Tucked between auto and construction shops along Old County Road in Belmont is a new beer hall, serving Peninsula brews and freshly griddled smashburgers.
Tapp’d by Shmash’d is the brainchild of owner Gil Sesma, who is blending his background in beer with his passion for craft smashburgers at his new taproom.
The craft smashburger creator previously worked as a beer buyer at Whole Foods, then at Fieldwork Brewing Co. But as he and his wife were preparing to have their first kid, he realized that brewery hours wouldn’t allow the family-friendly lifestyle he wanted, he says. He switched into construction delivery, and while he made deliveries, he thought about what other work he’d like to be doing. The San Bruno resident had always loved cooking, and it wasn’t long before he started experimenting at home, playing with his love of burgers and testing out his recipes, including perfecting his signature bacon jam, he says.
After workshopping his recipes, he held his first pop-up in August 2021 in the alleyway near his brother’s barbershop. Soon, breweries like Hop Dogma were interested in hosting pop-ups, and by the following year, Sesma had a regular pop-up schedule, making smashburgers Thursday-Sunday at breweries all around the Peninsula. The current menu includes “The Usual” ($11 for a single patty, $13 for a double) that comes on a brioche bun and served ith sauce, lettuce, cheese and bacon jam, or “Hella Jalapeño,” which includes fresh jalapeno slices and habanero sauce. Bowl and vegetarian options, as well as shoestring fries, are also available.
Eventually, he decided he wanted a home base, and that’s when he found the industrial space for Tapp’d. The buildout took 15 months, and business there kicked off about two months ago. You’ll find long tables, fun murals, TVs with sports running, and friendly vibes — for all comers, including dogs and kids. Beneath a tent out front, Sesma works the griddle, and behind the bar indoors, he keeps on tap a curated selection of beers from the breweries that supported him along the way, including Barebottle, Alpha Acid, Fieldwork and Hop Dogma.
Details: Shmash’d is open 4-8 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 1-8 p.m. Saturday and 1-6 p.m. Sunday. Tapp’d is open 3-9 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 12-9 p.m. Saturday, 12-7 p.m. Sunday and 3:30-9 p.m. Tuesday at 786 Old County Road, Belmont; https://shmashd.com/.