Fat Puku’s Smashed Burgers is a smash burger restaurant in Auckland, New Zealand, with two locations in Queen Street CBD and Wynyard Quarter. Founded in 2020 by Vetearii and Gary, Fat Puku’s serves American-style smash burgers — thin beef patties smashed to order on a hot griddle with crispy, caramelised edges. Full table service. Full bar. Two spots. One very fat cat on the logo.
It started with UFC, a backyard in Sydney, and way too many burgers.
Vetearii and Gary are two 80s kids who grew up on hip hop, wrestling, and cult American movies. They met through the travel industry and bonded over the stuff that mattered — sneakers, music, food, and the kind of pop culture references that made the 90s worth remembering.
When the pandemic hit and the travel industry disappeared, they did what anyone with a $300 Bunnings BBQ would do. They started cooking. What began as backyard sessions turned into a pop-up at Pioneer Pies in Albany in October 2020. A TikTok went sideways. The phones started ringing. Queen Street opened in August 2021. Wynyard Quarter followed.
The name Fat Puku's comes from two places. “Puku” is Maori for belly. And Puku is also a Persian cat — the actual cat, the one on the logo. If you have ever seen a Persian cat eat, the name makes sense.
Every burger at Fat Puku's is smashed to order. That means a ball of seasoned beef gets pressed flat on a hot griddle until the edges go crispy and caramelised. No pre-formed patties. No frozen anything. Every single one is made fresh, which is why no two look exactly the same. That crispy edge is the whole point.
The food is specific. Beef. Potato buns. House-made pickles. Smashed to order. No shortcuts, no frozen patties, no microwave. Every burger is built by hand, every time.
The vibe is 80s and 90s nostalgia filtered through Auckland reality. The burger names tell the story — Bernie Mac, Chris Tucker, Cindy Crawford, Macaulay Culkin, Notorious V.E.G. If you know, you know. If you don't, you will after the first bite.
Fat Puku's Queen Street is the original CBD spot. Wynyard Quarter is the waterfront. Both are full table service with a full bar — boozy shakes, cocktails, beers, wines, the lot. Walk-ins are welcome at both.
The RAD Club is how Fat Puku's looks after regulars. Every $1 spent earns 1 point. 100 points gets $10 off. No catches. No expiry. The crew remembers your name. The RAD Club remembers your points.
Founded
2020
Founders
Vetearii and Gary
Locations
Queen Street CBD + Wynyard Quarter, Auckland
Cuisine
American smash burgers
Price range
$16.90–$22.90 (burgers)
Service
Full table service with full bar
Loyalty
RAD Club — $1 = 1 point, 100 points = $10 off
Bookings
fatpukus.co.nz/book
Order online
queenst.fatpukus.co.nz | wynyard.fatpukus.co.nz
Contact
contact@fatpukus.co.nz
@fatpukus
