For the past eight years, Burger Moovment, 7512 W. North Ave., has been setting the burger standard in Elmwood Park. Owner Anthony Gambino has helmed Oak Park’s Italian mainstay, Cucina Paradiso, for more than 20 years and has found the balance between fine dining and casual fare.
“Besides fine dining Italian, I have loved pizza and burgers my entire life,” says Gambino. “I’ve done pizza for many years, so when the time and location was right, it was natural to do a burger joint.”
In fact, the Classic Moov, featuring American cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickles, ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise on a brioche bun, was recently named among the top 20 suburban burgers by the Chicago Tribune. Earlier in 2019, their fries were named among the top 20 in Chicagoland by the same publication.
Gambino was thrilled with the recognition and considers the mentions to be a validation for all the hard work and research that goes into crafting a Burger Moovment meal.
He and the Burger Moovment team focus on using quality ingredients to build a better burger. The quick-service establishment flips every patty to order using locally sourced bakery buns, 100-percent Angus beef and locally grown produce.
In addition to serving up 3-ounce griddle-smashed beef patties (think single, double or triple depending on your appetite), the Elmwood Park shop offers black bean veggie burgers, healthy turkey burgers and an all-natural chicken option.
With four fresh buns to choose from, including a gluten free option, 20 topping and sauce options, five cheeses to choose from and four premium toppings like fried egg or applewood smoked bacon, the menu at Burger Moovment holds limitless possibilities.
Gambino recommends purists order an “American Diner” burger at Burger Moovment. The traditional combo is ordered at practically every counter service burger joint in America and features a single beef patty, topped with American cheese, grilled onions and pickles on a simple delicious white bun.
Gambino indicates the idea behind the simple order is to have two to three burgers to fill your belly. And at less than $4 per burger, folks can afford to have more than one.
“Frankly, I just always crave a simple burger with American cheese, pickles and ketchup with a double patty,” says Gambino of his own burger order. “If a burger tastes great when it’s simple, it will always be great with added ingredients.”
For burger lovers looking for a more complex offering, Burger Moovment has more than a few menu options to choose from. The Elmwood Park Burger is the most popular menu item because its covers everything a burger aficionado longs for: meat, cheese, pickles, grilled onions and bacon with special Moov sauce.
A burger topped with cheddar cheese curds, fries, sautéed mushrooms, rich gravy and scallion aioli are highlighted in the Poutine Burger and the South of the Moovment will bring a little pepper to your palate with a spicy combination of pepper jack cheese, spicy chipotle, and jalapeños.
“We hope to be an institution to the neighborhood for many years to come, where families can always come and enjoy great American fare,” says Gambino.
So get a Moov on!
