When I became vegan, the only thing I really sought to “replace” was a good burger. As a rule, if I see a vegan burger on a menu, I’ll give it a try. Supporting my quest,  Habit Burger in King of Prussia, PA was nice enough to invite me to try out their new vegan burger.  They even offered to have me bring some fellow bloggers, along with my wife, to come along and try the food and talk about how chain restaurants are coming around to offer vegan options.  So I reached out to Carlo and Carmella of The Food Duo and Rachel and Anthony of Follow That Vegan and they were all happy to take me up on my offer of a vegan burger adventure.

Located in the neighborhood like setting of the King of Prussia Town Center, Habit Burger is a relatively new fast casual spot. Originating out on the West Coast, they pride themselves on using fresh ingredients as well as the concept of building your own meal. You can customize your bread, or even opt for a lettuce wrap, and choose your toppings, sauces and more.  It is a bright, open and very comfortable space.  Our group of merry vegan bloggers were met by Russ the District Manager who was a customer service superstar.  He gave us the history of Habit and then talked about why they opted to change their veggie patty to vegan. They had been using Morningstar Farm patties, which were vegetarian but contained egg. When Habit wanted to offer a vegan option, they decided to switch to a Morningstar Farm patty that is vegan.  He also explained that the vegan burgers are cooked on a separate surface and with separate utensils. Well done, Habit Burger!

Then Russ handed us off to Pablo to place our orders. Of course we all got the vegan burger! We could pick our toppings, and I got them all! Tomatoes, raw onions (cooked onions aren’t vegan), avocado, lettuce, and their sweet mustard sauce that they recently veganized, removing the honey and adding a secret sweetener (Russ wasn’t budging on this; we tried!). We also tried the french fries, sweet potato fries and salad sans croutons (also not vegan). In addition to the toppings, they have a fresh pepper bar with chili peppers, jalapenos and pepperoncinis to add to your burger. They also offer an interesting variety of beverages, including 3 different flavors of iced tea and 2 house made juices: a strawberry limeade and a peach/ginger nectar.

 

The sweet potato fries were good, with a nice flavor, but their regular french fries were some of the best I’ve had in a long time. And while I’m not always the biggest salad fan, this was really tasty with the sweet mustard dressing.

 

As for the burger, it was substantial, satisfying, juicy and exactly what you would want in a burger. The avocado really complemented it nicely, along with the other veggies. And the sweet mustard sauce is definitely a must try. Pro tip: Get a little extra mustard sauce and try dipping your fries in it.

Times are truly changing, and quickly.  Just a few years ago I was hard pressed to find a vegan option near the King of Prussia area. With veganism gaining momentum it makes sense that chains like Habit Burger expand their menu options to include vegan diners. If I am with a group of non vegan friends, or even in the area for a lunch meeting for work, as ‘the vegan’ it is often left to me to decide on a place to eat where I can get a vegan meal. Honestly if given the choice between going to a steak place and getting a plate of steamed vegetables or going to a fast casual place like Habit Burger and having the entire party enjoy the ‘burger eating experience’ there is no contest.  Sometimes vegans feel like they are outside the box at meal time; we’re the ones with the salad, right?  Not so much anymore.  Thanks to places like Habit expanding their menus to include delicious vegan options, we simply belly up and sink our teeth into a delicious meal just like anyone else.

Here is my editor, Nik,  helping me work on this blog post.

Thanks again to Russ, Pablo and the rest of the crew at Habit Burger! We will be back soon!