A local businessman is set to open Perth’s “first” smash burger joint in the city centre.
Izi Ulhaq, 34, hopes to open his new restaurant Smash Bros later this month, offering burgers and desserts.
He says he has put more than £10,000 of his own money into the venture.
The restaurant will also feature a takeaway hatch.
It will be located at the former The Highlander cafe on South Street.
Smash burger restaurants began in the 2000s
The first Smashburger restaurant opened in 2007.
In Tayside, smash burger specialist Shax opened on Dundee’s Perth Road in 2020.
While classic burgers have a thicker patty, smash burgers are pressed down and cooked for a shorter time.
Everything besides the burger patty – the bun, toppings, sides, and dipping sauces – is usually the same.
Izi told The Courier: “Location-wise, it’s really good and we’ll be selling smash burgers and chicken burgers.
“They will all be freshly made, and we’ll also be offering loaded fries, milkshakes and waffles.
“Smash burgers are a bit of a new trend.
“I’m from down south and a lot of my friends have been taking it up north to Scotland.
“There is no other smash burger place in Perth so we’ll be the first one.
“It’s definitely going to be something new for the city that hasn’t been seen before.
“Uniquely, on the street we have a normal door and a hatch so we’ll be doing an express/kerb side pick up.
“It’ll kinda be like a drive-thru, maybe more of a walk-thru.”
‘People are really investing in Perth’
Izi, a Tayside resident for the past 17 years, hopes his previous experience in hospitality can help make Smash Bros a success.
He previously ran Holy Shake in Bridgend but had to give it up due to reduced trade after Covid.
Izi added: “I’ve been in Perth for the last seven years, but previously lived in Dundee.
“Travelling every day became a bit of a nightmare, so this will be much easier for me.
“The previous business was really popular but we struggled with footfall after the pandemic so I wanted my next venture to be in the city centre.
“I saw a couple of weeks ago that Milas is opening too – it seems people are really investing in Perth.”
The restaurant will be a boost for South Street, which currently has a vacancy rate of around 18%.
You can keep up to date with any changes to Perth city centre with The Courier’s high street tracker.
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