Smash Burger Opens in Alto Center Wednesday

Mill Valley gets its sixth burger joint this week, as Smash Burger, the rapidly expanding chain using Angus beef that's hand-rolled into a meatball, and then smashed onto a grill (hence the name), opens in the Alto shopping center on East Blithedale.

The restaurant opens Wednesday in the former Café Oggi space at 745 East Blithedale between the U.S. Post Office and Pet Food Express. Along with the newly opened Weezy's Grass-Fed Shed, as well as Pearl’s Phat Burgers, Super Duper Burger, In-N-Out Burger and McDonalds, the 94941 now has six burger joints, a number that some said excessive.

"Mill Valley is one of the places in the Bay area we really focused in on," company spokesperson Stacie Lange said. "The community is one of foodies that like to live, work, and play, which fit well with Smash Burger's target demographic." And being in close proximity to Whole Foods Market also establishes good synergy for the business, she said.

The restaurant boasts an array of menu items – all built on the "smash" theme – including "smashfries, smashsalads, smashchicken sandwiches and the scrumptious Smashburger."

Smashburger is aggressively expanding in the Bay Area. Along with their first Marin location, which opened in May at 7320 Redwood Blvd. in Novato, the company is planning two openings in San Jose and five to seven in the greater Bay Area next year. Established in 2007, the franchise has about 200 locations.

Smashburger will be open daily from 10 a.m. – 10 p.m.