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“I think I could be vegan!” said Kyra Larkin, a first-timer at Dirt Burger. Located off of East Fifth Street in downtown Des Moines, this plant-based restaurant has a menu of exclusively vegan-friendly burgers, shakes and sides. This year, Dirt Burger was named the winner of CITYVIEW’s Ultimate Burger Challenge for best burger in Des Moines. One of the employees added, “Better than B-Bop’s burgers!”

As non-vegans, friends Kyra Larkin, Halpin and I, were unsure about whether or not we would like their veggie burgers. Larkin ordered the Bel-Air Burger, a monthly special that consists of Peppadew Pimento Cheese, corn aioli, parsnip “bacon,” heirloom tomatoes and lettuce. Karleigh ordered the Austin BBQ burger, which contained BBQ sauce, vegan cheddar, pickled cabbage, red onion and jalapeños, all on a brioche bun. I ordered the original Dirt Burger with ketchup, pickles, vegan cheddar, red onion, vegan ranch and lettuce.

The Bel-Air Burger might have been my favorite. This monthly special had a perfect combination of savory and light. The “bacon” gave the burger more of a meat feeling, even though I was not consuming any meat. The Austin BBQ had a kick due to the jalapeños. If you are a fan of spicy things, this burger is for you. Lastly, I would recommend the original Dirt Burger to anyone who enjoys a more traditional meal. The one thing that stuck out to me the most, oddly enough, was the homemade ketchup. It is unexplainable how much I enjoyed it. It had a thicker consistency than your regular Heinz ketchup, which made it taste more “real” rather than artificial. The ranch also had a fresh taste to it.

The area where Dirt Burger is located, right next to Mars Coffee Bar and Raygun, this hard-to-miss yellow building gives off a lively and fresh feeling as they have open windows and a welcoming environment. We also ordered shakes, along with our burgers which are new to the Dirt Burger menu. Larkin ordered the Cookies and Cream, Halpin ordered the “Lil Elvis,” which was made of peanut butter, jelly and (vegan) vanilla ice cream. Lastly, I ordered the Mixed Berry, which had smashed berries and vegan vanilla ice cream. If you don’t mind chunks of fruit in your shake, the Mixed Berry is a good choice. The vanilla ice cream is filling and pairs well with the fruit. If you are wanting more of an ice cream taste, the Cookies and Cream accurately resembled an Oreo Blizzard from Dairy Queen. Last but not least, my favorite shake was the “Lil Elvis.” It tasted like the peanut butter and jelly that mom used to make for lunch in junior high. I never thought something could be that good and be healthy.

No need to be vegan to walk into Dirt Burger. For those open to trying new things, this place is a great start. Although, due to COVID-19, there is no inside seating, there are a couple benches nearby that you could enjoy your meal. As for the pricing, each burger is between $7 and $9. You can also add hand cut fries for $3, and the shakes are all $5