Restaurant Review // Larkburger

Great burger joints. Most are a bit gritty, have some serious culture or are establishments that have existed for years. However, what if I told you one of the best burgers I have had lately is from a sleek, environmentally friendly quick-serve chain restaurant? Yeah, I would question it as well but let me tell you, larkburger is no joke. It is a legit burger joint that will change all your predispositions about 'fast food' dining. 

A quick background on the launch of larkburger. The conception of the larkburger was at the larkspur restaurant in vail, colorado. The certified black angus beef burger was one of the top selling items on the menu and it inspired the chef and owners to open up quick-serve spots all over metro-denver. With the mission to serve quality ingredients while being environmentally conscious, 12 locations have opened across colorado boasting natural ingredients, biodegratable packaging, wind energy and most have compost/recycling.

As you walk in the doors of any larkburger, you enter a semi-sterile space; white tables, recycled wood paneling and lime green accents. The menus are on lcd screens and the space feels modern and minimalistic yet, welcoming all at the same time. Staff happily walk you through the menu and give suggestions on their favorite items. I think the enthusiasm the staff brings to their jobs plays a major role in the experience of dining at larkburger. Each visit I had was accompanied by staff that was well-informed and happy in demeanor.

So, now to the food. The famous larkburger is a 1/3lb beef patty, made to order. It is topped with a bright house-made lemon dijon sauce and fresh sliced tomatoes, onions and lettuce. It is a juicy burger that showcases their certified angus beef and quality ingredients. I can honestly say, their consistency in burger temperature is top-notch. Major props to the cooks at the multiple locations I dined at because their is nothing I love more than ordering a burger at 'medium' and it actually coming out at a perfect 'medium'. However, I did feel like the buns on each burger I had (which was many) came out soggy every time. This would be my biggest complaint overall.

Larkburger won the 2012 denver burger battle with their truffle, tilamook cheddar and thick-cut bacon burger. This burger was my favorite off of the menu as the balance of savory flavors and ingredients were spot-on. It literally was devoured in minutes. Other highlights off the menu include hand-spun $5 shakes (I would recommend the chocolate) featuring boulder ice cream® and their truffle-parmesan fries. While I wish the fries were a bit crisper, I did love the use of flat-leaf parsley as it gave a freshness to the fries. This past spring, larkburger added 3 new salads to their menu and a favorite was the bibb and quinoa. Bibb and romaine lettuce were tossed with prepared quinoa, carrot, crunchy cucumber, peppery radish, red onion, bay-leaf seasoned chickpeas and a house vinaigrette. Sadly the salad was a bit over-dressed with the vinaigrette but the variety of veggies was very impressive, especially for a quick-serve restaurant salad.

I can honestly say, larkburger sold me. I would happily go back when my next burger and fries craving arises as I know a great product will be waiting for me. Their dedication to quality ingredients is obvious in the first bite and their environmental awareness is icing on the cake.


Disclosure: This post was sponsored by larkburger; I was compensated for my commitment, however, all opinions expressed here are my own. Thank you for supporting the sponsors who allow me to continue creating new content for South on Broadway!