Fatty Patty serves up halal deli sandwiches and mouth-watering smash burgers in Underwood
In a city full of burger joints and a growing number of sandwich spots, Fatty Patty stands apart. Nestled in Underwood, this family-run kitchen is turning the humble sandwich into something extraordinary – and it’s all 100 percent halal. From house-smoked pastrami to a reimagined steak sanga, every creation at Fatty Patty is a careful balance of bold flavour, quality ingredients and a nod to the classics.
Bilal, Zainuddin and Shehzad Ghumra weren’t looking to shake up the Brisbane sandwich scene. They were simply searching for a new location for Sam’s Gourmet Pizzas, the Kuraby-based pizza and manoush joint they’ve been running for more than ten years. When they finally found a new shop in Underwood there was one key issue – the space was four times the size of Sam’s original location. Rather than shy away from the challenge, the brothers saw it as the perfect opportunity to try something new.
“We decided to split the shop in two,” explains Bilal, “make it two concepts – Sam’s on one side, something else on the other”. Burgers were an obvious choice, given their experience with their successful Calamvale venture BurgerMe, which they sold last year. “We knew what burgers were about,” says Bilal. “Initially, that’s all we were going to serve. We’d always wanted to do proper New York-style smash burgers, which we couldn’t properly do at BurgerMe”. And just like that, Fatty Patty was born.
But the brothers had another idea brewing. They had noticed a growing interest in deli-style sandwiches, yet, being Muslim, options they could confidently eat were hard to find. A gap in the market had appeared – halal deli sandwiches done properly.
When Sam’s Gourmet Pizzas and Fatty Patty opened in mid-June, the community response was strong, but one menu item quickly stole the spotlight. “The first two, three weeks that we opened, we questioned whether we should change [Fatty Patty’s] name, because it was just sandwiches flying out the door – a lot more than burgers,” laughs Bilal.
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The sandwiches quickly became Fatty Patty’s calling card. At the top of the list is the Fatz Signature, a house-made pastrami creation served on pillowy shokupan bread, sourced from a local bakery. With smoky meat, both American and Swiss cheeses, honey mustard, tangy pickles, and Fatty Patty’s special sauce, its carefully balanced flavours have made it an instant favourite. So much so, that it keeps selling out.
“We struggle to keep up with the demand on the Fatz Signature because we make our pastrami in house,” Bilal explains. “We’re honestly trying our best, it’s just an almost-ten-day process and we literally don’t have enough space to store it all.” The multi-day process is absolutely worth it, though – Angus beef briskets are cured for six days, then soaked in a water bath for an additional day, before entering Fatty Patty’s in-house smoker for 8–12 hours. The result is a tender, flavourful pastrami with the perfect amount of smoke and spice.
Then there’s the Goat’d – a reimagined steak sandwich on shokupan bread, stacked with wagyu (with a marble score of 6 to 7), griddled onions, Swiss cheese, fries, fresh tomato and greens, pickled onion and chipotle mayo, finished with a sprinkle of pecorino. “The Goat’d was inspired by our dad,” Bilal smirks. “He’s been known for his steak roll in his community for years. He’ll have friends that’ll come from overseas and they’ll all tell us the story of his famous steak roll. So when we ended up doing sandwiches as well as the burgers … he made sure there was a steak sandwich on the menu!”
“It couldn’t be your standard steak sandwich though – I feel like it’s often something that’s just added to a menu with no thought,” Bilal continues. “So we sourced wagyu with a marble score of 6 to 7. It had to be the quality of something you would serve on a plate, that’s the only way it’s going to taste good and be tender. If you cut corners on the quality of the beef, you’re not going to get that, no matter how good the condiments are”.
Rounding out the menu are the Italian deli-style options, served on golden slabs of focaccia. The Mama Mia is stuffed with layers of paper-thin beef mortadella, stracciatella, hot honey and crushed pistachios, followed by the vegetarian Silly Sam, with mozzarella, pesto, spinach and rocket, tomato herb dressing and Mediterranean chutney. Simple ingredients, thoughtfully combined, turn these sandwiches into something more than just lunch – they’re the reason locals keep coming back.
While the sandwiches may be stealing the spotlight, the burgers are still at the heart of Fatty Patty. Each smash patty develops a deep, dark-brown caramelised crust, locking in juiciness and delivering that irresistible combination of crunch and flavour. From classic cheeseburgers to the All The Way, along with chicken and plant-based options, the burgers showcase the brothers’ mastery of technique and stand strong alongside the indulgent sandwiches, offering another hit of rich, satisfying flavour.
Burgers and sandwiches can be paired with a selection of sides, including chicken-salt fries, mozzarella sticks, nuggets and loaded fries, topped with cheese sauce, griddled onions, beef bacon, maple and Fatty Patty’s special sauce. House-made lemonade or peach iced tea are the ideal chasers to your carby feast, and an array of house-made cookies and shakes are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.
At its core, Fatty Patty is about more than just burgers and sandwiches – it’s about family, flavour and creating a place where everyone can enjoy a proper feast. With halal indulgence at its heart, this Underwood gem is fast becoming a local favourite worth seeking out.
Fatty Patty is open now. For opening hours and contact details, head to The Directory.