On any given Friday night, 12th Avenue South is bustling with hungry people looking for a good place to eat. If they make it to 12th and Paris, they will happen upon one of the best local restaurants in Nashville. Burger Up greets its patrons with warm lighting and a modern farmhouse feel. Especially in the summer, you can find customers chatting outside while they wait for a table due to the small waiting area. Equipped with an intimate outdoor patio, it serves as a favorite spot for locals to enjoy a cool, summer night. After being seated, customers can peruse the relatively simple menu of appetizers, salads and burgers. Many of the items can be found at chain burger joints (fried pickles, BBQ bacon burger and sweet potato fries), but Burger Up inevitably adds its local, “gourmet†twist to the items. Although burgers constitute the menu, the options range from beef to bison to turkey to lamb. Burger Up partners with several farms in Nashville and surrounding areas to obtain fresh, locally sourced ingredients. Most notably, Triple L Ranch provides the beef for the burgers and plays a key role in furthering the restaurant’s mission to “foster thoughtful consuming through community.â€
Burger Up: A great local place to eat in Nashville
When it first opened in 2010, I do not think Burger Up fathomed the success it would have in such a short period of time. Weekends are often extremely busy and thus create longer wait times for a table and slower service from the wait staff. The seating is relatively limited so the best chances for sitting down quickly are around early evening and weekdays. The meals are consistently well prepared and presented by a knowledgeable wait staff. As an upscale burger joint, many of the entrees start at $11 and can go up from there with the addition of a side for another $4. Including an appetizer or alcoholic beverage, the final tab can add up quickly. Burger Up serves a versatile crowd including families, couples, businesspeople and the occasional college student. Although a little pricey, the menu brings Nashvillians and visitors alike a little bit closer to their food and the community around them. For this reason, Burger Up remains one of the best local restaurants in Nashville.