Wikipedia

MidCity SmashBurger

MidCity SmashBurger is a small chain of burger restaurants based in Portland, Oregon. Mike Aldridge started the business as a pop-up restaurant in New Orleans in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, before relocating to Portland and re-launching the business as a food cart in early 2021.

MidCity SmashBurger
Restaurant information
Established2020 (2020)
Owner(s)Cascadia Hospitality
Previous owner(s)Mike Aldridge
Manager(s)Zach Sharp
Rating4.7
StateOregon
CountryUnited States
Websitemidcitysmashedburger.com

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.

Description edit

MidCity SmashBurger is a small chain of restaurants in the U.S. state of Oregon, 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]

History edit

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 truck on Stark 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-Glidden of Eater 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]

Reception edit

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 Portland and beyond".[29] Jashayla Pettigrew included the restaurant in KOIN's list of the seven best smash burgers in the Portland 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]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ Wu, Waz (2023-03-16). "Meet Portland's Glittery, '90s-Themed Vegan Smash Burger and Wings Pop-Up". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2023-06-24. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  2. ^ a b "These Four Portland Eateries Finally Give Fish Sandwiches the Spotlight". Willamette Week. 2021-09-22. Archived from the original on 2023-05-30. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  3. ^ a b Yentch, Katrina (2015-07-17). "20 Knockout Spots for Affordable Dining in Portland". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2022-03-05. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  4. ^ a b "Mid-City Smash Burger Is Portland's New Orleans–Born Burger Cart". Portland Monthly. Archived from the original on 2023-06-01. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  5. ^ Russell, Michael (2021-03-16). "Smash burgers, everywhere: 2 new Portland carts make 2 of our favorites: Takeout Diaries". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2023-02-06. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  6. ^ "The New Orleans economy is bad now. Come August, things could get much worse". NOLA.com. 2020-06-13. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
  7. ^ a b "Are $5 Cheeseburgers Gone for Good?". Portland Monthly. Archived from the original on 2023-04-01. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  8. ^ "Portland Smash Burgers - oregonlive.com". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2022-05-23. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  9. ^ a b Russell, Michael (2021-09-22). "Portland's best new food carts of 2021". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2022-01-12. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  10. ^ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2021-08-13). "Portland's Destination Thai Restaurant, Langbaan, Is Moving to Northwest Portland". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2023-03-29. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  11. ^ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2021-09-14). "The Most Anticipated Portland Restaurant Openings, Fall and Winter 2021". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2021-10-11. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  12. ^ Russell, Michael (2021-08-12). "MidCity SmashBurger is expanding with new North Portland restaurant and bar". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
  13. ^ Russell, Michael (2021-11-07). "12 new Portland restaurants we can't wait to try this fall". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2022-12-02. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  14. ^ Frane, Alex (2021-11-12). "Loyal Legion's New Tap Room Opens in Beaverton Tomorrow". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2023-06-06. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  15. ^ Russell, Michael (2022-06-03). "MidCity SmashBurger expands with new Bend cart next to original Boneyard Beer taproom". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2023-05-30. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  16. ^ Wong, Janey (2022-06-10). "Buzzy Food Cart Mid City Smash Burger Expands to Bend". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2023-01-31. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  17. ^ Vulcan, Nicole. "From Portland to Bend, Smash Burger Location Opens". The Source Weekly - Bend. Archived from the original on 2023-03-28. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  18. ^ "New, BIPOC and LGBTQIA+-Focused Food Cart Pod to Open in Southeast Portland". Portland Monthly. Archived from the original on 2023-04-25. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  19. ^ Russell, Michael (2023-04-01). "Meet Lil' America, Portland's new BIPOC/LGBTQ-focused food cart pod". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2023-09-08. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  20. ^ Wong, Janey (2022-10-18). "Portland Artist Mike Bennett Opens Fantastical Cafe Wonderwood Springs". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2023-03-22. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  21. ^ "Smash Burgers Are on Trend in Portland, and Two of the Best Can Be Found Just Blocks From Each Other On Southeast Stark". Willamette Week. 2021-05-05. Archived from the original on 2023-02-20. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  22. ^ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2023-08-30). "Artist Mike Bennett's Guide to Dining in Portland". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2023-09-20. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  23. ^ a b "FOLLOW THE BEEF: The top 20 best burgers in the world have been revealed". The Irish Post. Archived from the original on 2023-01-30. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  24. ^ Wong, Janey (2021-01-20). "Portland's Restaurant, Bar, and Food Cart Closures". Eater Portland. Retrieved 2024-03-14.
  25. ^ Wong, Janey (2021-01-20). "Portland's Restaurant, Bar, and Food Cart Closures". Eater Portland. Retrieved 2024-04-25.
  26. ^ Russell, Michael (2021-03-30). "Portland's 13 best smash burgers, reviewed and ranked". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2022-06-09. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  27. ^ "Portland's 9 Greatest New Food Carts of 2021". Portland Monthly. Archived from the original on 2021-12-16. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  28. ^ Frane, Alex (2020-09-11). "Where to Eat in Portland Right Now". Thrillist. Archived from the original on 2023-04-07. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  29. ^ Scott, Ron (2017-05-09). "20 Mind-Blowing Burgers in Portland and Beyond". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2021-10-11. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  30. ^ "Where to find the Portland's best smash burgers". KOIN.com. 2023-08-25. Archived from the original on 2023-08-31. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  31. ^ "The No. 4 best burger in America is in Portland". The Oregonian. 2023-10-09. Archived from the original on 2023-10-10. Retrieved 2023-10-11.

External links edit

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=MidCity_SmashBurger&oldid=1220932075"