Aaron Haines has built his expertise around crafting quality burgers, and this year, he’s bringing his passion for the perfect patty to South Jersey with the opening of his first brick-and-mortar fast-casual restaurant.
Blackeye Burgers, Dogs and Fries will open at 3 2nd Ave. in Pitman.
“I’ve been working in restaurants since I was 11, when my mom brought me in as a dishwasher at a restaurant she worked at. When I was 15, I got my work papers, and I started working at Wendy’s. I loved their business model of fresh, never frozen beef,” Haines told Whatnow Philadelphia.
As Haines got older, he stepped away from the kitchen to tour as a musician. However, life on the road reignited his interest in the restaurant space.
“When I was on the road in Austin, they had a whole food truck park. I thought it was such a great idea. When I stopped touring, I was like, ‘I’ll get back into the business.’ But, I couldn’t afford a brick-and-mortar,” he said.
Haines decided to launch a mobile hot dog business called Not Your Average Weiner, followed by Fry Fry Revolution, which serves loaded fries and quesadillas, and Soda Jerks, which specializes in lemonade and dirty sodas. One classic offering was still missing from his lineup: the old-school burger.
“I just thought, I really want to bring back that small South Jersey burger place vibe,” he said.
Blackeye Burgers, Dogs and Fries, as the name suggests, will bring together Haines’ best food truck offerings alongside a lineup of burgers.
The 5½-ounce patties will be served on Liscio’s Bakery pub rolls and topped with his own scratch-made secret sauce. All beef will come from Burlington Beef, a family-owned wholesale supplier based in Monroeville.
“I don’t buy frozen meat or preformed patties. I make the trek down about once a week. I then take all the meat back to my commissary kitchen, and I hand-form every patty,” he said.
He also plans to partner with longtime friend Dave Garner, owner of Garner’s Craft Barbecue, to introduce a line of bacon in flavors such as peppered, maple bourbon, habanero pineapple and coffee brown sugar. For the coffee-infused variety, Haines hopes to bring Endgrain Coffee Roasters on board, creating a full-circle moment since the roaster previously operated in the 2nd Ave. space.
“The bacon will not only be used in this shop but you’ll be able to buy it by the pound. It’s going to be all natural. We’ve got our first few pork bellies curing,” Haines said.
Beyond the menu, Haines plans to bring another longtime love into the mix: music.
“I think music, art and food all go together. Food shouldn’t be just something you shove in your mouth, and it’s the same with music. It shouldn’t just be background noise. They’re important and paramount to living a happy life,” he said.
The music will reflect Haines’ goal of bringing back the independent, underground music scene.
“Blackeye isn’t just about burgers. It’s about a culture. It’s about the misfits, the music lovers, the hardworking people, the creatives, and anyone who’s ever believed that doing something yourself means doing it right. We’re not trying to be fancy. We’re trying to be damn good,” Haines said.
Blackeye Burgers, Dogs and Fries plans to open in late November or early December, with opportunities for customers to get a sneak peek before the official grand opening.
Haines is operating the business as a mobile setup at Dalton’s Farm through Nov. 1, followed by an appearance at the Pitman Police K-9 Food Truck event on Nov. 7.
Follow Blackeye Burgers, Dogs and Fries along on Instagram and Facebook for the latest updates. Stay tuned!
