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On Stands Now!
On Stands Now!

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Nick Hufft’s Curbside Burgers team is turning an old food truck into art

Music to a burger lover’s ears: Nick Hufft of Curbside Burgers is still on track to open the brick-and-mortar version of the beloved food truck in October. Even more melodiously, he adds, “It’s never good to jinx a project, but we may make up some time. It would be awesome to open for the first football game.”

For loyal Curbside fans who might be a bit nostalgic for the food truck, as it’s currently only used for catered events, the new restaurant at 4158 Government St. will pay homage to the trusty truck. Remnants of a scrap food truck will decorate the the 2,900-square-foot building.

Hufft and his team are working with local artist Benjamin Bullins, who specializes in repurposing scrap materials into stunning art projects, to decorate the space. Hufft says his very first meeting with Bullins struck an instant connection, so Hufft gave the artist the “OK” to run with his ideas.

For Hufft, the project is meaningful because of his humble beginnings.

“To me, a space is defined by the details you put into it,” he says. “Curbside started from a food truck. What cooler way to pay respect to the roots of the business and give everyone a visual story about where we came from?”

The project began as just one unique wall separating the entrance from the dining area, but Hufft says that quickly changed when he and Bullins purchased an entire scrap truck and started putting torch to metal.

As for the food truck roundup space slated to sit in front of the Curbside building, Hufft says that’s a moving target and he will attempt to hold monthly roundups to test the market before finalizing anything.

Hufft says he doesn’t want to reveal too many details about Curbside Burgers’ menu, but promises patrons can expect the usual from the truck’s glory days, such as the KGB, the Brian, the Flagboy and the Curbside Classic. He also plans to “stretch the consumer’s view on what a burger can be,” offering patties made of different proteins. Some might be bison, lamb, chicken, veggie, turkey and even yellowfin tuna, Hufft says.

At the heart of it all, Hufft says his goal is to make Curbside Burgers an integral part of the Mid City family.

“I don’t look at this project as just another burger joint,” he says. “I want it to be a neighborhood gathering spot where you can create long-lasting memories with your family and friends.”