Texas Vegan Burger Shop Grows into Mini-Chain

San Antonio, TX-based vegan eatery Earth Burger will open three new locations in 2018. Earth Burger founder chef Michael Behrend and his mother Luann Singleton pioneered the vegetarian movement in Texas with the opening of San Antonio’s first vegetarian restaurant Green Vegetarian Cuisine. In 2014, Behrend, with the help of his brother Chris, founded the first location of Earth Burger—then a fast-food vegetarian concept—located in the North Star Mall. In July, the family-run eatery removed all remaining dairy from its menu. “The only thing holding us back from being a fully vegan menu was the cheese options,” Behrend told VegNews, “and we weren’t happy with the offerings on the market four years ago when we opened. But now, with Follow Your Heart cheese and Chao cheese, we feel the quality meets our expectations.” Earth Burger serves vegan American classics such as fish-less sandwiches, grilled “chik-n” protein wraps, “beefy” burgers, and “chik-n” tenders, along with coconut-based vegan soft serve for dessert. “Our goal is always to reach more customers and share the benefits of a plant-based diet,” Behrend said, “as we feel every meal is not only better for the person and planet but also the animals.” Earth Burger will open its second location in San Antonio in late January, followed by a third location in San Marcos, TX in spring 2018. The growing chain will open its first location outside of Texas during spring 2018—a vegan burger stand in Minnesota’s Mall of America, the country’s second largest shopping mall. While Behrend is looking at other expansion opportunities in Baltimore, New Jersey, Atlanta, and Florida, he plans to continue opening new locations in Texas, stating that there are “plenty more animals to be saved by spreading the word here in our home state.”