Pedlars Street, Galle Fort, Galle
Open 9.00AM to 10.00PM
Rocket Burger is the Galle Fort's only burger specialist. The patties are well ground and they're usually very generous with stuffing - you're going to spend Rs. 900 minimum for a burger here though.
So you're walking around under the harsh Galle sun. You're looking around and all you see is a bunch of artisanal eateries with fancy names and Calorie Counter. Be on the lookout though because there's a sweet little burger joint tucked away somewhere in the maze that is Pedlar's Street.
We were pretty hungry so we decided to go all out and after a few minutes of ho-humming and raising eyebrows at the aptly named burgers, we finally settled for the Shipwreck (Rs. 900), the Tiki Tiki (Rs. 600) and the Texas Cowboy (Rs. 650) respectively.
The Shipwreck comes with a gigantic hunk of fish which makes you wonder what on earth the fish ate to bulk up like that. The fish fillet wasn't strongly flavoured, just your average slab of grilled mahi mahi with oodles of mayo-like lemon tinged sauce. It's massive, that's for sure, but the flavours were incredibly underwhelming. We're not sure this is worth Rs. 900 despite the size.
The Texas Cowboy comes stuffed with a whole lot of pulled chicken. Excellently prepared and flavoured really well the chicken is dripping with a sufficient quantity of sauce. Hiding underneath the patties is a dollop of coleslaw for that added crunch and pickled onions which tie the whole thing together. The final outcome is a really confusing bang of flavour which leaves you wondering if it's a sweet, sour or salty taste.
The Tiki Tiki is a vegetarian delight with a patty made of mostly potatoes and a mash of other vegetables. The herbivore who indulged in it says that it was a bit of a difficult task to actually eat said burger thanks to the patty falling apart all over his hands so I recommend you use cutlery. That being said, the burger comes with a hefty amount of greens so if you're taking the green walk then this is a good choice.
They've got their own brand of iced tea called Blue flamingo which sells for about Rs. 150 a pop. The good thing is these come in fairly large bottles so if you're looking for a thirst quencher then DEFINITELY get this. We loved it and it was by far one of the best iced teas we've had.
The lemon doesn't overpower the tea which is a definite plus and it's gloriously refreshing especially if you've gone for a trek around the streets.
The eatery is relatively tiny with a slight buth kadey-esque feel to it with yellow and deep grey accents. There's a bunch of quirky little benches you can sit on and gabble on about that cute surfer kolla you saw and whatnot.
It gets pretty hot during the day but unless you're Leonardo DiCaprio there's nothing you can do. There's a seating area upstairs as well and although it's deceptively small I'd say it can comfortably hold about 15 people.
The chap you see in the picture above does the burger assembly and also provides some good service. Ask him for his opinion and he'll make a good recommendation. He is less blurry in real life.
If you're in Galle and craving a legit burger, then do head on to Rocket Burger as it's a bit of a cult favourite. Keep in mind that nothing in Galle is cheap even though it's teeming with the hippies and free-thinkers so you'll have to deal with the irony. Happy eating!
TORB serves up a mean albeit overpriced burger. The restaurant is tiny, quaint and is a great spot to chill and put a chat with your comrades.
Rocket Burger is the Galle Fort's only burger specialist. The burgers aren't as mind blowing as they used to be, but they're still good, albeit it's all Rs. 900 minimum here.
This Cuban run burger shop in Galle Fort is amazing. Some of the best burgers on the island.
Address
Pedlars Street, Galle Fort, Galle
Directions
Just head down Pedlars Street towards Hospital Street. It's about a block away from The Heritage Cafe, next to the Three By TPV store.
Contacts
Report InaccuracyOpen 9.00AM to 10.00PM
Price Range
Dish Types
Ratings Breakdown
Isso deals with isso. Curried isso, tossed isso, isso with…
Navro Beach is one of the most popular restaurants in Panadura…
5/5
Yes I’m I’m Sri Lanka and yes I had a burger… regrets? NO!! Best burger I have had in my life!! Absolute gem! Everyone must try it!!!
3/5
I think the place needs better skilled staff. Cleanliness is definitely below par. My company has an office right opposite to Rocket Burger and I definitely got a first hand experience on their prep-work after spending a whole day across the road. Also second the point on not taking it out, it was a bad experience for me after taking out.
We were told by Leo that it is, Shaz. Check the green icons on the top right corner of our reviews to check if places are halal or not.
Yamu guys: you need to do more research.
I could be wrong (haven't seen the bloke for 5 years)…
But the pic of "Leo" looks like chef Leo Vasquez… he is a pukka chef!
Super qualified & experienced (Mt Lavinia hotel, worked overseas & passionate about food, one of the first people to push slow food concept in Sri Lanka).
you should have stated it in the article. This is isn't twitter with character limits.
A qualified chef spends years learning & honing his craft. It's not the law, but a reviewer should acknowledge that.
It also allows people reading your review to know that this joint isn't run by a home cook or amateur foodie…
Leo is one of the best chefs to have worked in Sri Lanka. I have been to rocket burgher about five times and my favorite is th gringo cooked medium rare… It is comparable to any first class burger you'd find anywhere in the wild. They are it out doubt the best burgers in Sri lanka!
Leo is a passionate chef who care about quality of food. No wonder, Rocket Burger is No.1 on Tripadvisor in such a short period since they started recently. My 1st priority place for a good meal whenever I visit Galle. Please come to Colombo soon!
Yes, they do have a vegetarian option and we also have gluten free option, its so great to be able to eat a veggie burger
I would recommend the Texas Cowboy, the pulled chicken was amazing, definitely the best burger in all of Sri Lanka.
Eww shittiest burgers ever… Went there today and was a total let down! Burger's king at Dehiwala is wayyy better than this shit. Not worth Rs 880 at all! Will never go there again!
After reading the reviews on ya much, I went to this place yesterday.
I must say that the burgers do live up to the expectations and whilst the owner wasn't there, his brother was very helpful in helping us choose the food.
Kudos on their potatoe chips, which are made in house, as opposed to buying the bulk variety. A meal for two would set you back over Rs 3000 but in my view, it's better than most burger places I've eaten at.
After scoring some high reviews from both diners and Yamu themselves we thought to give this a shot. Being a big burger fan myself and having a mission to try a burger in every country I visit I was looking forward to this with equally high expectations.
The burger patty was great so were the toppings however the buns were cold and untoasted and it really let the burger (experience) down - had one of us tried one of our burgers before asking for takeout I think we could have salvaged a good rating here but the buns really really let this burger down.
I do feel they were rushing to get several orders done although we were the only customers. Having said that toasting some buns isnt the hard part to be honest but it makes a worlds diff in taste between a cold soggy bun VS a nice toasted bun experience. Glug is the sound you can hear as it slowly goes down the throat just that soggy.
The burger patty and the toppings were great and as requested the patty was done medium. The fries were not all that great as the oil must have been quite old.
I would say if the owners were present the process would be more adhered to at this location. We will try it again and request those buns to be toasted.
My parents went there and I was looking forward to going after i get back home.
Apparently these burgers should be renamed to ketchup burgers. Will not go there. Don't let people mislead you. Worst customer experience my parents have experienced. Well done for false advertising.
Probably the worst burger I've tried. The bun was cold, meat undercooked and there was enough ketchup and mayo to open a factory. Such a disappointment for the price we paid!! I would strongly advise people to NEVER try it. Its a bloody rip off for a shit,burger!
Probably the worst burger ever! Firstly the bun was cold, the meat was undercooked and there was enough ketchup and mayo to open a factory! A terrible choice, a waste of money. One of the worst meals we have had, no value for money at all. We are such foodies and coming to Galle after these great reviews was the worst dissapointment!
And yamu please dont be biased with your reviews as myself and many others have been misled! Thank you!!
We were told that the foreign owner already left and a local family purchased the business. So it is not surprise that the quality has changed. We tried calling the shop to confirm the change of ownership but no one answer the call.
re: ownership change
I've heard that Chef Leo isn't part of the business anymore.
So that corresponds with Aru's post above that ownership has changed.
Leo left the organisation on the 12th of November 2014 after training the staff and preparing the menus.
You guys should try the pulled pork burger at Uga Residence. The burger is really good! The burger we had at Rocket Burger was average and the fries were burnt.
Visited it recently and quite enjoyed the experience. The food was great , service was great and the host was hospitable and friendly.
Probs my favourite stop for a meal at the fort at the moment. They could use a cooler interior though.
I went with my family to have a decent burger meal. However I realized it was a bad choice. The seasoning was awful. Too much salt on the burgers. The portion is not adequate for a man. The price is unreasonably high. The service is good. But you can get a better burger from Mac Donalds.
Went for the very first time to see what the hype was about. Had a chicken burger and wife ordered the veg. Got a side of jalapeno poppers as well.
First of all if you are going to give a sri lankan "maalu miris" as jalapenos you have another thing coming. And frying something that looks like its been refrozen countless times means the bloody crust will fall off eventually.
And then the famous burger! Im sorry but im going to have to agree on the mcdonalds front. First and foremost for a big guy i didnt finish the burger. Was dry, was bland, was too salty in parts, had one "crispy onion ring" that was soggy. Green chillie mayo was non existent.
Wife's veg patty i fear had gone through the refreezing trend as well. A patty should be a patty. Even bits of it falling off is fine. Jist dont hand over a crumbling, soggy, oily, leftover masala gravy dipped wadai.
If you are going to charge 1200 bucks for a friggin burger, get your shit right. Its not like we're paying for the ambience! When the ONLY saving grace is your iced tea, oh well……….this rocket has officially crashed and burnt
Was in Galle on Saturday and dropped in for a bite. Their burgers aren't impressive, but the fries are THE BEST.
Big, fat, chunky, crispy, thick cut potato fries omg.
Sorry for gushing, but y'all have to try them out!
Bonus tip: Try it with the Molé sauce and an iced tea on the side.
Fries retail for Rs. 200 a LARGE portion, and a 500ml bottle of iced tea goes for Rs. 150, so you're all set!
5/5
Nicoledrew
Yes I’m I’m Sri Lanka and yes I had a burger… regrets? NO!! Best burger I have had in my life!! Absolute gem! Everyone must try it!!!
3/5
PunkAss
I think the place needs better skilled staff. Cleanliness is definitely below par. My company has an office right opposite to Rocket Burger and I definitely got a first hand experience on their prep-work after spending a whole day across the road. Also second the point on not taking it out, it was a bad experience for me after taking out.