12 Portland Locations That Could Serve Smash Burgers Done Right
Portland’s food scene is known for creativity and quality ingredients, making it perfect for smash burgers. These thin, crispy-edged patties with melty cheese have taken the burger world by storm.
I’ve scouted Portland for spots that could nail this technique if they added it to their menu, based on their cooking skills and commitment to quality.
1. Matt’s BBQ Tacos
Matt’s BBQ Tacos already knows how to handle meat with respect. Their smoked meats show they understand patience and temperature control two critical skills for perfect smash burgers. The griddle they use for tortillas could easily double as the ideal surface for smashing thin patties to crispy perfection.
What makes me confident they’d excel is their attention to simple, quality ingredients. They could easily transfer their BBQ expertise into crafting a burger with the perfect meat-to-fat ratio. The outdoor setting at their food cart pod would only enhance the experience.
If they added a smash burger special on weekends, I bet the lines would double!
2. Lardo Sandwiches
Lardo already understands the beauty of meat on bread. Their pork-centric menu demonstrates they know how to balance flavors and textures in a way that would translate perfectly to smash burgers. The restaurant’s existing griddle setup is practically begging for burger patties to be smashed on it.
Their commitment to locally-sourced ingredients would elevate a smash burger beyond fast food territory. I can almost taste the combination of their house aioli with a thin, crispy-edged patty and melty American cheese on one of their perfect buns.
Given their sandwich expertise, Lardo could easily create a smash burger that would have Portlanders lining up around the block.
3. Nong’s Khao Man Gai
Nong’s might specialize in Thai chicken and rice, but their culinary precision makes them perfect candidates for smash burger greatness. The restaurant’s focus on doing one thing extraordinarily well mirrors the smash burger philosophy simple food executed flawlessly.
Their existing kitchen setup could easily accommodate a flat-top for smashing patties. What’s exciting is how they might incorporate subtle Thai influences perhaps a burger with their famous ginger sauce or cilantro-lime aioli.
If Nong decided to offer a weekly smash burger special, combining her attention to detail with American comfort food, it would create a fascinating East-meets-West creation that would surely attract both burger enthusiasts and her loyal customers.
4. Pine State Biscuits
Those flaky, buttery biscuits from Pine State would make an incredible foundation for a Southern-inspired smash burger. Their kitchen already has the flat-top grills needed for perfect smashing, and their expertise with breakfast meats shows they understand how to cook proteins quickly at high heat.
Imagine a smash burger served on one of their split biscuits instead of a bun, perhaps with pimento cheese and a fried green tomato. The combination would be uniquely Portland while honoring both Southern traditions and smash burger technique.
During their slower afternoon hours between breakfast and dinner rush, Pine State could offer a limited number of smash burgers that would surely become a talked-about menu item.
5. Basilisk Fried Chicken
When a place masters fried chicken as Basilisk has, they clearly understand heat control and timing crucial elements for smash burger success. Their commitment to quality ingredients and from-scratch cooking philosophy aligns perfectly with what makes a great smash burger.
The small, focused menu at Basilisk suggests they prefer doing few things exceptionally well rather than many things adequately. This approach would serve them well if they introduced a smash burger alongside their famous fried chicken sandwich.
Their existing setup for sandwich assembly and their flat-top could easily accommodate the smash technique. I’d love to see them create a burger with the same attention to texture contrasts that makes their chicken sandwiches so remarkable.
6. Güero Tortas
Güero has already mastered the art of the sandwich with their Mexican tortas. Their understanding of layering flavors, managing heat, and creating the perfect bread-to-filling ratio would transfer beautifully to smash burger creation. The plancha they use for tortas is essentially the ideal surface for smashing patties.
How exciting would it be to see them create a Mexican-inspired smash burger? Perhaps topped with escabeche, avocado crema, or even chorizo mixed into the beef. The restaurant’s bright, casual atmosphere would be the perfect setting for enjoying such a creation.
With their existing skills and equipment, Güero could easily add a “Smash Burger Especial” to their menu that would draw curious eaters from across the city.
7. Slow Bar
Slow Bar already serves one of Portland’s most famous burgers, so they understand the fundamentals. Their kitchen has the equipment and expertise to execute a perfect smash burger if they chose to add one alongside their thicker signature burger.
The bar’s moody atmosphere and excellent drink program would complement the nostalgic, diner-style experience of a proper smash burger. They could create a late-night special that pairs a simple smash burger with one of their craft beers or whiskey selections.
Given their existing burger reputation, a Slow Bar smash version would instantly draw attention and likely become a new favorite among Portland’s burger aficionados. I can already imagine the thin, lacy edges extending beyond the bun!
8. Farmer and the Beast Food Cart
Farmer and the Beast already focuses on burgers made with locally-sourced ingredients, making them prime candidates for smash burger excellence. Their farm-to-cart ethos means they have access to quality beef that would shine with the caramelization that comes from proper smashing.
The compact nature of their food cart means they’re already experts at maximizing flavor in a small space a key skill for smash burger preparation. Their existing flat-top could easily be used for the technique with minimal adjustment.
Adding a “Smash Special” using their premium local beef would create an interesting contrast to their current burger lineup. The result would be a smash burger with the conscience of farm-to-table dining but the satisfaction of diner-style cooking.
9. Bless Your Heart Burgers
Bless Your Heart already makes excellent burgers, but their thin-patty style is just steps away from going full smash. Their kitchen setup is perfectly equipped for the technique, with the right spatulas and flat-top griddle needed for proper smashing.
Their focus on quality ingredients and classic preparation would translate beautifully to the smash technique. The restaurant’s casual, approachable vibe matches the unpretentious nature of a great smash burger.
Since they’re already burger specialists, adding a true smash option pressed even thinner than their current offerings and cooked at a slightly higher heat for maximum crust would be a natural evolution. They could offer it as a “secret menu” item at first to test the waters before making it official.
10. Kachka
Kachka’s Russian cuisine might seem worlds apart from American smash burgers, but their culinary skill and attention to detail would make them fascinating candidates. The restaurant’s expertise with high-heat cooking techniques for their kebabs demonstrates they understand the importance of proper heat management.
A Russian-inspired smash burger could be revolutionary perhaps topped with housemade farmer’s cheese, quick-pickled vegetables, or their famous horseradish sauce. Their existing kitchen equipment could easily handle the technique.
Offered as a special during happy hour at their Lavka deli side, a Kachka smash burger would create an interesting fusion of American technique with Eastern European flavors that fits perfectly with Portland’s innovative food scene.
11. Canard
Canard’s playful approach to comfort food makes them ideal candidates for smash burger greatness. Their famous steam burger already shows they understand the appeal of thin patties, and their kitchen has all the necessary equipment for proper smashing technique.
The restaurant’s balance of highbrow technique with lowbrow concepts would work perfectly for an elevated smash burger. Maybe they’d add duck fat to the beef blend or top it with a sauce inspired by French cuisine while keeping the essential elements of a classic smash burger intact.
Given their late-night hours and proximity to bars, adding a true smash burger option would likely be wildly popular with the after-hours crowd looking for perfect drunk food with a touch of culinary credibility.
12. Hat Yai
Hat Yai’s mastery of Thai fried chicken proves they understand the importance of temperature control and timing skills that transfer perfectly to smash burger creation. Their existing flat cooking surfaces could easily accommodate the smashing technique.
What makes this possibility exciting is how they might incorporate Thai flavors into a smash burger. Perhaps a burger topped with their incredible roti bread instead of a bun, or incorporating their curry-spiced flavors into a special sauce.
During lunch service, when fried chicken might be less popular than dinner, Hat Yai could offer a limited number of Thai-influenced smash burgers that would create a unique fusion offering unlike anything else in Portland’s burger scene.
