It’s a burger, but without the cow: A top Texas chain adds specials with Beyond meat
It was exotic, different, the burger that would eliminate the role of cows.
But now, one prominent Texas restaurant chain has switched away from its original plant-based burger to a better-known brand as sales grow nationwide.
After four years. Austin-based Hopdoddy Burger Bar has promoted the pea-based Beyond Burgers of supermarket fame to its menu choices, ending a four-year run as one of the first restaurants to serve soy-potato Impossible Burgers.
California-based Beyond Meat has improved its burgers since the original version. It now also offers pea-based “Beyond Tacos” at Taco Cabana, along with meatless chicken tenders in several restaurants nationwide.
Hopdoddy is welcoming the Beyond Burger with a special “Beyond a Reuben” burger of the month at all locations, including 2300 W. Seventh St., Fort Worth, and 1200 Chisholm Trail, Euless.
For something more conventional, Hopdoddy sells a “Beyond a Classic” cheddar-burger for $11.95 (vegan cheese is an option). Or the regular beef “Classic” cheddar-burger is $8.25.
The fries from California-based Chipperbec potatoes cost extra, so expect to spend up to $20.
(If that’s too high, the burgers at Day Break Cafe nearby on White Settlement Road cost about $3.)
Hopdoddy’s announcement praised the “meatier, even juicier” burgers and made a point to say that the new Beyond Burgers don’t have genetically modified ingredients (unlike Impossible Burgers).
When the original Impossible Burger came out, an executive from the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers called it “fake beef” and said he doubted it would get a warm reception “in a town steeped with so much ranching heritage.”
Hopdoddy has been packed daily with customers upholding Fort Worth’s ranching heritage. Meanwhile, the demand also has grown for burger alternatives.
Nearby, the popular Rodeo Goat restaurant offers any burger with a choice of beef, chicken, turkey, a black-bean-lentil patty or as an Impossible patty. Old-time Fred’s Texas Cafe offers a portobello mushroom burger.
Near TCU, Dutch’s Hamburgers, Charley’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers, Pacific Table and Press Cafe are among restaurants offering veggie burgers.
Hopdoddy is open for lunch and dinner daily; hopdoddy.com.
This story was originally published August 9, 2021 at 5:45 AM.
