The origin of Eighty Twenty in Westwood begins with the Covid-19 pandemic. Owner Matt Borgersen was working as executive chef at Café Anello in Westwood when covid hit. While the cafe was temporarily shut down, Matt decided to sell burgers in the interim. He built a website, posted some social media, and sold 1,500 burgers in five minutes.
When Café Anello reopened, Matt needed a new location to sell burgers out of. So he started attending popup events and catered private parties for a while. Now, Eighty Twenty operates a ghost kitchen out of B&S Kitchen in Westwood. (The restaurant’s moniker is a nod to the ratio of beef to fat in the burger, 80 to 20.) “It was a great fit for our brand, so it made sense,” Matt says. They offer takeout, counter service inside B&S Kitchen (which can seat 25 diners), and offer seasonal outdoor dining as well.
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What Makes This Smash Burger Different
The burgers at Eighty Twenty are a little different than the typical smash burger. “It’s a refined approach to a familiar food,” Matt explains. Their headline burger is the Smasher, a hybrid of Oklahoma City style and East Coast style. The former puts Vidalia onions in the beef, and the latter is a burger smashed on a griddle. Smashers (served with single or double patties) come with yellow American cheese and MANDY sauce, on a Martin’s potato roll. “It’s something that’s unique yet familiar,” Matt says.
For those who aren’t fans of onions or sauce, they offer a cheeseburger to please picky eaters and kids alike. They also serve spicy pork and beef hot dogs with meat from a local top-notch Hillsdale butcher. (Karl Ehmer Quality Meats.) The range of sides at Eighty Twenty includes fries, onion rings, and cheese curds. “We don’t just want to serve food that’s OK,” Matt says. “We want to serve the best.”
More about the Business
Eighty Twenty offers full-service catering for corporate and private parties like birthdays, anniversaries, and bar and bat mitzvahs. They also serve their fare at food festivals, municipal gatherings, and local markets. Future plans include expanding their days and hours of operation, as well as opening multiple locations.
Visit Eighty Twenty at 48 Westwood Ave in Westwood (inside B&S Kitchen). Look for them online to learn more.
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All Photos: © Eighty Twenty