Those of us living, working or playing south-side can now get a hit of dude food without heading to a pub or a greasy fish and chip shop – craft coffee institution Dead Man Espresso has opened its doors to quiet revellers on Friday nights, filling them up with fat, juicy burgers.

After a six-month fight for a liquor license (major objections from the nearby brothels, we hear) you can now wash it all down with another kind of brew too – check out craft beers from Hawthorn Brewing Co, 3 Ravens and Hargraves Hill.

There’s four burgers on the menu – all made using local suppliers (naturally) including owner Luke Mutton’s mother’s home made relish and honey from their very own rooftop bees.

Our favourite is the Warialda beef burger with chorizo, pickles, onion rings and the aforementioned relish. There’s a beef, cheese, caramelised onion and beetroot option too.

Keeping the carnivore theme going is a lamb burger, pattie from Hook and Spoon, slopped with backyard fig relish (backyard being the owners’ backyard) and blue cheese. A veggie version with roasted field mushrooms, honey and cheddar is sure to please our herbivore friends.

Available from 5pm, all are sandwiched between soft brioche buns and served with a kitch bag of crinkle cuts – priced at a princely $10-12 each.

There’s not that many specialty cafes open after 5pm, but the Dead Man crew are happy to sacrifice their Friday nights for us, firing up the grill for a good old-fashioned bun fight. Now, about those Thursdays…

Where: 35 Market Street, South Melbourne
When: Friday from 5pm – Late
Phone: (03) 9686 2255
Details: deadmanespresso.com.au