Moonlit Burgers in Dormont prides itself on 'smash burgers'
They call them “smash burgers” – beef initially shaped like a meatball before being “smashed” down and sizzled on a grill until they are browned and juicy.
The burgers are generously topped with grilled onions, American cheese, dill pickles and special “moon” sauce – which is a little bit spicy — all placed on a fresh Martin’s Potato Roll from Chambersburg.
The mouth-watering sandwiches are being served at Moonlit Burgers, which opened in November in Dormont.
“We put them on the grill, and we smash them so they have nice, crispy edges,” said executive chef Derek Stevens of Crafton, who also calls himself “chief burger smasher.” “People love burgers because they are familiar with them and they can be cooked and topped the way they like them.”
They are really good, said owner Mike McCoy of Dormont.
The idea came to McCoy and Stevens at the beginning of the pandemic. The two, who had opened the restaurant Eleven in the Strip District, were looking for another food business opportunity.
They purchased a grill and started doing pop-ups throughout the city. In February 2021, they started hosting Saturday pop-ups at IO Deli in Mt. Lebanon.
By Tuesday, orders were sold out for Saturday pickup.
The space in Dormont became available this past summer. It was a former restaurant, so it was an ideal location, McCoy said.
They began with takeout orders of the smash burger, which is made of a special blend of brisket, short ribs and chuck created by Weiss Provision Co. in the Strip District. The original is two patties, but customers can order one, three or four.
There is a bacon cheeseburger and a veggie option.
“The veggie burger is pretty darn good,” Stevens said.
Moonlit Burgers also serves chicken tenders, a chicken sandwich with cabbage and jalapeno slaw, a seven-bean salad and house-made chili. Complement any meal with shoe-string french fries as well as soft serve Pittsburgh-based Millie’s Homemade ice cream, which uses heritage breed milk from Twinbrook Dairy based in Bentleyville.
“It doesn’t get more American than a burger and soft serve,” said Lauren Townsend, Millie’s co-founder. “Derek and his team at Moonlit are making the best smash burgers in town, and we are thrilled to complement their offering with all-natural, super-premium soft-serve mix.”
There is a dining area and a bar featuring several local craft beers and ready-to-drinks – such as already-mixed cocktails from Boyd & Blair Spirits in Glenshaw and Goodlander Cocktail Brewery in Larimer.
Wes Shonk, owner of Goodlander, said they specialize in “bubbly” cocktails such as the Moscow mule and mojito. Moonlit is serving the mojito.
“Having cocktails on tap makes a lot of sense for Moonlit, because making these drinks can be messy and time-consuming,” Shonk said. “Plus, they are ingredient-heavy. It is great collaborating with other local companies because then we share the limelight and help promote one another. Their burgers are amazing. I wouldn’t be surprised if they open more locations.”
Boyd & Blair co-founder and master distiller Barry Young said more restaurants and hotels and places such as Walt Disney World’s EPCOT in Florida are buying ready-to-drinks cocktails.
Moonlit Burgers is serving The Keystone Tea, made with premium house-brewed Earl Grey tea, sourced directly from India, a not-too-sweet lemonade and Boyd & Blair potato vodka.
“The owner and chef at Moonlit Burgers like the fact that they are able to serve a consistently great quality drink without the labor involved with making it,” Young said. “Their burgers are unreal. The crispiness of the edges of the meat and the sauce is unbelievable. It’s such a cool space, too.”
The bar and restaurant can accommodate seating for 52 people. They’ve been doing takeout as of late because of the omicron variant and staffing issues.
They said they chose the name because it brings back memories.
“The name to us just felt nostalgic – like an old-school diner where they served burgers,” McCoy said. “Burgers have been around forever, but we like to think our smash burgers are unique. And who doesn’t like a good burger?”
Moonlit Burgers is located at 1426 Potomac Ave., Dormont
Hours are 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, and noon to 9 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
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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