You have to really like smash burgers to do what we’re doing, which is to try all the ones in the capital: today it was Sinner’s turn… and our opinion is that yes, they’re on the right track.
The Sinner restaurant, which specializes in just two types of smash burgers (we’ll get to that in a moment), is located just outside Rato, on Avenida Álvares Cabral 62A, as you head towards Jardim da Estrela.
At the door, there’s a small terrace with a counter and a few chairs . Inside, there are a few tables and high chairs facing the shop window and a brick wall, comfortable and retro enough to help you enjoy one or both of the house specialties.
The Secret Lisbon experience
We can already confirm that the smash burgers we tried at Sinner are a delight for lovers of this type of burger. They stand out for the preparation technique that enhances the Maillard reaction, which guarantees a caramelized crust to the meat that makes it irresistible.
We started with the traditional Smash Burger (€9 or €13 with menu), consisting of Portuguese beef, American cheddar cheese, pickles, onion, mustard and ketchup, which impressed with the harmony between the simple flavors and the intensity of the perfectly caramelized meat.
Next, we tried the House Smash (€9.5 or €13.5 with menu), which features the same juicy meat and American cheddar cheese, but this time with a special house sauce and iceberg lettuce. With a creamier and fresher profile, thanks to the sauce and crunchy lettuce, it was a real surprise and we think it’s one of the best alternatives to the original burger that we’ve tried, even in other establishments.
As side dishes, we took the opportunity to try the regular fries and the sweet potato fries. Despite the pleasant texture and sweet touch of the sweet potatoes, the traditional fries stood out for their more balanced flavor and perfect crunch, making them our favorite choice to complement the main course.
All in all, Sinner was a real hit with us and has become one of our favorite places to eat one of these hamburgers pressed on a griddle.
The space, very simplistic and unpretentious, really appealed to us, as did the quality of all the ingredients. We’re therefore looking forward to more news, because we know there could be something coming in the future.
Address: Avenida Álvares Cabral 62A (Rato)
Opening hours: Monday to Friday, from 12pm to 3pm and from 6pm to 10pm; Saturdays and Sundays from 12pm to 10pm
Menus: on the website