Future Burgerim location on the Highland Strip
The newly renovated Highland Strip in the University District will have a unique new dining option by the end of the year. Loeb Properties has announced the addition of Burgerim, an Israeli-based fast-casual restaurant chain specializing in mini-burgers that is making its first expansion within the U.S. from the West Coast into the Memphis market.
“The concept for the restaurant I think is pretty nice. You get the option of multiple mini-burgers in one order instead of getting one particular thing,” said Akta Patel, Burgerim Memphis franchise owner. “It opens up a lot of choices for our customers.”
Eleven burger patty types will include dry aged beef, wagyu beef, merguez (spicy beef), turkey, lamb, chicken, salmon, and veggie, with savory toppings like grilled onions, sauteed mushrooms, sunny side up egg, pineapple, bacon, American cheese, avocado, and jalapeño. Burgers will be available in two-, three-, and 16-packs.
The ongoing redevelopment of the U. of M. area, as well as the new homes under construction, were big factors for Patel when deciding on a part of town for the new business. She scouted locations in Collierville, Germantown, and parts of Memphis including downtown and Midtown, before deciding on the Highland Strip.
Construction on the 1,300 square-foot space at 569 South Highland should begin later this fall.
“Our design has been sent out for city approval, and once that is back approved we’re going to go ahead and start construction,” said Patel.
She hopes to be open for business by Thanksgiving or Christmas.
“I’ve always wanted to start a business, and it’s the perfect time for my husband and I before we start a family,” said Patel.
Burgerim began franchising in 2011, and there are now more than 80 locations, with stores operating or soon to be opened in the United Kingdom, Spain, Germany, Israel, Romania, and Russia. The first Burgerim restaurant in the U.S., located on Melrose Avenue in Los Angeles, has done so well that more U.S. expansion is underway.
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Michael Waddell is a native Memphian who returned to Memphis several years ago after working for nearly a decade in San Diego and St. Petersburg, Fla., as a writer, editor and graphic designer. His work over the past few years has been featured in
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