There’s a new wind blowing from the West, and this time, it smells like seared beef fat and steak sauce.

This past weekend, something quietly monumental happened on Oranienstraße. Goldies hosted a pop-up with LA’s burger royalty, Amboy. If you’ve spent any time doomscrolling burger content, you know Amboy’s frontman Alvin Cailan doesn’t play. His signature burger is a thick, juicy beast of a steakhouse patty tucked into a brioche bun, dressed with onions, cheese, and a punchy steak sauce that practically demands a bourbon back. Forget dainty. Forget smashed. This is a burger that wants to be chewed. And Berlin showed up. Big time.

The line wrapped down the street like a 2010 Berghain queue, but instead of techno kids in black, it was burger heads in Gore-Tex and New Balances. And here’s the thing: the hype was real. That Amboy burger was crazy tasty. A juicy beefy slab with deep Maillard hit, soft-chewy bun, just enough drip, just enough bite. A bite that felt like a burger again.

So here’s my theory: This wasn’t just a one-off. This was a signal I’ve been waiting for. The smash burger hypertrend? It’s had its moment. We’re entering a new phase: The Age of the Steakhouse Burger.

Smash Culture: A Love Story

Let’s rewind a bit. It was around 2019, when Goldies pivoted from a fries joint to a burger game-changer. Their OG smashburger, a thin, crispy-edged, ketchup-mustard-onion classic, served on the now-iconic Martin’s Potato Roll (which Goldies brought to Berlin), hit Berlin like a meat meteor. YouTubers came. Lines formed. Copycats multiplied. What Goldies did was more than serve a great burger, they ignited Berlin’s first real burger renaissance.

But here's the twist: they made it too easy to copy.

You didn’t need a brigade of fine-dining chefs or a dry-aging fridge to open a smash burger joint. All you need is decent beef, a hot griddle, and a bulk order of American buns. Within two years, the city was swimming in smash. Ex-Goldies staff opened their own versions. Wholesale suppliers started stocking Martin’s. Suddenly, smash burgers started opening up on a weekly basis. A trend had become a template. And like all fast-spreading ideas, it got…boring.

The Return of the Real Burger

Lately, something’s shifted. The conversation’s no longer about who can make the crispiest smash, but who’s will finally do something different. And thick, juicy, steakhouse-style burgers? They’re the antidote to all this flatness.

That Amboy x Goldies collab was more than a great meal, it was a proof of concept. This style of burger, long a staple in the U.S., is ready for its Berlin moment. And I can reveal that it’s coming sooner than you think:

Goldies isn’t stopping at the pop-up. They’re taking over the burger bar at KaDeWe’s 6th-floor diner space, and they’re going thick. A new, elevated Goldies burger. Bigger patties, richer flavor, a grown-up vibe. Additionally, the Café Frieda owners recently confirmed to me that they also are flirting with adding a burger: probably thick, probably steakhouse.

And I tell you what: It makes sense. People still want comfort, still crave indulgence, but we’re past the Instagram crust. We want flavor. We want craft. And we want a reason to leave for a cheat day burger that isn’t just another copy-paste smash.

Why the Steakhouse Burger Makes Sense Now

The economics are different, sure. A smash is cheap, quick to cook, easy to train, forgiving on quality. That’s what made it so pandemic-perfect. But a steakhouse burger? It’s a chef’s burger. Thicker patties demand better beef. You can’t just char it to oblivion, you need seasoning, balance, control. You need a bun that holds, toppings that complement, and cooks who get it.

It won’t be €9 with fries. We’re talking €15–25. But that’s okay. In fact, it’s exciting. We already have high-end fried chicken. Why not high-end burgers?

Look at London, Paris, New York where steakhouse burgers are pillars of modern dining. They show up on natural wine menus, next to tartares and crudos, often stealing the spotlight. In a city like Berlin, where dining is still finding its next identity post-hype, a great burger might just be the anchor we need.

The Verdict

So yes, smash burgers had their time, and they did important work. They raised the bar. They democratized the scene. But the city’s palate is growing up. We’re not just looking for crunch and sauce anymore, we’re chasing depth, character, and meat that actually tastes like meat.

The next wave of burgers in Berlin? It’s might just be thicker. Juicier. More expensive, yes, but also a million times more interesting. And based on what we tasted on Oranienstraße this weekend, that wave is going to taste mighty delicious.