Top 5 Veggie Burgers in St. Louis

Station No. 3

Few veggie burgers evoke the joys of chowing down at a favorite burger joint. The Station Burger at Station No. 3 (1956 Utah Street, station3stl.com) proves it's possible. It's impossible to discern the burger's ingredients, but the smashburger-style patty is slightly crumbly and powerfully flavorful. It's topped with a vegan cheddar that melts as well as a slice of American. Pickles and jalapeños add contrast and the large, fluffy bun is an essential part of the better-than-fast-food experience.

MoKaBe's Coffeehouse

South Grand juggernaut MoKaBe's Coffeehouse (3606 Arsenal Street, mokabescoffeehouse.com) goes with the flow with the Triple B. The savory, spiced black bean patty is thin with great texture, and the toppings have a south-of-the-border theme: house-made guacamole and pepperjack cheese offer indulgence, while salsa and fresh red onions brighten the affair. The fluffy Kaiser roll it's served on doesn't taste of the Southwest, but it effectively conveys all the tasty components.

Salt + Smoke

You wouldn't expect the sole vegetarian offering at a barbecue restaurant to be a standout in its own right, but the falafel burger at Salt + Smoke (multiple locations including 5625 Hampton Avenue, saltandsmokebbq.com) is just that. The chickpea-based patty is verdant with herbs and evokes the center of a great falafel ball. What really makes it, though, is the contrast between the soft burger, the crunch of the griddled bun and the unexpected sweet pepper jelly schmear on top.

SweetArt

There's no veggie burger more celebrated in town than the Sweet Burger at SweetArt (2203 South 39th Street, sweetartstl.com), but to us the Make It Funky is where it's at. This amped-up version takes everything great about the original (the chunky vegetable and bean patty that stands up to the substantial bun, that otherworldly vegan magic sauce) and turns things up to 11 with a coconut-based "bacon" (not bacon, but delicious like bacon), perfectly sweet caramelized onions and barbecue sauce.

Seedz Cafe

While most veggie burgers are a bit mushy, the BBQ Smoked Beet & Black Bean Burger at Seedz Cafe (6344 South Rosebury Avenue, Clayton; seedzcafe.com) delivers a more substantial and drier texture than most, with a great exterior crunch that comes from the bean-and-grain composition piled several inches thick; it's a big boy. All of Seedz's sauces are top notch, and the burger's hearty barbecue melds delightfully with cashew cheese and avocado.