Charlotte food truck “baes” serve up the city’s prettiest smash burger

The big picture: Married couple Claire Connelly and Fabian Elmes brought their food truck with them when they moved from Miami to Charlotte about a year ago. Even in a pandemic, they tell me they’ve found more success here.

“We love Charlotte, it’s almost like the perfect marriage,” Connelly says.

The food truck is named Bae’s because that’s what they call each other.

Menu: It’s simple with four burgers plus two types of French fries — regular and garlic parmesan.

• The Boss: Two smash beef patties, bacon, grilled onions, American cheese, garlic aioli.
• The Gringa: Smash beef patty, lettuce, pickles, garlic aioli, American cheese.
• The Sunburn: Smash beef patty, fried egg, American cheese, bacon, garlic aioli.
• The Pretender: Beyond meat patty, lettuce, red onions, pickles, American cheese, garlic aioli.

The simplicity of the menu is by design. Connelly says they focus on quality over quantity, and that’s what keeps customers coming back.

[Related guide: Best burgers in Charlotte]

“We used to have fancier burgers but we noticed everyone likes the classics. So we put a little spin on the classics,” Connelly tells me. “It’s still what everyone knows but it has a little twist to it.”

Where to find: The schedule changes from week to week, but you can find Bae’s usually posted up in neighborhoods during the week and at breweries on the weekends. Lost and Found and NoDa Brewing Company are frequent stops for Bae’s.

What’s next: Connelly and Elmes say they’d love to open a brick-and-mortar restaurant, but they want to take time to find the right spot.