Rochester's first entirely plant-based burger bar set to open this week
With the launch of the first Hot Chip restaurant, Championship Dining Group sought to initiate a local burger battle.
This time around, though, they aren’t looking for any beef.
On Wednesday, Dec. 11, the company will open Hot Chip Vegan Burger Bar in the lower level of the Historic Railroad Depot, 20 Fourth Street SE.
Unlike the original Hot Chip, the new burger joint will rely entirely on vegan ingredients, from the patty on up. Even the bacon and cheese will be plant-based, thanks to the popular Herbivorous Butcher in Minneapolis.
“We want to show that you can have a burger bar that can be strictly plant-based,” shares co-owner and Executive Chef Justin Schoville.
Co-owner and Executive Chef Justin Schoville
In sourcing the patty itself, Schoville says they will use the Impossible Burger, a plant-based alternative that allows the chef to deliver the kind of charred taste that traditionally only a beef burger could offer.
From there, they will use of a lot of the same seasonings and toppings from the original Hot Chip kitchen; that includes the split wheat-potato bun, which comes from Franklin Street Bakery in Minneapolis, and the lettuce, grown by Revol Greens out of nearby Medford, Minnesota.
Schoville and co-owner Lindsay Zubay say each ingredient, including the burger patty, was selected after sampling a number of potential options.
Co-owner Lindsay Zubay
“If you have never tried an Impossible Burger and you tried one, and I’m biased, but it’s pretty difficult to taste the difference,” says Zubay.
In addition to the lineup of burger offerings — many of which have a backstory to their name (i.e. the Californian burger, “Devin, what're-you-doing-here,” pokes fun at a classic SNL skit) — there will a number of salads on the menu, along with vegan nachos and chips and guacamole. Have a sweet tooth? You can also try one of the boozy vegan shakes.
As for the space, like the menu, expect a lot of character. (And if you grew up in the 90s, perhaps some nostalgia.) From a large poster of Dumber and Dumber, to a Nintendo 64 set up with Mario Kart, to an entire room devoted to Jeff Goldblum, the entire interior has an identity all to its own.
Visit Hot Chip Vegan Burger Bar
Located below Porch in the former Cellar bar
Monday-Thursday: 3 to 9 p.m.
Friday: 3 to 10 p.m.
Saturday: Sat 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
More info on both locations can be found on the new Hot Chip website.
📷 Photography by William Forsman
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