From crispy edges to community ties, three brothers bring Byte to the USF area

TEMPLE TERRACE, Fla - It's fast-food for foodies near the University of South Florida. Byte brings fast-casual smash burgers to the area. 
Their goal is to create crispy-edged burgers paired with milkshakes and salty sides ready to fuel socializing, late-night study sessions and test preparation.

What they're saying:

"So Byte is a new concept we've developed, me and my two brothers. We've done a lot of traveling, and every city we go to, we find an amazing classic smash burger," said Ali Mansour, one of the owners. "Something we haven't found in Tampa, so we decided let's build it here."

He and his brothers did just that, with a focus on fresh, never-frozen ingredients.

"So it's more than just the fresh ingredients; it's also a sense of community," he said. "We've got a retro vibe. We're all 90s kids, and so when you come in here, we want you to feel part of our family. Right? So, whether it's the USF students or the UT kids, or even the people living here in Temple Terrace, we want you to feel like you're at home."

Feeling like you're at home means being welcomed like family, and that's a part of the plan behind Byte.

"Really, we just want you to feel like you are a part of our family when you walk in here. So, we'll greet you, we'll get to know you. My name's Ali, you'll meet my brothers Ahmed and Matt. We want you to feel like you are part of Byte," Mansour shared.

DOES BYTE CREATE SMASH BURGERS?

What's The Food Like:

Their website describes the food as "Burgers that Hit Different" and the reason, Mansour says, is the simple and fresh ingredients.

"We have smash burgers, we have hand-cut fries, and we have our hand-spun milkshakes and home-cooked cookies," he said of the menu. "All natural ingredients. Everything is made in-house, from our sauces to the patties. Everything's very simple, but it's all quality ingredients."

He and his brothers put in work to get locally sourced buns and fresh-never-frozen beef.

"What sets our patty apart is we try to get that nicely seared beef with the crispy edges all around, and it also includes our homemade sauce... So when you take a bite into that crispy burger, you're going to feel the difference. And we are aiming to be the best burger in Tampa Bay."

Byte offers fresh food created on the spot with sides that compliment the burgers better than any chain fast food joint can offer. The menu reflects that simplicity. 

Mansour said, "So we just care about the food. We're not trying to have a giant menu; we're just trying to make the best smash burger we can. Everything fresh, everything cooked to order, and people can taste the difference—whether it be the fresh brioche buns, the locally sourced meat that's smashed to a crisp, or the hand-cut vegetables that we put on top."

What you can do:

You can visit Byte for yourself at 10935 North 56th Street in Tampa. They are open from 10 a.m until 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday. On Friday and Saturday they stay open until 2 a.m. You can find more information about them on their website here.