Smash Style

Photography by Adam Milliron/ Story by Maggie Weaver/ Styling by Ana Kelly / Food by Fiore Moletz of Burgh’ers Brewing

“It’s just delicious.”

Mike McCoy, half of the team behind popular smash burger pop-up MoonLit Burgers says he can’t think of a better way to describe their handhelds.

MoonLit is putting out a classic smash burger, modeled like that of old-school diners. It starts with two beef patties smashed thin on the grill, then topped with generic American cheese, onion, pickles, and “moon sauce,” a blend of mayo, mustard, vinegar, sesame, sriracha, a little pickle, and gochujang. It is, as McCoy says, a delicious mix of “gooey, cheesy, and meaty.”

These burgers have taken Pittsburgh by storm over the past few months; at their first pop-up, McCoy and his partner, Derek Stevens, sold 400 burgers in two-and-a-half hours.

But McCoy and Stevens certainly aren’t the first to bring smash style to Pittsburghers. Fiore Moletz, owner of chef-driven eatery Burgh’ers Brewing, has been smashing burgers for a decade, the Pittsburgh Sandwich Society has captured the love of eaters with their play on In-N-Out, the In-N-Aht burger, and last year, The Commoner debuted their own, wagyu-beef version.

All of these burgers follow the basic, signature smash formula used by MoonLit (with a few restaurant-specific twists): two paper-thin patties stacked on a bun with cheese.

“You have all of that surface for salt and caramelization,” Moletz explains, speaking to the purpose of the lacey, thin patties which are flattened onto the griddle, hence the name “smash” burger. The burger might be slim, but high-quality meat is the standard. (Currently, MoonLit is working with local meat purveyor Weiss Provision Co. to develop a signature meat blend.)

Both MoonLit and Burgh’ers use Martin’s Potato Rolls to sandwich their patties, which McCoy says are “nice and soft, and [get] a nice little crust on the inside” when toasted. According to Moletz, who has tried his hand at gourmet breads, Martin’s buns are “the only thing that can represent the diner, smash situation... the whole thing is not the same if it's a different bun.”

Both cooks talk about how “reasonable” smash burgers are. A burger at MoonLit runs for $8 and $7.5-15 at Burgh’ers, depending on the toppings and size. (Moletz’s menu is filled with city-specific variations.) Neither of these burgers are going to be overwhelming in size, which, in a world that often says “bigger is better,” is a welcome change.

“It’s not a giant burger that you’re biting into, you can get all of [it] in one bite,” McCoy comments. “With an 8oz burger with a bunch of toppings on it, you’re not getting everything.”

“You get full, but it’s not like this miserable, Five Guys feeling,” Moletz agrees. He loves smash burgers with just onions, Burgh’ers special sauce, and pickles, saying “that’s what a smash burger should be.”

Eventually, McCoy and Stevens – both industry vets – hope to open up a brick and mortar for their pop-up and expand the menu. But for now, you can catch them on Saturdays at io Deli in Mount Lebanon. Burgh’ers is open for takeout and dine-in at both of their locations in Lawrenceville and Zelienople. Ask for the restaurants' secret menu item, the double-down mini burger, a classic smash-style sandwich.