Who’s Behind It Co-owners Xian Fullen and Noel Sweetland
What’s on the Menu Cheeky burgers, fries and natural wines served in a kitschy room with vintage vibes
What does it take for a burger joint to ascend from neo-fast food to one of the city’s best restaurants? On paper, Class Clown Hamburgers doesn’t seem that different from any other independently owned smash burger place in North America with its back-to-basics offerings and tongue-in-cheek nostalgia, but in practice it truly is in a category of its own.
First off, there’s the deeply personal nature of the project. Proprietors Xian Fullen and Noel Sweetland set out to create a place chock full of wacky things they love, including humorous winks like an old-school screen door at the front of the room, audacious wallpaper and visual reminders of their shared appreciation of Fernet-Branca.
Pushing their vision this hard took a certain degree of bravery and an unabashed sense of fun. “Our goal was to not take shortcuts,” Fullen says. “We decided to do exactly what we would want to see in the best restaurant we could imagine. We asked ourselves what we love, and how do we recreate that as something that’s approachable for everybody?”
The vibe is important, but the scenery melts away once you sink your teeth into that burger, be it one of the smash burgers, a Winnipeg fat boy topped with coney sauce, or, if you must, a chicken, fish or veggie burger.
Sweetland grinds his beef chuck and brisket blend every morning and the combination of quality meat and the perfect amount of greasiness is transcendent. Pair it with some fries (they very intentionally choose to serve frozen crinkle-cuts, which are superior to hand-cut fries in every way) and some natural wine or a craft beer for a near-perfect and shockingly affordable experience. Plus, there’s often collaborative events with like-minded folks.
Yes, you’ll likely have to wait in a virtual lineup to get in. But it’s worth it, we promise.
106, 1711 4 St. S.W., 403-243-8284, classclown.ca, @classclownhamburgers
