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NYC's 7 Best Veggie Burgers, 2012 Edition

While New York City boasts some of the best burgers around, there are delicious veggie burgers at restaurants around the city delivering just as much flavor without all the calories and fat, perfect for our vegetarian friends or for a day when you're looking to get in your daily dose of vegetables. By Sarah Shaker.

More: NYC's 8 Best Vegetarian Sandwiches

Shroom Burger Shake Shack
Shroom Burger Shake Shack/Flickr

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Whether you're catching a Mets game at Citi Field or waiting in the long line at Madison Square Park, Shake Shack's menu gets your tummy rumbling. While their famous Shack Burger attracts most of their foodie fans, the 'Shroom Burger satisfies Vegetarians and cheese lovers, alike. A portobello mushroom is fried and stuffed with melted muenster and cheddar cheeses, topped with lettuce, tomato and ShackSauce. This ooey-gooey veggie burger is not light on the calories, but who's really on a diet in the Shake Shack line?

Westville Veggie Burger
(credit: WestVille blog)

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Westville's veggie burger comes on a sweet Portuguese bun, loaded with sautéed mushrooms, topped with creamy tartar sauce. The deep-fried patty is almost like a fritter in texture and is even tastier if you order it with shredded Gouda. And don't miss out on Westville's long list of market veggie sides, rotating daily.

5 Napkin Veggie Burger
(credit: 5 Napkin Burger)

At 5 Napkin Burger a patty of black beans, barley, brown rice, carrots, beets, jalapeños and sesame seeds makes for a tender middle with a crisp crust inside a multigrain bun filled with tomatoes, lettuce, bread and butter pickles. The sauce is reminiscent of both creamy Russian dressing and a tangy tartar sauce. Get your napkins ready for more than just their signature red meat offerings.

Tiny's Giant Sandwich Shop
(credit: Tiny's Giant Sandwich Shop)

This may be the closest a vegetarian has to a Big Mac at Tiny's Giant Sandwich Shop in the Lower East Side. A soft brioche bun is filled with a soy-based patty, soy bacon, real cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle and "special sauce." Fast food has gone vegetarian at Tiny's.

Royale
(credit: Royale Facebook)

At a bar famed for its Black Angus burgers, ("Royale with cheese", of course) serves a carrot-heavy veggie alternative as a sandwich menu option. This burger is hearty enough to enjoy during a night of heavy drinking by the bar or out in the covered backyard patio.

Bareburger
(credit: Bareburger Facebook)

BareBurger is proudly serving all free-range, pasture raised, antibiotic and hormone free meats. Their veggie burger is both dairy and nut free, perfect for anyone with allergies or a sensitive stomach. Choose from a variety of buns – from a multi-grain roll to an iceberg lettuce wrap and enjoy your veggie burger with a range of toppings with 14 styles, like The California (sharp cheddar, avocado, romaine, tomato, raw red oion and cilantro lime dressing) or The Classic (dill pickle relish, apple smoked onions and ketchup).

Otarian Lentil Burger
(credit: Otarian)

This restaurant focuses on sustainability, offering a few veggie burgers, like the Lentl Mushroom Burger, oven roasted with Otarian's chipotle mayonnaise (egg free), layered with mature cheddar, caramelized onions and pickled cucumbers. The prices are under $8 for a veggie burger, so it's a great healthy budget lunch in Midtown.

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Sarah Shaker is the founder of the blog Bright Lights, My City.
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