Tag: 5-stars

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Boon Burger Café

Location: 399 Elizabeth St, Burlington, ON L7R 0A4

Website: http://boonburger.ca/

Price: $24.25* 

What We Ordered:

  • Beach Party (sub: black bean patty)*
  • Joe
  • Bacun Cheeze Burger
  • Jamacian Me Crazy
  • Nacho Average Nachos
  • Pulled Jackfruit Poutine*
Two of my burger joint buddies, Laura (sister) and Wes (brother) outside Boon Burger Café in Burlington.

Burger Review:

Boon Burger Café is the first (maybe only) all-vegan burger joint in Canada. My sister is a vegetarian who is almost vegan, so it was a rare treat to go to a restaurant where she could order absolutely anything on the menu. I’m a borderline vegetarian myself (I know that’s weird coming from a burger blogger), so I was very excited to come here. The refreshing thing about this place is they aren’t looking to mimic beef, but they are looking to create the perfect burger experience. And they NAILED IT!! This burger forced me to think about what truly makes an excellent burger. For me, the perfect burger combines all the flavour profiles in perfect harmony: umami (savory), sweet, bitter, salty, sour, and spicy. But it also balances temperature and texture to complete the experience. Even though this burger had no meat, dairy, or animal bi-products, it married the flavour profiles in a way that is seldom achieved at other burger joints. 

Beach Party Burger as it arrived at the table

Meat: Meatless. I had the black bean patty which is made of black beans, red beans, lentils, brown rice, onion, garlic, and seasoned with chili, cumin, tomatoes & fresh cilantro. It was absolutely delicious, moist, and slightly crisp on the outside. 

Toppings: There are many creative burgers to choose from. I had the Beach Party which included: bbq sauce glaze, cheeze (no-dairy cheese substitute), bacun (tofu), sauerkraut, shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, arch-cut red onions, bermuda sauce & peach chutney.

Bun: The bun was a bit controversial at our table. I thought it worked perfectly with the burger and toppings, but my companions thought it was too crumbly and didn’t ride the burger through to the last bite. 

Cross section of the Beach Party burger with a black bean patty

Other Food:

I was only recently introduced to jackfruit as a pulled-pork alternative and I was surprised and delighted by it. I’ve never been a fan of pork, but I love me some BBQ. So learning that there is a vegan substitute was like finding out Santa Claus does exist and he’s bringing you a new laptop for Christmas. The Nacho Average Nachos were delicious and you’d never know they were vegan (ie no cheese and no meat). It included jackfruit as the “pulled pork” and still had all the trimmings, including what looked and tasted like sour cream on the side and cheese on top. Wes downed a good portion of it until he realized it wasn’t cheese on top. I had the “pulled jackfruit poutine” which was good, but I felt the fries were a bit gummy. I’m not sure why, since french fries are by nature vegan. So it seems weird that they’d miss the beat on the french fries. I had a chance to taste the “Bacun Cheeze Burger” and found it to be too mustardy. If you’re ordering that, I suggest asking for light on the mustard (unless you like mustard – then have as-is).

The many burgers and sides that came to the table. They include a splash of coleslaw with every burger.
Up close and personal with the Nacho Average Nachos from Boon Burger. Pulled jackfruit as the pork substitute. We didn’t even notice that wasn’t cheese on top. It was fantastic!

Atmosphere & Staff:

This place is clean and trendy with exposed ceilings, industrial brick walls with floor-to-ceiling windows, and wood tables. There is ample seating inside and out. The staff was very friendly and greeted us immediately even with people in front of us. One guy answered our questions about which patties and burgers to choose with the savvy and honestly of an expert marketer/salesperson (even though he was a young guy), which tells me their training and corporate culture must be good. They give you an animal as your “order number” – how cool is that?! Every table comes with all the sauces you could possibly need and napkins plus they bring the appropriate cutlery with your meal. This is a place you could bring the kids.    

They give you an animal instead of a number, and then deliver the food to your table.
Boon Burger interior features an industrial vibe with large windows and exposed brick.

Final Verdict:
5 stars

Pack up the kids and hit the road. This place is a must-go on your Canada burger tour. If you’re in the area, go today! I wish I lived closer because I know I’ll be craving this later. 

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The Burger’s Priest

Location:  1636 Queen St E, Toronto, ON M4L 1G3

Website:  https://www.theburgerspriest.com/

Price: $11.68

What We Ordered:

  • Blue Steel
  • Fries

Outside The Burger’s Priest at the Queen and Coxwell location

Burger Review:

This burger is so juicy the bottom bun gets soggy, and that’s what burger meat should do. I got the blue cheese burger which comes with a choice of standard toppings. The Burger’s Priest has a selection of premium burgers to choose from, including a “secret menu” with contents piled high in unique combinations. For me,  this burger is as close to perfection as I’ve ever had from a take-out joint. The combination of the bun with the juicy meat and toppings is a home run.

Blue steel burger looks perfect. I swear that’s how it came out of the bag, I didn’t do anything extra to make it look this pretty.

Meat: Custom blend of premium beef. The meat is ground by The Burger’s Priest daily, but they prepare it at another Toronto location which means at this restaurant the meat is prepared off site and undergoes some transportation. They cooked this burger perfectly! You can see in the cross section image below that the meat is just a little bit pink. And that’s exactly what keeps a burger juicy and delicious.

Toppings: Blue cheese, plus choice of free toppings. I ordered “the works except mustard” and got: mayo, ketchup, one piece of leaf lettuce, two small slices of tomato, two thin ring cut white onions, three round cut pickles. I would have liked a little bit more onion, but next time I’ll just order “extra onions”. The blue cheese was the sliced square kind you see in grocery stores that are burger or sandwich ready, instead of crumbles on top which is sometimes how blue cheese comes.

Bun: Classic hamburger bun, almost has a sweet quality to the crust. I could eat this bun on its own and it would still be delicious. Goes perfect with the burger. They lightly toast the inside of the bun on the grill top so it is slightly golden on the edges.

Cross section of the Blue Steel burger from The Burger’s Priest. You can see the meat is slightly pink which is exactly how it should be.

Other Food:

The fries are fresh with skin on. They come out golden and a bit soft. My first bite was a bit too salty, but the rest were fine. I think it was just the one fry I grabbed that had a salt cluster on it. They do have malt vinegar which is a must for these fries. Tasted delicious. I didn’t try it this time around, but they do have a vegan burger, vegetarian options, and a gluten free keto bun if you have dietary restrictions.

Blue steel burger and fries as take-out from The Burger’s Priest

Atmosphere & Staff:

The Burger’s Priest on Queen St. East is a small space and crowded during lunch hours. Really just enough room to line up and wait for your burger. They do have a small wall table with a few high top chairs but it would be uncomfortable to eat on location as patrons are pressed up against you waiting for their food. Staff looks cramped and hot and it shows in their attitude while taking your order. Not that they’re unpleasant or rude, but you can tell they’re a little agitated. Do not try to pack the kids into this joint. Quick in and out to eat elsewhere is your best option.

Inside The Burgers Priest on Queen St. East is a little cramped. Best to order quickly for take out.

Final Verdict:
5 stars


So far it ranks as one of the best take-out burgers I’ve ever had in Canada. You definitely need to try this place.