Side Street Returns Tomorrow, Bigger, Better, and Burgerer

Joey Knotts, Contributing Editor | Jun 11, 2021 9:50 am | Add a comment | 754 reads

After taking the gold in the Beijinger’s Burger Cup last year, Jiaodaokou bar Side Street set its sights on expansion, slinging its burgers at BBB and setting up a waimai outpost in Wangjing. But now, they’re finally taking things back home with a long-planned slew of renovations at their flagship location that includes extending the venue’s space into the room next door.

The process has left bar regulars without a watering hole for a few days, but that’s just made fans thirsty for the great return – which happens to be tomorrow, Jun 12. We can't show you the final product just yet as it's a work in progress that will be going on right up until the reopening, but suffice it to say that regulars may not recognize the bar for all the changes.

Since winning the 2020 Burger Cup, Side Street has set it's sights on growth

“One of the Main reasons we are remodeling is that we never really had a chance to fully remodel after we took over from Ron Mexico,” says founder Uday Phalgun. “We have also managed to secure a new lease from the landlord which includes an extension of current space to next door place which has been empty for years.”

In contrast to the retro vibe that Ron Mexico brought into the space with paintings Nas and a young Barack Obama, Side Street has always aimed for a more rustic atmosphere. “We are trying to imitate the hutongs of beijing which are usually the ‘side streets’ of a main street,” explains Palgun.

In addition to the expansion and complete remodeling – including floors, walls, and furniture – they’ve also brought in local artist chandoso to add a bit of artistic flair with paintings of cyborg burgers roaming the streets of the capital.

Besides the physical changes to the bar’s space, Phalgun says that major menu updates are on the way as well for both food and drink. Keep an eye out on our EAT and Booze News columns to learn more when the changes are finalized.

To celebrate the reopening, Side Street will be holding a tow party to celebrate with buy-one-get-one gin and tonics on Saturday and Sunday, June 12-13. They’ll also be holding a lucky draw to offer 25 free burgers on both days for a total of fifty burger giveaways.