History

Workingman's Friend opened in 1918 as the Belmont Lunch, run by Macedonian immigrant Louis Stamatkin in Haughville on the near-west side. The smash double has been the signature ever since, served the same way at the same long counter. The name came from Louis allowing gas-station workers to run tabs during strikes.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy

Make it at home

Yield Serves 2Hands-on 10 minTotal 15 minDifficulty Easy

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound 80/20 ground beef chuck
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • 4 slices American cheese
  • 2 soft white hamburger buns
  • Yellow mustard
  • Thinly sliced raw white onion
  • Sliced dill pickle chips
  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Method

  1. Divide the ground beef into 4 equal balls, about 2 ounces each. Don't press, just gently form.
  2. Heat a heavy cast-iron skillet or flat-top over high heat until smoking. Add the oil.
  3. Place 2 beef balls in the pan with space between. Press each one flat with a heavy spatula, hard, into a thin patty about 4 inches across.
  4. Season the top with salt and pepper. Sear 60 seconds without moving, until the bottom is deep brown and crusty.
  5. Flip each patty, immediately top with a slice of American cheese. Cook 30 seconds more, until the cheese is melted.
  6. Stack two patties on a bun. Repeat with the other two balls.
  7. Top each finished burger with mustard, raw onion and pickles. Close the bun and serve immediately.

Tip from the editors. Don't season the beef before it hits the pan; salt draws out moisture and prevents the crust. The crust is the entire point.

This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.

Where to eat workingman's friend double cheeseburger

Workingman's Friend double cheeseburger in Indianapolis

Workingman's Friend ★ 4.5

haughville

Why locals love it: A 1918 Macedonian-immigrant lunch counter in Haughville, off the West Side tourist map but still grinding out the city's defining smash burger.

Tip: Cash only. Don't ask for ketchup, ask for mustard. Closed Sundays.

234 N Belmont Ave, Indianapolis, IN 46222

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