SMASH BURGERS IN LEIPZIG: THIN, HOT, CRISPY

A classic patty is shaped into a ball and cooked through slowly. A smash burger does the opposite: the beef goes onto the hot griddle and is pressed flat straight away, so almost the whole patty sits directly on the metal.

That contact is where the crust comes from. The meat browns in seconds, the roasted flavour builds up on the underside, and the patty is done before it has a chance to dry out. So a smash burger is thin but still juicy, and it tastes bolder than a thick patty off the grill.

Because it is that quick, nothing is cooked in advance and kept warm. We smash your patty when you order.

Every beef burger starts with the same base: smashed beef, American cheese and pickles. The Cheeseburger (€6.50) adds ketchup, mustard and diced onions. It is the simplest burger we make and the most honest one, because nothing gets in the way of the crust.

The Smack That Burger (€9.90) goes further: flipped bun, double smashed beef, double American cheese, pickles, homemade sauce and caramelised onions. We mix the sauce ourselves, and the onions take their time on the griddle. Those two things are why this burger carries our name.

If you like it hot, try the Chilli Cheese Burger with jalapeños and chilli cheese sauce, or the Oklahoma with fried onions and Tabasco. On the side: French Fries for €4.00, Chilli Cheese Fries for €5.00 and Truffle Fries for €6.00. Make it a meal for €4.50 on top of your burger and you get fries and a soft drink with it.

All our burgers are prepared according to halal standards. That covers the whole menu, not just a few items, and there is no second version of any burger with different meat. If you are looking for a halal burger in Leipzig, you do not have to ask which ones are fine.

If you want to know exactly what is in your burger, just ask us in the restaurant. We will tell you.

Meat-free burgers are not a special request here: two of them are a permanent part of the menu. The Veggie Burger (€7.50) comes with vegan beef and American cheese, pickles, ketchup, mustard and diced onions. The Vegan Burger (€7.50) is fully plant-based: vegan bun, vegan beef, vegan cheese.

You can also add vegan cheese to any burger for €1.00. The vegan beef is smashed just like the beef, so you still get the crust.

Whether we make the best burger in Leipzig is up to you. Here is what we can vouch for: thin smashed patties instead of grey meat, sauces from our own kitchen, and a menu short enough that every burger on it is done right.

Never had a smash burger before? Start with the Cheeseburger. It shows the method most clearly, and afterwards you will know whether to go for the double patty next time.

A smash burger tastes best straight off the griddle. Come by, order in the restaurant and eat it while the crust still crunches.

If you would rather eat at home, you can order through Wolt.

We are at Karl-Liebknecht-Straße 72 in Südvorstadt, a street everyone in Leipzig simply calls Karli. The tram stops right on the street, and Connewitz and Clara-Zetkin-Park are just a few minutes away on foot.

Current opening hours and directions are on the Karli location page.