Once the order is placed, we wait for our name to be called when the burger is ready to be dressed. We get everything, and I mean everything: lettuce, onion, tomatoes, pickles, sprouts, cucumber, I think the kitchen sink almost got thrown in there by accident. Then we wait again while the burgers are finished grilling.

Unwrapping the foils to reveal our grilled treasures, we realize one thing: this is a really, really big burger. Unless you’ve got the unhinged jaws of a muppet, you’re going to have some trouble eating this bad boy. Case immediately puts her weight on the burger in an attempt to flatten it and begins nibbling away. I do my best Pac Man impression and take a bite. The burgers are awesome. Fresh toppings, cook-to-order patties, good buns; it’s not that hard, but Splitz Grill gets it done right. The grilled onions on Case’s burger were smoky and oozing with flavour. And our onion rings were crispy and fragrant, with minimal grease.

The meal came to just over $20 including tax and tip, which is a great value and puts it in sparring position with the other burger joints in town. So is it the “Best Burger in BC?” I’m afraid the answer to that question is contentious enough to start a bar brawl — but Splitz Grill is definitely up there.

Perfect for:

Taking up the “Best Burger in BC” challenge.

The Details:

4242 Main St, Vancouver
604.875.9711
splitzgrill.com

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