They came. They grilled. They conquered.

The first-ever SouthCoast Smash Bash brought the heat to Surfside Creamery in New Bedford on Saturday, June 21, where six SouthCoast restaurants went spatula-to-spatula in a sizzling blind taste-test showdown.

With two major titles on the line: Best Classic Smash Burger and Best Signature Smash Burger, every competitor brought their A-game.

After hours of burger brilliance and a lot of eating (just ask the judges), two champions were crowned:

Best Classic Smash Burger – Surfside Creamery, for its classic take on the OG Smash Burger with its signature sauce and fresh veggies that brought it all together thanks to Chef Timmy and Jerome.

Best Signature Smash Burger – SmashedNB, for its jaw-dropping Caribbean Smash Burger: a double patty layered with shredded lettuce, mayo/ketchup garlic base, juicy pernil (slow-roasted Spanish pork shoulder), all sandwiched between two fried plantains acting as the buns.

This flavor-packed competition was judged blindly by a lively panel of local personalities:

Teddy Goodz – Pro wrestler and co-owner of Cojo's Toy World, Kait Walsh – Morning News Anchor, WPRI Channel 12, Amanda Mello – One half of the foodie duo 'Little Ladies Big Appetites', and finally Brian Martins and Vanessa Medeiros – Comedians and members of The Portuguese Kids.

SouthCoast Smash Bash Smash Burger Competition 2025 Results and Judges
Gazelle/Townsquare Media
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Massive thanks to all the restaurants who put their heart (and seasoning) on the line:

While two walked away with trophies, every burger told a story, and more importantly, formed a bond between chefs and businesses that made the event feel more like a family cookout than a competition. That was the epitome of the challenge- to bring together the community and support small/local business.

Mission accomplished.

SouthCoast Smash Bash Smash Burger Competition 2025 Results
Gazelle/Townsquare Media
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Special thanks to Chelsea from Rae of Sonshine Creations Co. for the bright and fun balloon backdrop that set the perfect tone, and to Amy Melody of Events by Amy Melody for helping me putt together this fun and tasty event.

So what’s next? Something cheesy might be cooking for Fall 2025. We’re not naming names… but it’s going to be grate.

Stay hungry, SouthCoast. This is just the beginning.

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