Best Burgers? Next Level Burger at Whole Foods 365

The Bleu BBQ burger

Gone are the days of the sad, uninspired veggie patty. Next Level Burger, a vegan burger chain, has drool worthy vegetarian burgers, dogs and shakes.

Apparently, the burgers are so convincing to meat eaters that you are warned when you order that the food is vegan. Our server was amused by our enthusiasm. Why, yes, this is why we were there.

100% plant based

Next Level Burger (NLB) calls itself "100% plant based" just in case you get confused by a menu item labeled "the animal." This is an over-the-top loaded burger. We had to keep reminding ourselves that the place is vegan.

NLB has a stand in the new Whole Foods Market 365 in Brooklyn. You order at the counter, take your number to a table, and food is quickly delivered.

Sausage bacon plant based burger

Good in your mouth

We shared a sausage bacon burger topped with cheddar and swiss dairy free cheese, egg-free mayo and mustard. It was juicy, messy, and utterly delicious.

We also had the bleu BBQ. an umami mushroom and quinoa patty with more tempeh bacon, BBQ sauce and a blue 'cheese.' Fantastic.

Both burgers had lettuce and tomato. You can add avocado, guacamole, grilled onions or mushrooms.

Baked 'fries'

The oven baked fries were tasty. There are also sweet potato fries or tater tots.

Good for the environment

Compostable plates are used, and only organic produce. You can certainly feel good about reducing your environmental footprint.

More to try

I will return for the chili, the chili dog, and the breakfast sandwiches. There are soy and coconut based shakes that sound pretty awesome. The only thing is, the calorie count is listed. The dark chocolate PB cup shake is enticing. But 1290 calories?

The Animal

This also gave me pause. It's two patties, tempeh bacon, fries, onions, cheese and sauce. And it's 1330 calories.  Maybe after y next half marathon. If I run like a beast, I can eat like a (vegan) one.