A new restaurant in Coolidge Corner is turning the classic American cheeseburger experience on its head. PLNT Burger opened its first independent brick-and-mortar location outside New York at 2955 Harvard Street on December 11.
PLNT Burger is a sustainability-focused, plant-based restaurant serving classic comfort food dishes like burgers, fries, and chicken sandwiches but with 100% plant-based ingredients. The goal is to create a space where groups of diverse diners can gather together, and everyone can enjoy a meal.
“We’re intentional about providing options for literally anybody,” says co-founder Jonah Goldman. “There should never be a reason that someone can’t eat at PLNT Burger. We’re 100% plant-based. We’re halal, kosher, GMO-free menu, gluten-free options as you name it, there’s something for everyone.”
And the community appears to be hungry for it. Despite heavy rains and flooding around Boston, a line was out the door for the grand opening.
PLNT Burger has two other Boston-area locations, one in the South End and one in Dedham, but both are small counters inside larger businesses. This is a standalone restaurant.
The group has intentionally made this restaurant-specific to the Coolidge Corner community. The inside features a massive mural by Boston artist Mark Grundig depicting a colorful map of Coolidge Corner and a cast of fun characters eating in front of a row of brownstones. You can even spot the Coolidge Corner Theatre in the background.
“This neighborhood was very appealing to us,” says Goldman. “It’s got a great history, a great culture, amazing community and demographics. It’s almost indescribable, but it feels like a warm village when you walk down the street.”
They’re putting their money where their mouth is when it comes to building community. A portion of all sales from Monday, December 16, and Tuesday, December 17, went towards BAGLY, a local nonprofit supporting queer and trans youth. PLNT Burger plans to choose a different local nonprofit organization monthly to support similarly.
PLNT Burger is eager to prove to Brookliners that a plant-based burger is just as good as a regular one. Anyone downloading the PLNT Burger app and showing it at the new restaurant gets a free burger or sandwich.
Goldman says, “We re-imagine American classics like the cheeseburger, the milkshake, the fries we all know and love, and craft them in a way that is delicious, nutritious, and nothing suspicious.”
