| MidCity SmashBurger | |
|---|---|
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| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 2020 (2020) |
| Owner(s) | Cascadia Hospitality |
| Previous owner(s) | Mike Aldridge |
| Manager(s) | Zach Sharp |
| State | Oregon |
| Country | United States |
| Website | midcitysmashedburger |
MidCity SmashBurger is a small chain of burger restaurants based in Portland, Oregon, United States. Mike Aldridge started the business as a pop-up restaurantinNew Orleans in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, before relocating to Portland and re-launching the business as a food cart in early 2021. There are five MidCity locations, as of 2024, including four in Portland and another in Bend. The business has garnered a positive reception and has been praised for having some of the best burgers in Portland, the U.S., and the world.
MidCity SmashBurger is a small chain of restaurants in the U.S. stateofOregon, operating in Portland and Bend. In addition to burgers (with a vegan option),[1] the menu has included a fish sandwich,[2] chicken nuggets,[3] French fries, and milkshakes.[4]
Chef and owner Mike Aldridge started MidCity as a pop-up restaurant, selling burgers from his porch in New Orleans, during the COVID-19 pandemic.[5][6] He moved to Portland and re-opened MidCity SmashBurger in January 2021,[7] operating a food truckonStark Street at the intersection of 11th in southeast Portland's Buckman neighborhood.[2][8] Approximately 1,000 burgers were sold in the first eight days, and the business quickly built a social media following.[4] Averaging 300 burgers per day,[7] MidCity had sold tens of thousands of burgers by September 2021.[9]
In 2021, Brooke Jackson-GliddenofEater Portland reported that Aldridge hoped to open a brick and mortar location on Lombard Street in north Portland's St. Johns neighborhood, in a space that previously housed a Bernstein's Bagels shop.[10] Eric Nelson of Eem and Langbaan would collaborate with Aldridge to create a new menu with burgers, hot dogs, and margaritas.[11][12] The St. Johns location did not come to fruition.[13] Instead, Aldridge opened a second food cart at a pod on North Williams Avenue, near the Moda Center.[14]
In 2022, MidCity expanded outside Portland. Aldridge opened a food cart next to the Boneyard Beer taproom on Northwest Lake Place in Bend.[15][16][17] The Lil' America food cart pod moved into the space previously occupied by MidCity's original food cart.[18] Aldridge declined the nearby space that was offered, instead relocating the cart to the Level Brewing taproom on Sandy Boulevard in northeast Portland.[19]
One of the Portland locations features an illustration of a cheeseburger and pointing finger guns by local artist Mike Bennett.[20] The cartoon burger, named Smashy,[21] has become MidCity's mascot.[22] There are four MidCity locations, as of late 2022.[23] In March 2024, the business announced plans to relocate the Belmont location.[24] The cart opened at Ship Ahoy Tavern, in southeast Portland's Creston-Kenilworth neighborhood, on March 27.[25]
In 2021, Michael Russell of The Oregonian said MidCity had Portland's best smash burger.[26] He also included the business in an overview of the city's best new food carts.[9] Karen Brooks and Katherine Chew Hamilton included MidCity in a similar list published by Portland Monthly.[27] Alex Frane included the business in Thrillist's late 2021 overview of "where to eat in Portland right now".[28] In 2023, Eater Portland's Katrina Yentch included MidCity in an overview of twenty "knockout spots for affordable dining" in the city,[3] and Ron Scott included the restaurant in a list of twenty "mind-blowing" burgers in the Portland metropolitan area.[29] Jashayla Pettigrew included the restaurant in KOIN's list of the seven best smash burgers in the metropolitan area, based on Yelp reviews.[30]
MidCity has been recognized for having some of the best burgers in the U.S.,[31] and the world.[23]
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