Smashed RVA to open smash burger restaurant on North Side

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After three years of running a popular smash burger pop-up, chef Michael Marshall is getting ready to open the brick-and-mortar for Smashed RVA on Richmond's North Side at 1600 Brook Road.

Marshall launched the Smashed RVA pop-up during the pandemic while he was working as a chef at Lemaire.

"We started doing Smashed RVA as a pop-up at The Jasper once a week. They were looking for a food option," Marshall said. Then Smashed RVA started popping up at The Veil Brewing Co., Starr Hill, Strangeways Brewing, Hatch Local and many others. Smashed RVA has hosted over 100 pop-ups, often selling out.

Michael Marshall, owner and chef, is shown on June 1 in front of Smashed RVA, a new smash burger spot opening in North Side.

"Everybody loves a good cheeseburger. It's very approachable. That's why we do so well at the breweries. Burgers and beer. It's classic and delicious," Marshall said.

Smash burgers have been around for a while. It is a technique wherein a loosely packed beef patty is smashed and seared on a hot grill to lock in the burger's flavor, turning the edges crispy and caramelized.

The interior of Smashed RVA, a new smash burger spot opening in North Side, is shown.

Smashed RVA gets its burger patties from Seven Hills Food Co. in Lynchburg and the buns — "a mix between a potato bun and a brioche" — from an in-house recipe baked at Richmond's The Flour Garden Bakery.

The menu features four main burgers, including the OG Smash, with American cheese, onions, Smash sauce ($10) and the Plain Jane with lettuce, tomatoes, onions and Dukes mayo ($10).

The Double Plain Jane Smash at Smashed RVA.

The Smash Sauce blends mustard, mayo, pickles, pickled jalapenos and spices. "It's really mustardy and pickley. You don't realize how good mustard is on a burger until you have the Smash sauce," Marshall said.

Marshall worked at Lemaire for two years while launching the pop-up. Before that, he worked at The Caboose Market & Cafe in Ashland. The biggest lesson he learned at Lemaire was how to season properly: a lesson he has taken to Smashed RVA, where the burgers are seasoned aggressively.

Smash chopped cheese with chopped Seven Hills beef, American cheese, onions, Dukes mayo and spicy relish at Smashed RVA.

Smashed RVA is hoping to open sometime this summer in the former Brooks Diner space at 1600 Brook Road. While the spot is fairly turn-key, Smashed RVA dressed up the front with a new coat of paint; Cut & Bleed print shop designed the windows with a new logo and Richmond artist Earl Mack created the "Pull Up & Get Smashed" street art mural inside.

Expect fast-casual dining with seating for 30 in the 2,100 square foot space.

Triple OG Smash at Smashed RVA.

Smashed RVA will boost its menu with rotating specials. It has drawn a cult-like following for its themed burgers, such as a riff on the West Coast chain In-N-Out Burgers and Wisconsin's butter burgers. When Smashed RVA teamed up with Jiji's Frozen Custard and 1115 Mobile Kitchen for a smashed burger take on McDonald's earlier this year, the line was 80 people long and sold out quickly.

"We’ve done a McRib, bacon cheeseburgers, a kimchi smash burger with kimchi, bulgogi patties and bulgogi mayo. We go all over the place and push the narrative with different styles," Marshall said.

The menu will also include loaded smash fries and seasoned fries with malt and vinegar. Richmond breweries will also be represented as soon as the liquor license is approved.

"We built our brand with at The Veil, Starr Hill, Vasen and other Richmond breweries. We plan to support them as they’ve supported us," Marshall said.

Slay Burgers, another new smash burger spot, opened in May in Brookland Park at 22 W. Brookland Park Blvd.

Smashed RVA will be hosting pop-ups, with several scheduled at Hatch Local Food Hall, until the Brook Road location opens. Follow on Instagram at @smashedrva for updates.

The Double Plain Jane Smash at Smashed RVA.

Smash chopped cheese with chopped Seven Hills beef, American cheese, onions, Dukes mayo and spicy relish at Smashed RVA.

Triple OG Smash at Smashed RVA.

The interior of Smashed RVA, a new smash burger spot opening in North Side, is shown.

Smashed RVA, new smash burger spot going into North Side, from owner and chef Michael Marshall, shown in front of his restaurant in Richmond on June 1.

Michael Marshall, owner and chef, is shown on June 1 in front of Smashed RVA, a new smash burger spot opening in North Side.

Colleen Curran (804) 649-6151

[email protected]

@collcurran on Twitter

Colleen Curran is the features editor for the Richmond Times-Dispatch. She also covers arts and entertainment and food and dining.

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