Last week, our column focused on trying local places that claim to have the best burgers in town. We featured the 3rd Deck Burger Bar, a place that allows guests to dress up their burger any way that suits them. This week’s burger restaurant doesn’t require any imaginative combinations from the guests, as all the work of planning and preparing a gourmet burger is done for you at the Urban Stack burger lounge.
Urban Stack has generated a buzz ever since it opened earlier this year, and this buzz has gotten even louder as more and more locals visit the squat burger lounge off of Market Street. As a “burger lounge,” Urban Stack offers a surprisingly comfortable, relaxing atmosphere in a brick walled factory-esque setting. The benches where patrons sit are soft and spacious, across from smooth hard top black tables. On the brick walls are vintage train and factory signs as well as ropes and pullies to set the ambiance. The restaurant was reasonably busy on Monday night, but tables were readily available, and the bar had several places for singles to enjoy a meal and the vast selection of drinks that Urban Stack advertises.
In reference to the Urban Stack’s claim of “manly drinks,” they have a selection not to be scoffed at. A list of 40 different kinds of Kentucky bourbons, double that number of different kinds of whiskeys, and a page of wines and beers (including some from local breweries like Moccasin Bend Brewery and Big River) all require a separate menu to accommodate them. Once you’ve wet your whistle, though, there is plenty of eats to be had on the food menu, and all boast fresh, locally grown and manufactured products. Local partners with Urban Stack include Neidlov’s Breadworks, Clumpies Ice Cream, Sequatchie Cove, Sweetwater Valley Farm, Benton’s Family Farm and Springer Mountain Farm.
The appetizers are thoroughly creative at Urban Stack. One such item is the fried bologna sliders that feature home-made Sequatchie Cove peppercorn beef bologna, American cheese, Fire and Ice pickles and stone ground mustard, served on toasted Neidlov’s buns.
The rest of the menu features items that all go atop burgers. The burger patron’s creation can be on a lettuce wrap, a whole wheat bun, or a white bun on the Urban classics burgers, which are 100 percent vegetarian fed, hormone and antibiotic free. Toppings for the burgers vary greatly.
On the Chicago burger, there is peppercorn bologna, celery-salted tomato, cherry pepper relish, sport peppers, yellow mustard, chopped onion, and celery mayo, served on a poppy seed bun and with a dill pickle spear. The popular “Good Day, Sunshine” burger features bacon, fried egg, Tillamook white cheddar, white vinegar mayo, lettuce and tomato. The server recommended steakhouse burger has U.S. barbeque sauce, bacon, atomic horsey sauce, crispy onion, cheddar cheese, and green onion.
Particular patrons may choose to substitute the meat of the urban classics for 100 percent organic, free range, hormone-free, antibiotic- free, vegetarian fed chicken breast for $2 or Mishima Ranch American Style Kobe Beef for $3. Those looking for something extra special can move down the menu to the specialty stack burgers. I chose “The Hercules.” This burger was topped with Greek-spiced ground lamb, cucumber, roasted red pepper, house-made tapenade, feta cheese spread, pickled red onion, lettuce and tomato. The pickled red onion gave the burger a little sour twinge that mixed very well with the feta cheese spread.
Another interesting specialty burger is the Vegan on Shrooms, a homemade vegan mushroom patty, with roasted red pepper, tomato, lettuce, balsamic onions and vegan garlic mayo. For vegetarians, there is also the Southwestern Veggie burger that features Fiesta cheese on top. Included in these specialty burgers are also turkey burgers. Urban Stack seems to have burger lovers of all kinds covered. All burgers come by themselves with the option to add on a side for an extra charge. Sides include Gouda creamed corn, macaroni and cheese, creamed spinach, house-cut fries, sweet potato fries, onion rings, almost pickled beets, tomato and blueberry salad, cucumber and black eyed pea salad and potato salad. The Gouda creamed corn was absolutely fantastic, very creamy and highly recommended by our server. Also tasty was the macaroni and cheese, which had a baked quality to it.
For those who still have room, the Urban Stack offers “Five-Dollar Milkshakes” made with Clumpies Ice Cream. Flavors include banana fosters, orange creamsicle, strawberries and cream, S’mores, and triple berry. The Urban Stack restaurant has a good thing going on at their burger lounge. Their burgers, sides and appetizers are high quality, flavorful, and creative. Their staff is friendly, attentive and welcoming. Urban Stack has earned its buzz, and earned a spot as one of the best burger restaurants in town.