The Israeli burger chain, BurgerIM recently opened two locations in Norfolk, one just outside the Norfolk Premium Outlet mall and one on West 25th St.
Burgerim, by the way, is the plural of burger in Hebrew. Started in Tel Aviv, the chain is expanding throughout the U.S. with several opening in Tidewater.
Not just a burger place, in addition to its classic mini-burgers, the restaurant’s menu includes such offerings as falafel, Greek lamb, Spanish beef, salmon, and chicken sandwiches. Myriad toppings, fries, onion rings, chicken wings, and milkshakes comprise the seemingly limited list of options on the menu.
Teddy Smith, the owner of the West 25th Street location, is a Navy Veteran who served with Elaine Luria, prior to both of their retirements. Smith served for 25 years; his wife, Malinda Smith, is also a Navy Veteran.
“My family has been in the food industry for about 50 years,” says Smith. His uncle and father started the successful Henry’s Soul Food Café in Washington, D.C. And, during high school, he did a stint at McDonald’s.
“After I retired in 2017, I saw something about BurgerIM on Facebook, looked into it, and then travelled with Malinda to California and then to Northern Virginia to try the food. We were satisfied with the product and then, bought into the franchise,” says Smith.
Smith recalls that one day he and Luria were talking about what they hoped to do after retirement. She was considering politics, and he thought about opening a restaurant. It appears they both achieved their goals.