Far Out: Two Dudes' Burgers Keep Summer Alive In Rockaway Beach
Burgers are always having a moment in New York City. They've gotten a lot of attention in particular since Danny Meyer launched his now-global Shake Shack empire in 2004 and brought a version of this re-imagining to the masses with a concentration on quality and sustainability, and we've all been enjoying a post-modern boom in burger love ever since.
Domenic Boero and Tyler Wright know this love well, as during the warmer months here you can find them managing Rippers and the 86th Street Boardwalk Concession, respectively. They may their living by the beach, but they know a desert when they see one—especially a food dessert, which is what much of the area becomes when the weather turns too cold for the beach goers and many of the eateries in the area close for the season. In response to this season food depression, they opened up Two Dudes inside Rockaway Brewing Company at the Beach in January. Friday through Sunday, you'll find them slinging single and double cheeseburgers (along with veggie mushroom burgers, fried chicken sandwiches, barbecue wings, and fries) out of a corner stall between the bar and the entrance, all at very comfortable prices.
They're classic California roadside burgers: American cheese, sesame seed-topped buns, and a wonderfully tangy Dijonnaise that is extra satisfying to the palate when washed down with one of the many Rockaway Brewing beers, but is also oh-so comfortingly familiar when accompanied by a Coke. The beef is sourced locally from the Meat Hook and that tangy sauce homemade, but they don't advertise their commitment to quality because, as Boero says, "sustainability should be the norm, so we don't shout about it."
And that's the way to remain approachable to everyone and anyone, and become a real staple of a community you love so much. Continue providing tasty, attractive, high-quality food with an understanding that some people aren't looking for a culinary lessons but rather, just a good meal. Wright explains their mission is "to bring something good to the community that's sustainably sourced and reasonably priced, and have some good times while we're here with everyone" and if you stop by the brewery on a chilly Saturday afternoon, you'll see it's mission accomplished.