Burger Lounge test market expands to Del Mar

Burger Lounge has expanded its monthlong test market of a new menu of plant-based items to Del Mar this week.

Two weeks ago, the San Diego-based restaurant chain introduced a new Flora and Fauna choose-your-protein menu at its Hillcrest store at Fourth and University avenues in Hillcrest. Now it’s also available for a limited time at the Del Mar location in the Flower Hill Promenade shopping center. The expanded menu includes a new plant-based burger as well as cashew-based non-dairy shakes, vegan cheese and plant-based chicken nugget-like alternatives.

The two San Diego stores, as well as one store in the Los Angeles community of Larchmont, are serving as the sole test markets for the products before the company rolls out customers’ favorites chainwide. At the Hillcrest and Del Mar stores, diners can sample Sweet Earth’s Awesome Burger, and in Larchmont, diners will get the Impossible Burger. The Awesome Burger has pea protein powder as its main ingredient.

Pam Kragen writes about San Diego restaurants at The San Diego Union-Tribune. Email her at pam.kragen@sduniontribune.com.