Best Veggie Burger '97

Best Veggie Burger

Terra Nova
6366 E. Broadway

READERS' PICK: The name has changed but the veggie burger remains the same, and thank goodness for that! Unlike the corn-kernel-studded hockey pucks many restaurants purchase in bulk at Costco and sell as veggie burgers, Terra Nova's veggie burger is a freshly made mixture of moist veggies and sunflower seeds, served with ripe tomatoes, sweet onions, good mustard and crisp lettuce on a whole grain bun. They'll add cheese if you ask for it. It's unlike any fake charcoal-flavored fast-food burger with rubbery pickle, anemic tomato and slippery gray lettuce. Terra Nova's veggie burger is a huge, flesh-and-blood-free meal that tastes as delicious as it looks.

READERS' POLL RUNNER-UP: Chili's Grill &Bar, 4911 N. Stone Ave.

A REAL SCREAM: Ever had a really, really good veggie burger? Yeah, well, neither had we until one day someone suggested we try the Homemade Black Bean Burger over at the recently opened Kaotic Kafe, 1135 N. Park Ave. Mixed with onions, cilantro, red pepper and Cajun spices, and served on your choice of breads (we like the Kaiser Roll) with fresh lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, and Kaotic's own Cajun Mayonnaise, this burger is flat out terrific. And, if that's not enough, it's served with a tasty side of fresh fruit, greens or angel-hair pasta salad.

1998 Winner: Bentley's House of Coffee and Tea