Better Burgers at Burger Lounge
by Kristin Underwood, Sacramento, CA 
on 12.23.08
Image source: Burger Lounge
The Burger Lounge, which opened in 2006, now has 3 locations across San Diego offering organic and healthy burger alternatives for one of the healthiest, if not greenest, of cities. Created by Dean Loring and Mike Gilligan, the two see the Lounge as a "bridge between bloated corporate "fast food" culture and the "less is more, quality is everything" approach. Oh, and did we mention they make fresh cupcakes?
Burgers come in organic, free-range, hormone and antibiotic-free, grass-fed Kansas beef - no grain or corn in these cows, just grass. You can also get a turkey or organic quinoa burger if you're not a fan of red meat, and all buns are organic. The menus also includes things like french fries, but of course, and onion rings, are of which are made fresh on-site. On the lighter side, they also offer a variety of salads and chicken tenders.
For those of you in the audience with a sweet-tooth, the real prize at the Burger Lounge may be their freshly made cupcakes and milkshakes. Typically, you don't think burgers and cupcakes at the same meal, but hey we're willing to give it a shot. Who doesn't enjoy a challenge?
But it takes more than just fresh, organic food to make a restaurant green, and the Burger Lounge hears this loud and clear. All take-out boxes are made from sugarcane and are both biodegradable and compostable. Inside each Burger Lounge, the furniture is all made from post-consumer materials. The site has a listing of what it means to be green, but doesn't explain what they have implemented at each store, so we have to assume (and hope) that their Green Restaurant Certification means that they are working to implement more green practices.
We haven't been to the Burger Lounge yet, but if you have, let us know what you think. All burgers run at $7.95 USD and sides are a few bucks more. You can find Burger Lounge in La Jolla, Coronado and Kensington. :Burger Lounge.
More on Better Burgers
The Carbon Footprint of a Burger
Chick Pea Burgers: Recipe of the Week
O'Burger Offers First, Organic Fast Food in Los Angeles
TH Forums: Why Fake Meat?
Follow @TreeHugger on Twitter & get our headlines with @TH_rss!
Thirsty for more? Check out these related articles:
- Green Your Bikini Waxing Routine with Soy, Pine Sap and Organic Bikini Wax
- Eat a Vegetarian Diet, Reduce Your Carbon Footprint by a Ton
- Choosing Hearty, Healthy Ingredients with Emeril (Video)
- Why Grass Fed Beef? Emeril Answers (Video)
- How and Why to Eat Less Meat
- 7 Easy Vegan Recipes to Get You Through Your First Week of Veganism
Did you just describe fried chips a large meat patty smothered in molten cheese as "healthy"?
Regarding Steven Noble's concern about the healthiness of a burger and fries.
I wouldn't eat it myself, but there is a growing body of evidence that saturated fats are not the pathological entity that we have been conditioned to believe.
At any rate , they will have a better Omega-3 profile and lack the associated hormonal and antibiotic contaminants. If the higher fat content allows the consumer to ingest few total daily calories, it probably does offer a solid health benefit.
OTOH, cupcakes are junkfood, no matter how you make them or how tasty they are.
I eat at the burger lounge every month or so. Great burgers and worth the price and the cup cakes are delicious!.
Any restaurant that calls it's eco-friendly and healthy but is not vegan is a joke.
I have been to Burger Lounge, the burgers are insanely good! Great to see a local hot spot get featured @ treehugger :)
That that burger looks absolutely delicious! I think I'm gonna have to go try one, booking my flight now.
all vegan people that whine on the net are a joke. the place and the burgers sound great. if only i had an option like this in my town...
The burger lounge is one of my favorite no fuss quick meal out restaurants. While I eat meat and I hear that their burgers are delicious I have never eaten one because I just love their home made veggie burgers. They are simply the best. Oh and their milkshakes are great too and beg enough to share.
As far as green items go, they use dishes forks, etc rather than paper products. For take out they use cardboard rather than styrofoam.
We have been going to the Burger Lounge at least monthly since they opened. I am so glad that they are doing well in San Diego and that they are growing.