Elevation Burger to bring quality, classic food to The Yard

Nothing gets Rutgers students more excited than new food joints. Fresh restaurants and cafes on campus mean more options to choose from and, honestly, the repetitive slew of pizza parlors on Easton Avenue is sometimes just not enough. This December, Elevation Burger, the organic burger franchise, will open a new location at The Yard @ College Avenue. 

Founded in 2005, Hans Hess decided that he didn't just want to open up another burger chain. Instead, he wanted to create an environmentally-friendly, healthy menu that he would be proud to serve to his own children and now, the Rutgers community as well. Designed with a health-conscious mind, Hess offers a healthy and fresh burger that will create a new foodie experience at The Yard. 

With competitors around New Brunswick like Burgerim and Diesel and Duke, it is easy to wonder what is different about Elevation Burger. What's interesting is that Elevation Burger is taking the place of the now out-of-business Bella’s Burgers — if Bella’s was not successful, do students really want another burger bar? 

If there is one thing for certain, it's that Elevation Burger does not lack in its selection. Menu items will include several  signature style burgers, fries, chicken sandwiches — grilled and crispy — and chicken wings. The location will also carry vegetarian and vegan burgers. Side options will include fresh cut fries cooked in 100 percent olive oil, chicken tenders and smoothies. 

As promised, Elevation Burger is dedicated to clean food. “Our burgers are 100 percent organic beef, fresh ground in house. Our beef is also sourced from grass fed cattle, which has less calories and saturated fat than conventional beef. All our meat is organic, free range, humanely processed and Halal,” said Joe Hafez, the location’s director of Operations. 

As Rutgers has been making strides to become more environmentally friendly and it has become a trend with students and faculty to buy more eco-friendly products. For example, Harvest Café on Cook campus has transitioned its plastic straws into paper, making them safer for the environment. Therefore, it is important that we bring in new and innovative restaurants to each campus, hoping to provide a safer place to indulge food and create a friendlier environment. Especially as a university with great diversity, having vegan and Halal options is a unique touch to the menu, giving those students a safe space to feel included and enjoy their meals. 

Not only is Elevation Burger’s food health- and earth-conscious, Hafez also emphasized how the brand prioritizes eco-friendly operations. “We are a brand socially and environmentally conscious building our restaurants using rapidly renewable materials, water reducing fixtures and energy star rated equipment that minimizes the impact on the environment. We also use recycled paper products in our operations,” he said. 

Like local burger joint Diesel and Duke, the location does not offer seating inside the building — definitely a con. But knowing that Elevation Burger is located in such a hotspot, it is important to know that it will produce food quickly for orders placed in house.  

We all know that Rutgers students are on a budget, and there is no better way to acknowledge that than with discounts and promotions. Joe Hafez said the location will offer students discounts and will also have rolling promotions throughout the year.

In a progressive era of eating, delivery options are also a necessity on college campuses, as they provide easy access to food options. Thankfully, Elevation Burger will conveniently be partnering with third-party food delivery services such as Doordash, UberEats and GrubHub. The Yard is an exciting location with great exposure to the New Brunswick community and Hafez said Elevation Burger and its staff are looking forward to joining the already strong dining scene at Rutgers.