Another day, another need to eat and a fresh opportunity to discover somewhere new. After being a bit naughty and having a day of comfort food the day before, yesterday I really just wanted something not too heavy yet still delicious. I was coming down to Southampton for the weekend, for it is my rebooked Cookery course tomorrow and an opportunity to visit my family. My brother is Vegetarian so I know he is always on board to check out the new places I find, so off we went to Earth Burgers.
Earth is a small Vegan Burger and Wrap Restaurant in Petersfield, selling 14 different types of Burger and 7 types of Wrap. They also make their own Soda, Milkshakes, Lemonade etc. I'd describe it as an upmarket Vegan American diner, as it has good prices, typical American Burgers, Fries and Shakes with a real friendly attitude.
Here is what I thought of it...
Staff:
The staff are so friendly, I don't think I've been smiled at so much! It is a quick service establishment, so order up at the counter and wait for the food to arrive at your table. So although limited interaction, they asked us how our food was and wished us a good rest of the day. Even holding open the door for us on the way out.
Food:
The draw to this place was all of the different types of burgers available and I knew it would be a hit with my brother. He loves Jackfruit and they have a BBQ Pulled Pork Style Burger with Coleslaw, should have put money on him getting that one. They also use an air fryer to cook the fries, which is a lot healthier than normal fries. Sadly, I couldn't have those due to Gluten but my brother certainly enjoyed them.
I chose the Mushroom and Spinach Burger with a Gluten Free Bun, it had the patty, Vegan Mozzarella, Salad Leaves, Tomato and Mayo in it. I also got Guacamole on the side and added that to my Burger which really complimented it. It was a decent size Burger, not too big and a good bitesize lunch without anything else.
The patty itself was juicy and full of Mushroom flavour that I loved, with a Vegan Cheese that wilted more than melted but still enjoyable. The leaves were fresh, as was the Tomato but I couldn't see any Mayo (I have only just realised that!). I love Avocado, so putting the Guacamole in the Burger was a must for me and I added some Ketchup as well. The combination was delicious, a wonderful juicy and every so slightly messy Burger because of the slippery Guacamole I added. It stayed a lot more together than the one from Mooshies which definitely helped me eat it! Plus although it was a burger, it wasn't too heavy and it was a pleasure to eat.
I know it is a weird thing to appreciate, however I found the fact that I was able to easily hold it and bite into the whole thing a delight. I love a messy burger, like this one was a bit. Though I prefer being able to eat the majority of it in one, rather than catching the falling bits on my clothes!
8/10
Allergies/Intolerances:
Being a 100% Vegan restaurant makes it very easy for Dairy and Egg intolerances straight off the mark. They have only 2 options that are Gluten Free on the menu, a Burger and a Wrap. Sadly the fries aren't Gluten Free which is a shame as that means you can't have a full meal unless you have a Burger and a Salad. I would recommend to change that, as Gluten on Fries is unnecessary and nearly all restaurants have stopped that now. I would be happier if there were a few more options, though the Burger I had was delicious, to add at least one more Burger to choose from wouldn't go amiss.
They have clearly labelled the Gluten and Wheat allergen free options, which is available to see online and on the menu in-store so there is no doubt. Although when they brought the meals out, it came all on one tray and we weren't told which was which. Thankfully we ordered different looking burgers, but if they were the same we would have been quite unsure. I would recommend the waiter explaining which was which in the future, not just for allergies but for regular orders, burgers can look pretty similar!
7/10
We enjoyed our visit to Earth Burger, I think they have a few things to make it even better but their food doesn't lie. It's tasty stuff and I wouldn't hesitate to go back there for some lunch. I hope they create a few more Gluten Free options and really hope they make the fries Gluten Free, for me this would make this place a must go for Gluten Free Vegans. For regular Vegans, it already is!