Local Burger

On the corner of Strong Avenue and Main Street in Northampton, lies a burger haven. Local Burger serves up the juiciest, chargrilled burgers in town and they are made from local and grass fed beef. Paired with homemade fries and chipotle ketchup, it is bliss for a picky carnivore.

 

 

 

Seven days a week one can expect the restaurant to be open from 11:30 am to 10:00 pm and on Fridays and Saturdays until 3:00. No alcohol is served, but late night eaters are allowed to BYOB (bring your own beer). Living up to the promise of “Burgers & More”, Local Burger delivers with many options for meat and veggie lovers alike. All of which are displayed on a chalk board above the counter. The person behind the counter is always there to greet customers with a friendly smile on their face.

 

The décor screams 50’s old fashion carhop without an actual parking lot or waitresses on roller skates. A black and white checkered pattern adorns the floor in this oddly rectangular shaped restaurant. There are two types of seating, high top tables with red cushioned bar stools most of which are crowded into one half of the restaurant and along the inner brick wall there are black wooden tables and chairs.

 

The tables could seem overly close to each other but the large picture windows helps to form an illusion of open space. This open space lets the bright, natural light shine in and allows customers to peer out into the bustle of downtown Northampton.

My husband and I visited on a Wednesday for lunch. The parking was the usual process of three or four loops around the block before an open space appeared. After digging through the car for five minutes, we found enough money for the meter. It was a nice afternoon for a walk through town; however, we were happy when we finally arrived. Luckily the restaurant was practically empty, we must have beat the lunch rush. The person behind the counter waited patiently while we decided on our order. A Chicoine Family Farm grass fed hamburger with Cheddar cheese and fresh mushrooms for me, a Meyers Black Angus with Cheddar cheese, lettuce and tomato for my husband and an order of fresh cut French fries with Chipotle ketchup to share, along with two seltzer waters completed our order. The total came to under $25 not bad for a high end lunch. We sat down in anticipation of the meal to come.

 

Not long after we sat down the midafternoon comfort food arrived. Staying with the décor, the food was served in a red plastic basket lined with black and white checkered paper.  My initial reaction was slight disappointment. The best part of a Local Burger, the huge sesame seed bun, was missing and in its place was a plain, wrinkled replacement. I looked at my husband and he knew before I even voiced the problem. “The bun” was all he said with a slight smile.

 

 I ate a couple warm, crispy French fries and the salty goodness surrounded by the spicy bite of the ketchup helped to wane my original feeling of dissatisfaction. After the fourth or fifth fry I was ready to give in to the foreign bun, knowing the insides were still just as good regardless. The first bite, always the messiest, let a stream of juice escape and the melted cheese held the mushrooms in place so every bite had a little of every ingredient.

 

 www.localnorthampton.com

For those customers who would prefer something other than a burger the Capt’n Crunch Chicken Tenders with one of four homemade sauces for $7.29, the Beer Battered Onion Rings for $5.29 and the Fried pickles served with Ranch dressing for $5.29 are all excellent choices. The onion rings have a crispy outer crust which protects the sweet, soft onion inside and when paired with the honey barbecue sauce the combination of flavors will keep you coming back for more.

www.localnorthampton.com

 

 

This family owned and run restaurant claims on their menu that their goal is to “provide fresh items at fair prices utilizing local meats, produce and products from area farms and merchants whenever possible”. I do believe they fulfill their promise. My husband and I have been and will continue to be returning customers. I might ask about the missing sesame seed buns at another visit, but for today my appetite has been satisfied.