When we gave you the list of Louisville’s five best cheeseburgers last week, the city’s distraught vegetarian community shed a few tears. So we’re back this week to dry the eyes of our herbivore friends and introduce you to five unbelievably delicious veggie burgers you should eat in Louisville right this very minute.
1. Grilled Corn, Poblano, Garbanzo Burger
Game
2295 Lexington Road
502-618-1712
Image: Game
For a place known for its creative take on exotic meats, Game sure knows how to make an unbelievably delicious veggie burger. The Grilled Corn, Poblano, Garbanzo burger packs in all the flavor of freshly roasted corn and savory, soft garbanzo beans with just enough poblano spice. You can take the chef’s dressing recommendations of pickles, brie, truffle mayo on a brioche bun and order the burger from the restaurant’s “Field” menu, which also offers two additional meatless patty choices as well. You can also create your own burger with Game’s long list of topping, cheese and bun offerings. And don’t forget to add an order of salty sweet potato fries with truffle oil on the side.
2. Literally Every Burger at America. The Diner.
America. The Diner.
962 Baxter Avenue
(502) 822-1282
Image (Signature Burger with black bean patty): America. The Diner.
Saturday nights in Louisville are for two things: friends and bourbon. And once you’ve had your fair share of each by the end of the night, all you really want is a big juicy plate full of food, which is why America. The Diner. stays open all night on weekends and offers plenty of insanely good burger choices, all of which can be served with either beef or the delicious house-made black bean burger. We're talking the patty of your choice smothered in three-cheese macaroni and fried green tomatoes (The Dirty South) or a patty drizzled with spicy Russian dressing slammed between two grilled cheese sandwiches as buns (Tampa Melt), or the not-so-simple Classic Blue which comes covered in blue cheese, plenty of spicy jalapenos and roasted garlic aioli. Every burger at this joint is definitely worth a try, however vegetarians may need to request no bacon for some along with a black bean patty. And no matter what burger you decide on, don’t forget to add a side of thin crinkle-cut fries!
3. The “Where Do You Get Your Protein?” Burger
V-Grits Food Truck
502-627-0446
Image: V-Grits
V-Grits Chef Kristina Addington has created a monster with this intensely flavorful veggie burger of mind-blowing proportions. Two juicy veggie patties, a double serving of savory cheese and plenty of crispy bacon are packed together between three buns for this local favorite made from 100% plant-based ingredients. This burger proves that those who don’t believe in vegan bacon are really just too afraid to taste it. Take that, meat-eaters!
4. Dish's Original Veggie Burger
Dish on Market
434 W. Market Street
502-315-0669
Image: TripAdvisor
Located downtown on busy Market Street, the often-overlooked Dish on Market is one of Louisville’s most delicious best kept secrets for both meat-eaters and vegetarians alike. As one of the restaurant’s two meatless burger options, the thick tempura-fried veggie patty stacked high with perfectly seasoned sautéed mushrooms and onions, freshly sliced tomatoes and lettuce and just enough house aioli, is a deliciously surprising treat on a bun. Dish’s mac n' cheese is highly suggested as this burger’s partnering side. And for vegetarians with a sweet tooth, finish your meal with Dish’s Big Damn Brownie.
5. Vegetarian Burger
Mussel & Burger Bar
9200 Taylorsville Road and 113 South 7th Street
502-384-4834
Image: Mussel & Burger Bar
Mussel & Burger Bar brings something new to the vegetarian table. Rather than cooking up a meat-like patty with typical veggie burger ingredients like mushrooms, corn and black beans, M&BB’s vegetarian burger patty is an interesting soft bundle of mashed beets and red quinoa topped with a thick layer of flavorful goat cheese and black olive aioli all on a pretzel bun. Finish it with the Trio Pots de Crème for dessert.
Photo courtesy of Shutterstock/Aguilarphoto
