Yesterday, I did something I hadn’t done in at least seven years: I ate a burger.

My parents were in town, and after walking several miles around downtown, we headed to Bareburger in the Village for lunch.

I’ve been wanting to try red meat again, but I also wanted to make sure it came from a good source so that a) I wouldn’t feel sick and b) because red meat is notorious for being inhumanely processed. Bareburger offers up an entire menu of free-range, organic, grass-fed burgers, from bison and elk, to chicken and turkey, to beef and veggie.

They also have a seriously good craft beer menu. Talk about a cool place!

I chose an Abita Amber, which was smooth and malty and went well with the meal.

My parents and I opted to get three different burgers and split them all three ways. My dad chose his favorite, a bison burger:

I got a plain old hamburger on a multigrain bun:

And my mom got the California burger, a veggie patty with raw milk cheddar and avocado:

We also got an order of french fries with a trio of dipping sauces. which were enormous and a highlight of the meal- even once they turned cold from the crisp start-of-fall weather, they were still good.

 

They were enormous and a highlight of the meal- even once they turned cold from the crisp start-of-fall weather, they were still good.

So, the verdict on the burger? Good! To be honest, I’d kind of forgotten what a burger tastes like. We agreed that my beef burger was the best, while the veggie burger was actually the worst (though still pretty darn tasty). It wasn’t that the taste of the veggie was bad, it was that the texture wasn’t as satiating or enjoyable following the real meat burgers. I don’t really crave meat, but I’d absolutely go back to this place with someone who was in the mood for it.

What I loved most about Bareburger was their emphasis on well-sourced, quality meats. Even in New York, a menu of well-sourced, humanely raised meats this extensive is hard to come by, and is usually quite expensive.

At around $9, these burgers weren’t as cheap as a fast-food joint, but you get what you pay for in terms of both quality and taste, and the restaurant has a fun, laid-back atmosphere. In addition to the burgers, they also have a decent list of salads, wraps, sandwiches and a few brunch items, so you can bring anyone here.

What’s your burger of choice- veggie, turkey, beef, etc?