Juicy Joe’s has been smashing some of Vancouver’s best burgers since they first started as a ghost kitchen back in 2021. Now they have their own brick and mortar space on 4th Avenue, and they just expanded their hours to include lunch.
Keeping It Juicy But Simple
The menu is fairly simple, well-honed, and made with the best quality ingredients available — while still keeping the price point affordable for customers. I chatted with chef and owner Sina Zamansani to learn more about how he goes over and above, and why he believes the extra effort is worth it.
Zamansani, whose family owns restaurants in Iran and Dubai, first started cooking smash burgers in 2012 when he was living in Malta.
“I worked at a burger shop as a part time student in 2012, collabed with the owner, we started making smash burgers.”
Later, when culinary school brought him to Vancouver, the burger idea was still in the back of Zamansani’s mind. He knew that quality was what would make his product stand out against the rest. It is a culinary philosophy he lives by as much as a business and brand choice.
Dedication to Details
“People deserve quality,” Zamansani explains.
It’s why he brings in beef for his burgers fresh every day. It’s also why he makes preservative free mayonnaise from scratch twice a day.
“I couldn’t find a proper high quality mayo, so that we make ourselves,” he says, aware that this is not something that most other restaurants do, especially not lower price point “fast food” spots. “Simple is always better.”
Juicy Joe’s burgers are simple which means there’s nowhere to hide and every ingredient choice matters. The patties are smashed thin but not paper thin. They overhang the bun a little, but not excessively; they are well proportioned and stay relatively contained inside their soft bun.
The Juicy Original comes with cheddar cheese, the house-made mayo, and caramelized onions. The onions are another example of Zamansani’s meticulous care. Cooked down in a specially designed pot, the onions are caramelized slowly for seventeen hours. This brings out a deep flavour and a gentle sweetness. Zamansani’s recommendation for the Juicy Original is to add a fried egg, and I can attest, it’s a delicious addition.
From Sandwiches to Sides
There’s also the Juicy Bacon, which recently won #1 in the annual Burger Week competition. Some more adventurous flavour combinations come in the form of the Mushroom & Blue Cheese burger or the Truffle Mushroom & Swiss. While the Pineapple Express burger is named both for the toppings used and the Seth Rogen stoner comedy.
Juicy Joe’s sells such a volume of burgers that they do sometimes sell out of beef completely. Be sure to follow their Instagram for breaking burger news like this, although Zamansani is ever fine-tuning and adjusting with his suppliers.
As well as carefully sourcing beef, Zamansani also sources high quality chicken breast for Juicy Joe’s chicken burgers and tenders. They also have a plant-based Not-So-Chicken burger as well as an Impossible Cheeseburger with Avocado. Plant-based options extend to the sides as well with the Vegan Poutine.
I’ve only tried the non-vegan poutine at Juicy Joe’s, but it is, like much of their menu, better than it needs to be. Fast food poutine can sometimes just be a sloppy, salty mess (I’m looking at you, A&W) but Juicy Joe’s serves their gravy on the side to prevent this. The cheese curds are legit, and the gravy is potent and well-seasoned. They even make their own crispy fried onions (of course, they do) as a topper.
More Locations to Come?
Plans for Juicy Joe’s future are conservative but optimistic. Zamansani has brought friends into his kitchen. He met his current sous chef while they were attending PICA together, and he wants to foster growth in his kitchen. It is for his team that he would like to see the Juicy Joe’s brand expand.
“I want a second or third location mostly because I want my team to grow,” he shares. “I want my sous chef to be head chef, my line cook to become a supervisor. If we don’t grow, they won’t grow.” He feels a sense of responsibility and obligation to his team, many of whom have been with him since the beginning. “People are giving me their time,” he says, “I’m responsible for their life.”
Because Juicy Joe’s started with delivery only, their food holds up impressively well after a journey. As noted, they even keep the gravy for the poutine separate. However, their burgers are best experienced in person, so if you’re in the Kitsilano area, stop by their 4th Avenue location and try a Juicy burger.
