A burger is a burger, right? Not according to The Counter Palo Alto. They shook things up and came up with a new way of looking at our favorite meat patty. First, you do not have to have it in a bun – eating it from a bowl is fine, particularly for those with gluten intolerance or for those who don’t eat a lot of bread.

And why should a burger mean only beef? They have turkey, bison, chicken, fish, and several veggies patties. The toppings and sauces are also much more varied than the traditional mayo and ketchup. In fact, you can just make the burger yourself – choose the bread, choose the meat, the salad, the topping, and cheese, and if you want, you can even bring it all home raw and cook it yourself.

One thing The Counter insists on: all meats are organic and hormone- and antibiotic-free. If you think their burgers are innovative, try their milk shakes. The Chocolate Cherry Pinot Noir Shake with pinot noir wine, chocolate syrup, and cherries is delicious – just make sure the kids don’t get hold of it.

The Counter Palo Alto, 2580 W El Camino Real, Mountain View, CA 94040, Phone: 650-321-3900

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