Even carnivores have heard the news: There's now a meat-free burger that tastes, smells, cooks and even bleeds like real red meat. Sounds impossible, right? The Impossible Burger arrived in Chicago last month by way of M Burger's Huron location and is now making its way around the city. California-born Umami Burger is also serving the vegan-friendly wonder at its two Chicago locations starting today.
The burger is crafted using ingredients like wheat, coconut oil and potatoes, but heme is the secret ingredient—it's an iron-containing compound found in real meat that activates our cravings for a juicy Quarter Pounder. According to a spokesperson at M Burger, Chicagoans are digging the meat-free creation and can expect to see the Impossible Burger on the menu through the end of the year.
Of course, each local chain has put its own unique spin on the craze: M Burger serves the patty with lettuce, pickle, onion, tomato, M Sauce and American cheese for $8.99, while Umami Burger offers two patties with caramelized onions, American cheese, miso-mustard, house spread, dill pickles, lettuce and tomato for $16.
Here's where you can find the Impossible Burger in Chicago:
- Umami Burger West Loop (945 W Randolph St)
- Umami Burger Wicker Park (1480 N Milwaukee Ave)
- M Burger Huron (161 E Huron St)
- M Burger Atrium Mall/Thompson Center (100 W Randolph St)
- M Burger Ontario (5 W Ontario St)
- M Burger Water Tower Place (835 N Michigan Ave)
- M Burger Skokie (3654 W Touhy Ave)
If you're on the hunt for more crave-worthy veggie patties, you'll want to stop by Epic Burger to try the Beyond Burger, which uses beet juice to make the burger "bleed." Welcome to 2017.