Steve’s Smash, a burger and fries joint, will debut at Wash Ave Food Hall

For the past two years, there’s been a not-so-well-kept secret in the St. Louis burger scene: One of the city’s best smashburgers is actually served at a hot dog joint. Now, the burgers so beloved at Steve’s Hot Dogs are about to get top billing at a new concept from HuSTL Hospitality. The restaurant group announced that it’s launching Steve’s Smash, a smashburger-centric eatery that will be a founding partner at the forthcoming Wash Ave Food Hall, slated to open in October.

“We’re really excited to be a part of this and think what is being built down here is really going to take off,” says Steve Ewing, co-owner of HuSTL Hospitality. “This is going to be such a gem for downtown, and we think that it’s going to take off. The developers have done such a great job creating density down here, and we love the fact that they are going all-in on bringing this area back to its former glory.”

The Menu

Steve’s Hot Dogs first began selling its current iteration of its smashburgers at the South Grand location in 2024. Initially, Ewing and fellow co-owners Danni Eickenhorst and Marcus “Ike” Eickenhorst thought the burgers would be a simple menu addition. However, the burgers quickly developed a cult following and became one of the restaurant’s most popular offerings. Made from a blend of chuck, sirloin, and brisket and seasoned with salt and pepper, the patties are seared, so they form a plump, juicy middle surrounded by perfect lacy edges, garnering rave reviews from their patrons.

“Originally, we had burgers on the menu, but we were not doing them how we wanted and took them off the menu,” Ewing recalls. “We eventually made the decision to really do burgers the right way and get top-quality meat and extra equipment with the idea that they would compete with the hot dogs. It turned out they were really good and got a great reception, so we started talking about one day finding an opportunity to showcase them.”

That opportunity came in the form of the Wash Ave Food Hall. According to Ewing, the opening menu will feature a build-your-own smashburger option, where guests can customize from a variety of cheeses and other toppings, all served on a potato bun. Additionally, the restaurant will offer three specialty burgers, available as a single or double:

Hey Now, You’re An All-Star: Made with American cheese, lettuce, pickle, tomato, raw onions, ketchup, mayo and mustard
Figgy Stardust: Pairs fig jam, with bacon, goat cheese, balsamic glaze, and white cheddar
Tropic Thunder: Topped with grilled pineapple, pepperjack cheese, pulled pork, Honey Chipotle BBQ, and grilled onion.

For side dishes, Steve’s Smash will offer a variety of side crinkle-cut French fry options, such as chili cheese fries, “Darth Tader” fries topped with Buffalo sauce, bacon, cheddar cheese and ranch dressing, and a bacon cheeseburger version smothered in burger crumbles, bacon, and cheese sauce.

“We always start with the highest quality of everything so even if you get a simple burger or fries it will be great,” Ewing says. “But we like pushing boundaries and having fun. We have a lot of creative types in the restaurants, so we like to let them go and create great recipes that resonant with folks. This is comfort food, so we want it to be craveable.”

The Food Hall

Located in the 10,000-square-foot space that was formerly home to Reign and Copia, the Wash Ave Food Hall is the vision of Alex Oliver of Oliver Properties, a downtown St. Louis booster who has made the development of the city’s center his mission. Oliver has already invested more than $150 million into the area in the form of more than 650 residential units and 150,000 square feet of commercial space. In a release announcing the new Steve’s Smash-burgers & Fries, Oliver also notes the importance of having a range of entertainment options for the area to thrive.

“Washington Avenue continues to build momentum because people are choosing to invest in the neighborhood, open businesses here, creating more reasons every month for people to live, work, and visit,” Oliver said in the release. “Steve’s Smash is exactly the kind of concept we want in the food hall—local, creative, proven operators with a vision to elevate St. Louis. HuSTL Hospitality Group understands how to build energy around a brand, and they share our confidence in what Wash Ave is becoming: a diverse, active, walkable urban neighborhood.”

Left to right: Danni Eickenhorst, CEO of HuSTL Hospitality and co-owner of Steve’s Smash; Marcus “Ike” Eickenhorst, CFO of HuSTL Hospitality and co-owner of Steve’s Smash; Steve Ewing, CCO of HuSTL Hospitality and co-owner of Steve’s Smash; Jeremy Robinson, COO of HuSTL Hospitality and co-owner of Steve’s Smash; Nate Roundtree, HuSTL Hospitality area leader (heading up Steve’s Smash & Steve’s Meltdown)

Partnering with Oliver on the food hall is FIRETEN Hospitality, a national food hall operator that will manage its operations. Steve’s will join 4 Hands Brewing Company, which will open the self-pour Pour My Beer Wall in the food hall. Additional vendors are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

“The developers are very serious about bringing the area back up and really investing in Wash Ave,” Ewing says. “We think that the food hall is going to be the centerpiece of that, and we’re excited to be one of the first parts of that. We have the soccer stadium and the convention center, and we also think this is going to draw people to downtown. It’s going to be a great experience when you come down here.”