Veggie Burgers in Unexpected Places

With Pasadena Cheeseburger Week in full swing, it can be easy to think beef burgers tell the whole story. Luckily, places like Rounds stand out from the sea of burgers with its accommodating menu and surprisingly delicious veggie patty.

“People want quality fast food. I truly believe we have the best burger in a fast casual setting,” said Charbel Ghaby, co-owner of Rounds.

He describes the restaurant as a fast casual spot for people who appreciate a better burger without the wait. Rounds offers a fully customizable menu starting with your choice of patty – beef, turkey, chicken or veggie – selection of bread, sauces and toppings. All of Rounds sauces are made in-house and their signature thousand island is the “secret sauce” on Classic Burger and a perfect dip for their crispy fries.

Unlike other burger spots, Rounds kicks up their menu with special attention to ingredients and details. Ghaby describes Rounds as a scratch kitchen because make almost everything themselves. They also try to maintain a sustainable kitchen by using ingredients in creative ways and reusing whenever possible. For example, the breaded jalapeno topping is also used in The Devil – a built burger that comes with buffalo ranch, bacon and breaded jalapeños.

Their Veggie Burger is vegan and gluten-free, It’s made with black beans, oats and a blend of veggies including, zucchini, corn, carrots and mushrooms. This flavorful patty is the perfect foundation of a Classic Burger with a melt-in-your-mouth brioche bun, lettuce, tomato, onions, pickles and thousand island dressing. Rounds’ greatest strength is their menu versatility – you can order a chicken patty as a lettuce wrap, veggie burger on a gluten-free bun, Brunch Burger topped with bacon, egg and cheese, and a side of zucchini fries all in one place.

This affordable spot is popular for lunch and has Happy Hour deals to keep you coming back in the evening. Rounds also has a selection of craft beers like Lagunitas and Angry Orchard Hard Cider to complete your meal. Ghaby plans to expand the menu to include salads and a few sandwiches in the near future. Until then, Rounds is happy to accommodate diners with their build-you-own menu and deliver locally.

Ghaby is happy to be a part of the Pasadena dining scene and looking forward to more restaurants. “It’s nice to see more fine dining here…I’d like to be on a street with many other restaurants, it brings people in and makes the food more creative,” he said.

Rounds is located at 46 North Lake Avenue. Visit http://www.roundsburgers.com/ for more information.