The Burger that Conquered Dunwoody Looks North
NFA, which currently operates out of a Chevron station, is opening a spacious new place with booze on the menu in Avalon.
When Billy Kramer first opened his compact burger restaurant in Dunwoody five years ago, he sold only three orders. But by the end of the week the word was out. He sold a hundred. He was off and running.
His NFA operation, run out of one half of a small Chevron station just north of Mt. Vernon Road, was a quick success. In his 100-square-foot kitchen, he crafted a smash burger that has conquered Dunwoody. His classic, made with two sizzling Angus beef patties, Mt. Olive pickles, French’s mustard, melted American cheese slices and what he calls his Sassy Sauce on a Martin’s potato bun has topped at least a half-dozen best burger lists. Now, he’s getting ready to take a bigger bite out of North Atlanta.
By early May, he expects to open in Avalon, a busy outdoor suburban mall, spread across 86 acres off Georgia 400 in Milton. But he’s not tampering with success. Although the new operation is a 3,000-square-foot space, the menu will be largely the same. Success, he believes, is built on basics and keeping his customers happy.
“We’re going to try a few new things,” Kramer says. “If it works, we’re going to keep it. If it doesn’t work, we’ll pivot and move forward. The No. 1 goal, though, is to always provide the most excellent burger we can and the best service that we can. Those things should always be the same from day one.
Although Kramer’s been selling burgers in Dunwoody since early December of 2019, he spent five years developing what he considers the perfect burger experience. Traveling the country in a corporate job, he sampled grilled ground beef wherever he went and then went on Instagram to describe in detail what he found.
When he stepped in to take over a small, failed food operation in the gas station, he fixed his mind on creating the perfect grilled beef patty. He smashes it flat on a hot grill, so it quickly develops a lacy edged crisp crust. He sauces it to give it some complexity in flavor, tops it with melting cheese and slides it onto a soft, slightly sweet, bun.
In Avalon, he’s adding alcohol to his drink menu and there will be some basic milkshake flavors, but you’ll still be able to get tater tots, crispy fries finished in the beef tallow that he prefers, as well as hot dogs, Polish sausages and sweet Belgian waffles. What he’s leaving behind at the Chevron station are his wife’s homemade rugalach, which he’s named Schmoops by Jules. The sweet treats are too labor intensive.
Instead of sitting outside, near the gas pumps in front of the Dunwoody operation, there will be seating for between 70 and 80 people inside the Avalon restaurant and a couple of dozen outside. He’s kept the basic layout of the space he’s moving into, a relatively new remodeling of what had been a Goldberg’s. Most recently, it was the northern outpost for Rina, an operation with an emphasis on casual Israeli dining.
Not having to spend heavily on decor means Kramer can keep his prices reasonable. He wants plenty of return customers.
“Our new space is mostly built out and we haven’t made many changes,” Kramer emphasizes. “When you’re moving into any location the amount of money it takes to convert a space gets passed on to the customer. So, the ability to open this, that space as efficiently as possible, certainly played a part in going there.”
Along with the Avalon location, Kramer is opening a smaller place at Outfield Market, a new food hall at Truist Park that will have seven other tenants. For those who are snacking rather than having a meal, Kramer will offer a mini burger as well as his usual fare. The park is home to the Atlanta Braves.
With two new operations just about ready to open, Kramer is enjoying new opportunities. The three letters in his logo, NFA, stand for “Not Fooling Around.” He’s not fooling when he says he’s looking forward to life beyond the gas station.
“I’m not some kind of restaurant wizard, but I everything I do, I do with intention. When I started NFA, I didn’t think much more than, how am I going to pay my home mortgage that month? Now I have more of a long-term strategy.”
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