Burgersmith, Baton Rouge’s newest burger joint, is looking to capitalize on a nationwide hunger for high-quality restaurant ingredients by serving up fresh gourmet burgers.
General manager Justin Copenhaver said Burgersmith, located at the corner of Perkins Road and South Acadian Thruway, focuses on making handcrafted burgers with quality ingredients. Similar restaurants are popping up all over the country, and Copenhaver believes the reason for their success is simple.
“It’s one of those times in the economy where if you’re going to spend money on food, you want to make sure it’s top-notch quality,” Copenhaver said. “If you’re going to spend however much money, why get it somewhere where you’re not sure what the quality is?”
Burgersmith originally opened in 2009 in Lafayette after founder and University alumnus Russell Umbricht left his job as a chef at Ruth’s Chris Steak House. He decided to open a high-quality burger restaurant and set out with business partner Denny Hensgens to create the perfect burger.
After the success of the Lafayette store, many cities were considered for expansion, but Baton Rouge was chosen as the perfect location for a young business, Copenhaver said.
“We looked into a couple different markets like Mandeville and Covington, even Houston and Shreveport,” Copenhaver said. “The thing about Baton Rouge that was really enticing is the fact that it’s a big market. It’s a great place to spread the name before possibly taking the next step outside the relax.”
Business freshman Brook Crain, who works at Burgersmith as a waitress, said in its first three weeks of business, the restaurant has seen a healthy mix of students, families and businesspeople.
“Lunch is our busiest time because of the businesses around here, but at night it’s pretty busy, too,” Crain said. “I’ve seen a lot of students and a lot of families in here. It’s a good mix of