30 Over 30: The Workingman's Friend serves more than flawless smashburgers
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When you see this sign, you're in for a good time. Photo: Justin L. Mack/Axios
Welcome back to Axios Indianapolis' "30 Over 30," a series celebrating the icons that have shaped our city for 30 years or more.
The Workingman's Friend isn't just the best burger in town — it's a piece of Indianapolis' working-class soul amid an era of trendy chains and fast-casual concepts.
The big picture: The family of a Macedonian immigrant who became a legend for showing goodwill to hungry railroad workers more than a century ago still runs one of Indy's most beloved burger joints.
Flashback: Louie Stamatkin opened The Belmont Lunch in 1918 to feed local factory and railroad workers on the west side.
- He would often let customers dine on credit during railroad strikes, earning him a nickname that would outlast him.
- When Stamatkin died, his sons, Carl and Earl, took over and constructed a new building, calling it The Workingman's Friend to honor their father.
- Today, it is owned and operated by Becky Stamatkin, granddaughter of Louis and the third generation of the family to run it.
Zoom in: Becky Stamatkin modestly gives credit for their award-winning smashburgers to the restaurant's grill, which was bought secondhand in 1960.
- Thrillist ranked The Workingman's Friend burgers as the best in Indiana in 2015. Food & Wine did the same in 2022.
- David Letterman once declared of the burger, "Perhaps I've had as good, but never better than this."
💠My thought bubble: I first got hip to The Workingman's Friend's smashburger mastery in the early 2010s, thanks to former IndyStar colleagues and IMPD officers who praised the food and the come-as-you-are environment.
- I can't count the number of double cheeseburgers I've eaten inside the charming, cash-only lunch spot over the past decade.
Yes, but: I can confirm that each one was flawless.
- Stepping inside the dining room for a bite this week, my wife and I were greeted by warm smiles from the staff and a collection of blue- and white-collar regulars.
- No matter how long it's been, it always feels like nothing has changed. From the out-of-order cigarette machine near the front door to the neon signs over the bar, everything is right where you left it.
- And forget that Jimmy John guy. THIS was freaky fast.
Pro tip: The french fries and onion rings are fantastic, but my wife and I have become loyal to the fried zucchini. Don't skip the ranch dressing.
If you go: 234 N. Belmont Ave.
- 11am-2:45pm Tuesday-Saturday
