Smashed ‘N Fried to open inside Mondays Brewing in Greenfield
Soon patrons of Mondays Brewing Co. in Pittsburgh’s Greenfield neighborhood will be able to order a burger and french fries with their craft beer.
Smashed ‘N Fried, a food truck that offers smash burgers and more, is opening its first brick-and-mortar location there.
“You may think that burgers and fries are just a straightforward bar meal and in some ways it is, but they take so much care and meticulous attention to detail to shape their flavors into what is essentially a full-on dining experience,” said Sam Fee, owner of Monday’s Brewing, which opened in November at the former Hough’s Taproom. “There are more layers of flavor that you might not experience elsewhere.”
Smashed ‘N Fried has a target opening date of Feb. 1.
“We want to be the best burger in the city,” said Rodney Steele, 32, of West Mifflin, who co-owns the business with his brother Vincenzo Steele, 27, of Homestead. “Our burgers are juicy and taste so good.”
The brothers grew up in nearby Hazelwood, belonged to St. Stephen Catholic Church and had a connection to Greenfield through sports. Their grandfather shared stories about the establishment when it was Pickles and Mike’s Lounge.
The brothers were customers at Hough’s, a staple in the neighborhood for nearly two decades.
“This area of Pittsburgh has been a part of our family forever,” said Rodney Steele, a Central Catholic High School and University of Pittsburgh graduate. “We are looking forward to seeing so many people we know. I love to cook and I love that we will be not far from where we grew up.”
The brothers remodeled the kitchen. They will be serving burgers of double patties seasoned and topped with onions, cheese and a special sauce — Rodney Steele said he can’t reveal the recipe — and served on a buttered and toasted Martin’s potato roll with a side of shoe-string fries.
Maryland crab cake sandwiches, shrimp and chicken options will also be available. They are planning to offer specials during Lent, which begins March 5, and at some point want to expand to barbecue using the indoor smoker.
Prices have yet to be determined.
The brothers opened their food truck three years ago and will still operate it.
“We are extremely appreciative of Sam,” said Rodney Steele. “His beer is really, really good and brewed to perfection. Working with him is priceless.”
Fee said their food complements his brews, which range from lagers to IPAs and sours.
Fee, who also has a taproom in Peters where the beer is brewed, said he and the brothers have talked about hosting specials such as a wing night and entertainment events.
Fee contacted them about the partnership after tasting their food at several beer pouring events.
“As you can imagine, I have sampled a lot of food trucks,” said Fee. “And Smashed ‘N Fried has consistently been among the best.”
Smashed ‘N Fried will be located within Mondays Brewing at 563 Greenfield Ave. Hours are 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Monday, Thursday and Friday, 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.
Details: smashednfried.com
JoAnne Klimovich Harrop is a TribLive reporter covering the region's diverse culinary scene and unique homes. She writes features about interesting people. The Edward R. Murrow award-winning journalist began her career as a sports reporter. She has been with the Trib for 26 years and is the author of "A Daughter's Promise." She can be reached at jharrop@triblive.com.
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