Meat & Bite Food Exchange

Meat & Bite is a fast-casual restaurant on Hillsborough Street in Raleigh, where Mediterranean, American and Tex-Mex cooking meet on one menu. The kitchen works from fresh ingredients and keeps the format simple. The owners say the reason for the mix is a plain one: food brings people together.

Smash burgers are the headline item, and the slogan on the sign, where the grease is on, tells you what kind of place this is. It is a quick stop for a burger or a sandwich made to order.

What to know

• The beef and chicken products are certified halal.
• Smash burgers come as a single, a double or a triple.
• The hot fried chicken sandwich is a customer favorite.
• Chicken fingers are served with a house-made aioli sauce.