If you haven't been to DNB Burgers in Downtown New Bedford yet, we're really not sure what you're waiting for.

Abby Renoir
DnB Burgers / Instagram - @dnb_burgers
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Everything on the DNB Burger menu is made from scratch and piled high with flavor. The Chef's Specialty Burgers range from the Southern Belle (beef patty, greens, american cheese, tomato jam, bacon, chives and jalapeno sweet corn aioli) to The Big Kahuna (beef paty, greens, smoked cheddar, pickled pineapple, fired jalapenos, BBQ sauce and bacon) and their sides are just as mouthwatering with things like herbed fries and New Bedford Poutine.

Aside from being a powerhouse of delicious-ness, DNB is 100% local and you can often find them attending events like Farm to Tapas and Taste of Southcoast. We caught up with owner Ameila Ruvich to find out what makes DNB such a local favorite and what it REALLY takes to start a small business.

When did you know you wanted to open a burger place?

Ameila: My partner Josh and I had lots of long talks about what we wanted to do. We knew that we wanted to be our own bosses and decided that meant blending our talents together and opening a restaurant. Josh is a chef and I'm in hospitality, we saw a place for a cool little burger place downtown with awesome scratch made food and great service and we went for it. We took the plunge November 2014 and couldn't be happier with our choice!

How did you finance opening a small business?

A: We worked with SEED Corp. in Taunton to help us finalize our business plan and help us find the way to raise funding we needed. There are a lot of great local programs out there free of charge for budding entrepreneurs. My advice is to take advantage of them. I definitely had a lot of questions going into the process of opening a small business and there are amazing people willing to help. I couldn't have done it without them.

What is the one menu item you could eat every day for the rest of your life?

A: I would say the highlight for me right now on our summer menu here at DNB is the Farmers Market. It's our beef patty with Gruyere cheese, greens, thyme aioli, and buttermilk pickles. It's wonderfully balances and the perfect kind of savory and satisfying. I have a hard time saying no!

Do you have a favorite regular customer?

A: We have a ton of favorites! Everyone brings their own awesomeness to the table and makes our little spot that much more special. Dave the mailman is super supportive and very open to try everything we offer up. Frank V. is sweet and kind and the servers love him! Josh is there on the regular and gets the same thing every time. Best bacon with ketchup and mustard, hold the onions. Raf is a staff favorite and brings many passionate conversations around our bar. We love everyone who supports us wholeheartedly and realize we would be nothing with out them.

If you had any advice for others thinking of starting their own business, what would it be?

A: My advice is to do your homework. I spent a lot of time researching my community, their spending habits, what people in our area value, thinking about location, growth opportunities, how you will run a team, and budgets. It's a lot of work and you have to be OK with late, sometimes sleepless, nights and lots of problem solving. It's a labor of love that's for sure.

Visit DNB Bugers today | 22 Elm Street - New Bedford, MA


 

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