Goldies Smashburger

"What were your first impressions when you arrived? You may wonder why there’s always a line outside this unassuming burger joint near the Kottbusser Brücke (Kottbusser Bridge) in Kreuzberg. But those in-the-know are hip to the fact that two former chefs from one of Germany’s top restaurants, three-Michelin-starred Aqua (in Wolfsburg), create what many consider to be the best burger in Berlin. In an oh-so-Berlin move, all their burgers also come in vegetarian and vegan versions. Goldie’s Smashburger is a burger-centric spinoff of the chefs’ original place, Goldies, a few blocks away on Oranienstrasse, which serves drool-worthy French fries and fried chicken. In 2023, they opened a second Smashburger in West Berlin. What’s the crowd like? Groups of friends from the neighborhood chat while waiting in line for their food, joined by a few burger enthusiasts who’ve biked across town for their fix. There’s no indoor seating and limited benches outside, so most folks take their burgers to eat alongside the nearby riverbank. What should we be drinking? Goldies has a small selection of drinks, with a few German beers (Nordberliner Pils, Münchner Hell) and soft drinks on offer. A better bet is to swing by a späti (corner store) to pick up your beverage of choice to wash down your meal. Main event: the food. Give us the lowdown—especially what not to miss. The menu promises four smashburger options, in regular, veggie, and vegan versions: Cheeseburger, Double Cheeseburger (with pickles, onions, ketchup, and mustard), Super Smash Brother (a double cheeseburger with special sauce and salad rather than ketchup and mustard), and Super Smash BLT (essentially a super smash brother with bacon and fried onions added). All the ingredients are top-notch—the bacon tastes straight from a German butcher—and the juicy burgers themselves are highly satisfying. The lightly crunchy Super Skinny Fries make for a worthy side; add on the highly touted truffle mayo for an extra flavor kick. And how did the front-of-house folks treat you? You don’t have much interaction with the staff here, as you order your food and drink at a cashless terminal and then pick it up from the kiosk window. How long it takes depends on how busy the place is (and it can get busy!). But all-in-all it’s an efficient operation, with about 10 minutes or so from order to pick-up on a good day. What’s the real-real on why we’re coming here? If you appreciate a great burger and want to see what all the TikTok hype is about, Goldies Smashburger should rise to the top of your list" - Liz Humphreys