Goldies

From Fries Stand to Smashburger Brand

Best bad food in town, that’s what this place calls its own concept, and it’s high-level coquetry. Behind Goldies are two chefs, Vladislav Gachyn and Kajo Hiesl, who previously worked in a three-Michelin-starred kitchen and started with a stand for fries and fried chicken in Kreuzberg in 2017. Four years later, the smashburger was added, and it quickly made the brand so big that nearly twenty branches now exist, including a bar in KaDeWe. The origin, however, is still here in Graefekiez, in a narrow shop where the patties are pressed flat on the hot griddle until they crisp at the edges. The menu features four smashburgers, from the Regular Cheeseburger to the Super Smash Brother and the 7th Street Burger, each available as a single or double. Additionally, there’s fried chicken, thinly sliced fries, and a variation the house calls Nasty Fries. Sauces can be ordered separately, from cheese sauce to truffle mayo.

Potato Buns, House-Made Pickles, Real Milkshakes

What makes the difference lies in the details surrounding the patty. They are served on a soft potato bun, which the brand explicitly names and has not changed for years. The pickles are house-made, the special sauce is created in-house, and the milkshakes are made with real milk, bourbon vanilla, strawberries, or chocolate, instead of from a machine. Every burger can also be ordered in three versions: with beef, vegetarian, or completely plant-based, which makes the place pleasantly uncomplicated for mixed groups. A burger costs about nine to twelve euros, with sides and sauces extra. There are only a few seats; most items are taken from the counter and eaten standing or on the way to the Landwehrkanal, which suits the neighborhood. If you want to know how the smashburger arrived in Berlin, start at this address. If you want more peace and quiet, order for pickup and take it to the canal. The brand itself consistently writes its name in lowercase.