Smash burgers are crafted with love and artistry at Beef Graffiti, a new, casual cafe serving up beef and sides in creative ways.
“Just perfectly smashed patties and house-made everything,” said owner and chef Mark Mammone.
Mammone signed a three-year lease at the cafe space across from the Starbucks inside the Giant Eagle Market District Waterworks store. It opened May 16.
The space offers a traditional self-order counter with booths and tables in a common dining/lounge area and a bar serving beer and wine.
His burger business grew from his love of cooking after taking vo-tech classes as a teen in Beaver County and later, living in Los Angeles for seven years.
He attended The New School of Cooking in California and relocated back to Pittsburgh to pursue pickles — he opened Bridge City Brinery in 2020 from the basement of Piccolo Forno, where he worked as a sous chef.
After two different food truck stints (The Smashery and Bridge City Brinery), Mammone decided to rebrand his smash brothers concept into Beef Graffiti.
He incorporates French cuisine elements into the smash burgers.
The graffiti name is a nod to the artistry and originality that go into street art.
Here, the smash burgers are pressed into the grill at a high heat, resulting in a caramelization of the meat.
“It gives it a little crust, there’s no rare, medium rare or done. It’s all cooked but juicy,” Mammone said.
A menu standout includes the Seoul of Pittsburgh ($16.50) made with in-house bulgogi, chili garlic mayo and carrot bok choy ramen slaw.
“Savory, sweet and the slaw cuts through the richness,” said Mammone, 45.
Beef Graffiti sous chef Emma Gruska created the Lil Darlin burger ($16.50) jam-packed with bacon shallot tomato jam, confit garlic mascarpone, pickled red onion, provolone cheese and homemade vinaigrette tossed with arugula.
She drew inspiration from another restaurant in her hometown in Austin, Texas.
“It’s the jam that makes it special,” Gruska said.
Homemade jams really amp up the flavors, Mammone said.
“It’s like something you really don’t ever see on burgers,” he said. “Making jams like this is often found in more high-end dining. I want to elevate the burger experience and shake it up on what a smash burger can be. It’s why we make everything from scratch.”
Graffiti Sauce is the go-to homemade burger condiment. It’s made with sundried tomatoes, homemade mayo, ground pickles, yellow mustard and smoked paprika.
The grass-fed beef is sourced from Rolling Hills Heritage Farms in Templeton, Armstrong County.
Other burgers include the Oklahoma onion ($15) made with two smash patties, caramelized onions, American cheese and Graffiti sauce and the Swiss shroom smash ($15) that includes two smash patties, roasted mushrooms, Swiss cheese and confit garlic mayo.
First-time Beef Graffiti customer Jennifer Ridley of Sharpsburg sampled the Lil Darlin and a side of cheesy haluski on opening day.
“I don’t like a bulky burger,” Ridley said. “Smash burgers are my favorite. I think this is great for the store because having different varieties of burgers is good. This tastes good.”
Other sides include fried pierogis ($10), deep-fried pickle fritters ($6) made with ground pickles and breading, rosemary garlic fries ($4) and the cheesey haluski ($5) with egg noodles, sauteed cabbage, onion and cheddar cheese.
“This is a restaurant within a store and I’m excited to be here,” Mammone said.
If you go
Beef Graffiti
Giant Eagle Market District,910 Freeport Road at the Waterworks Plaza.
Hours: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday
412-987-3816