Burger Patch’s largest location yet planned near Land Park; another spot opens May 15

Burger Patch’s largest location yet will open at the northeast tip of South Land Park, setting the stage for expansion in and out of the Sacramento area, co-owner Phil Horn said Monday.

The new plant-based fast-food restaurant will open at 4400 Freeport Blvd., Suite 160, later this year, Horn said. It’ll include a 1,500-square-foot storefront with the same items as existing Burger Patches in Davis and midtown Sacramento, plus a central kitchen visible from the dining room and corporate office space.

Burger Patch’s announcement came less than two weeks before the opening of the East Sacramento location at 1420 65th St. on May 15. Horn and his wife/co-owner Danea are eyeing a Bay Area opening next, though they haven’t yet found the right place, he said.

That’s where the central kitchen comes in. Burger Patch does all prep work for its entirely vegan menu in each restaurant, makes syrups and sauces from scratch, seasoning Beyond Meat patties and mixing alternative milk shakes in tight quarters. The new hub will let Burger Patch distribute to each store, plus future locations to come.

Burger Patch began selling plant-based burgers and fries as a pop-up in 2017, then opened its first brick-and-mortar restaurant at 2301 K St., Suite 101 the following year. Phil Horn is a former Kings executive, while Danea is pursuing a doctorate in agricultural and resource economics at UC Davis.

The menu remains somewhat limited, similar to an In-N-Out Burger devoid of beef and dairy, but Burger Patch also has seasonal specials like macaroni and cheeze, Philly cheezesteaks and faux pulled pork sandwiches made with soy.

“There was, at one point, a barrier for people to dip their toes in the plant-based water,” Horn said. “What we really tried to do from the beginning was make something comfortable and convenient, so if someone tried it they’ d come back and wanted that experience to be the same. Our goal is to continue to try to be that medium for plant-based experiences to become mainstream, and we think we’re getting closer and closer to that every day.”

A full staff remains the restaurant industry’s hottest commodity, and Burger Patch is hiring for more than 20 positions in Davis, midtown and East Sacramento, plus 40 more when the South Land Park location opens. Pooled tips and flexible roles mean most employees start at $17 an hour or more.

Those wages, strict adherence to COVID-19 safety measures and a concept already built around to-go service helped Burger Patch retain most of its 120 existing employees throughout the pandemic, Horn said. Features like the FastPatch contactless pickup window, a grid of cubbies containing prepaid orders, will remain in place at all locations even after the June 15 statewide reopening.

“It was a pretty seamless transition for us to move into what is now known as a pandemic model,” Horn said. “That was kind of always the appeal from beginning, to be this grab-and-go convenient consciousness where it’s the convenience you expect from a fast food brand, but from a food standpoint, it’s something you can feel better about.”

Burger Patch will have 14 seats inside and 30-40 outside in East Sacramento, then 24 inside and 18 outside in Land Park.

This story was originally published May 3, 2021 at 2:24 PM.