Normal Van

Normal Van’s stacked burgers, fried chicken and homemade philosophy have accrued a cult following since its days as a mobile kitchen. Not much has changed for coupled co-owners, Jess Waldron and Rob Webster, besides ditching the itinerant lifestyle for Margaret River’s stable footing.

With experience at some of Italy and London’s finest restaurants, Webster knows the secret to creating an excellent dining experience – authenticity. That’s why everything you’ll find – from the booths you’ll sit on to the pillowy burger buns you’ll sink your teeth into – is produced from scratch. Even the few outsourced ingredients are local, including the meat which comes from Dirty Clean Food, a regenerative food leader in WA.

The menu is brief but every item is worth a look; whatever you don’t order will certainly elicit food envy. Think bacon cheeseburgers – generously topped with house-made ketchup, mustard and slices of American cheese – or a chicken burger with the option to go “buffalo style”, an add-on that sees crispy fried chicken doused in a vinegary hot sauce. Pair this with a simple, yet classic side of coleslaw or handcut chips (which undergo a three-day process before serving), best enjoyed with a spiced ketchup.

It wouldn’t be a true diner experience without beer, either. So, expect a tight offering that might include a mildly bitter Royal Haze from Beerfarm’s brewery, along with wines and classic sodas.

Much like its food and wine, the venue is simple but comforting, with booth seating surrounding a semi-open kitchen where waitstaff whip around delivering burgers the old-school way (via bright red plastic trays). Airy courtyard dining is an option, too.