Morty’s opens doors
Those passing Morty’s Café on Friday may have seen a steady line of people, a newly finished interior and customers ordering for the first time what co-founder Ty Mortenson said are “the best burgers in town.”
After months of imagining, fundraising and building, Morty’s, which is located on the corner of Darwin Avenue and Aggie Bull-evard, was open to the public on Friday.
“It’s been a lot of work, but a lot of fun too,” Mortenson said. “A lot of creative fun.”
Although the menu offers a wide variety of choices and experiments with international flavors, Mortenson said burgers are the restaurant’s staple food.
“We’re getting creative with just the standard burger,” Mortenson said.
In addition to its ‘iconic,’ or classic burger, Morty’s menu advertises six other burgers: Hawaiian, Yucatan, Sunny Side, Kimchi, Italian and Iberian.
“We have some interesting items that people may not be familiar with,” Mortenson said. “We’re still providing the classic options that people love, but we’re also doing interesting things.”
Preston Parker, a co-founder with Mortenson, said patrons who try each burger will receive t-shirts that have “I toured the world of Morty’s” printed on them.
Morty’s team has worked to create an atmosphere and menu that they hope will appeal to USU students and the Cache Valley community.
Parker said the menu offers many local, fresh foods. Morty’s will incorporate foods from local businesses such as Café Ibis, Rosehill Dairy and Crumb Brothers Artisan Bread. Some of its produce comes from its own garden on the roof. Parker said he picked the restaurant’s tomatoes himself Friday morning.
“What other place is there that can say, ‘I picked every tomato that is being used today. I grew it and picked it myself,’” Parker said. “It can’t get fresher than that.”
Morty’s is the location nearest to campus where USU students and faculty can get Coca-Cola products.
“People are very passionate about their sugary drinks, especially when it comes to Coke and Pepsi,” Mortenson said. “Coca-Cola is very popular and suddenly there’s none of it to be found on campus. We’re just a few feet from campus, so people get excited about that.”
Morty’s also has a view of the valley from its upper decks, which are open to the public.
“There’s no other eating establishment in Cache Valley that can get you that view of the valley,” Parker said.
Although the restaurant was scheduled to open Sep. 15, the founders decided to wait a few more days to make sure they were ready for customers.
“It was better to do it right and be a few days behind our goal,” said Mortenson, “than open on time and not be prepared.”
Morty’s owners said they believe the restaurant will be successful.
“We’re very confident that it’s going to do well,” Mortenson said. “We have an awesome team here and we have a great location.”
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