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Not too long ago, a singular burger sparked a revolution in New York. It was a smash burger, whose seared edges and griddled glory spawned a trend we are still riding on. So where did it all start? All roads lead back to Smashed NYC.
But the craze it generated was all unintentional as for owner Mark Mendaros. For him, the burger was a matter of survival. Like many chefs, he had to pivot amid the pandemic. He closed his American bistro in the Lower East Side, fashioned a walk-up window and began hawking the best seller: the smash burger. Word quickly caught on, and within a year, smash patties became a hot trend. For Smashed, one location evolved into multiple, including one in Brooklyn, housed within our very own Time Out Market New York, Brooklyn. But now, as we look back on six years of razor-thin patties cropping up all across the boroughs, we have to ask, is the trend still going strong?
“I’ve watched the smash burger space grow a lot since we started,” says Mendaros. “We were the first to specialize in smash burgers here in NYC, but there is a lot of competition now." Recognizing that “the basics aren’t enough,” Mendaros has added the spice of variety to his menu, rotating through 13 different burgers, from bacon-jalapeno-topped numbers to a vegan variety.
“Smash burgers are popular now, but there is still room to surprise people,” he says. And it seems he has continued this noble mission at his latest location, now up and running in Manhattan.
Making its debut this past December, Smashed Express has brought its signature griddled patties to Time Out Market New York, Union Square. Naturally, Smashed’s best sellers from day one are front and center: The original classic smashed with crispy thin patties, onions, pickles and a swirl of their house-made smashed sauce and the big schmacc with double the patties and cheese on a sesame bun. Differing from the Brooklyn location, at the Market, you can find Smashed’s fried chicken sandwich, which uses a 24-hour buttermilk-brined bird dredged in a housemade proprietary blend. Hot dogs are also part of the deal, including the smashed dog with ketchup and mustard (feel free to fight in the comments) with white onions on a Martin’s roll, or the dressed-up chili dog. And as of this month, Smashed is also open for breakfast, serving burgers on a French toast bun and loco moco variations.
But if you’re looking for a taste of the truffle burger or one of the many variations spun up in the kitchen, keep an eye out for rotating specials. Better yet, each burger is personally vetted by Mendaros—and that means something, considering his daily diet includes taste-testing his own product.
“If something new makes it onto the menu, it’s because I’ve eaten it more times than I can count,” says Mendaros.