Watsonville gets an upscale burger joint
Burgers and draught beer: they practically sell themselves because they’re awesome. Up until recently, downtown Watsonville was in desperate need of an upscale burger joint. But in April, the need was answered when Main Street Burgers & Brews opened its doors, offering high-end ingredients in a casual sports-bar style atmosphere. We spoke with owner Ricardo Magaña about his new joint, good old-fashioned extra thick hamburgers and beer—and lots of it—and some of the odder items on his menu. Chorizo burger anyone?
What do you bring to the burger game?
RICARDO MAGAÑA: We make fresh, ground beef, grass-fed hamburgers with fresh local bread that is made every single day from Paulino Bakery in Watsonville. We use fresh local vegetables whenever possible. It makes a huge difference.
What’s your most popular item on your menu?
Actually, the chicken burger. That’s the one we sell the most of right now. It’s fresh breast meat, not ground, the whole chicken breast. People like it because they know it’s fresh and healthy.
But the most unexpected item has to be the chorizo burger.
Yes. It’s really flavorful. The chorizo is made here. It’s a little spicy. We use garlic, cumin and dried chilis.
What’s your favorite non-burger item on the menu?
My favorite is the calamari. We buy it from Moss Landing, and we do everything ourselves here. The calamaris are great. We serve it with the cocktail sauce that we make here.
Do you have plans to expand the menu past burgers, sandwiches and fries?
Yes. Right now we just barely started. Eventually we will extend our menu. We’re going to start having specials, and the ones that sell the most, we’re going to keep on the menu. We will get chicken wings with different flavors eventually. We’re just trying different stuff right now, and seeing what comes out the best. Eventually, besides the french fries, we are going to have macaroni salad, and we are going to have coleslaw.
1116 Main Street, Watsonville, 536-4632. PHOTO: Ricardo Magaña of Watsonville’s new Main Street Burgers & Brews, which serves good old-fashioned hamburgers along with inventive options like the chorizo burger. CHIP SCHEUER
