Popular Ice Cream Shop Is Now Serving Smash Burgers on Saturdays

“Smash burgers and ice cream are a natural marriage. I feel like there are lots of burger shops that sell ice cream, but how many ice cream shops sell burgers?” asks David Right, co-founder of Right Cream, the pandemic-hobby-turned-brick-and-mortar ice cream shop that nabbed our Best of Denver editors' pick for Best Ice Cream/Gelato Shop in 2022 and 2023. For now, Right Cream’s smash burgers are only available on Saturdays from noon until they run out.

Located on South Downing Street next to Denver Beer Company, the new permanent location came with a full-service kitchen, allowing Right Cream to potentially expand its menu beyond just ice cream. This smash burger pop-up is its first foray into experimenting with serving breakfast, lunch or even dinner.

“I believe the neighborhood is looking for some other food options, and we can provide them. Most of all, I want to feed people; it’s what I get the most joy from,” explains Right. “I know that ice cream isn't an everyday thing for most people, so we're aiming to expand options so people can enjoy all the creations we have to offer.”
Right flattens the burger patty on the grill in order to create crispy edges and a juicy interior, resulting in a patty that is about one centimeter thick, with the edges spilling out beyond the bun. It's a technique that's gotten more popular in the last two years, and is also used by two other pop-ups, Twans Burger at Finn's Manor and Snipeburger, from the King of Wings team.

At Right Cream, the first few bites of burger are 100 percent patty. No complaints, though — the meat is deliciously crispy yet juicy and flavorful, and the high quality of the product is apparent. The meat for the patties is from Western Daughters Butcher Shoppe and are a blend of dry-aged beef and heart, which "adds a distinct beefiness to the burger, and the iron content keeps the patty more red after being cooked," Right notes. "Also, sustainably speaking, I like to include all cuts of beef."

The smash burger has two patties, American cheese, housemade pickles and sauce on a toasted bun for $12, with the option to add potato wedges for $3.

You'll want to save room for ice cream, too, of course. Flavors vary week to week, but recent options include Apple Jacks Donut and Banana Walnut.
Arriving early is your best bet for scoring a smash burgers. Currently, Right and his team are handling the line cook duties, producing about eighty to ninety burgers every Saturday, with the meal selling out faster and faster each week. There's no end date in sight for the pop-up; in fact, Right hopes it’s the opposite: that its success will lead to adding new savory menu specials.

“People come in every day of the week now asking about our burger and when it will be available, so the response has been incredible. We want people to know that Right Cream is not just an ice cream shop, but a place of gathering,” says Right. “We want to create happy ice cream memories for people, and offering burgers and more is another way [for] us to create those.”

Hungry for more? Check out our list of the ten best burgers in Denver.