The Belleville burger joint you have to try

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I’ve been driving past Belleville, Ontario, for decades. On the long, boring drive along Highway 401 between Ottawa and Toronto, I usually try to save time by nipping into an ONroute service centre for a quick meal—but no more. Because a burger yesterday rocked my road-trip dining world.

From now on, I’m planning my Southern Ontario road trips so I can stop at Burger Revolution, a little spot on North Front Street that I’d have driven right by if a few readers hadn’t suggested I check it out.

My husband Paul and I had stopped for the night at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites (comfortable rooms, spotlessly clean, COVID-19 protocols galore). As we were packing up to head home, I suddenly realized that Burger Revolution was about a two-minute walk away, right across the road. So we went to check it out.

I have always said that my dad made the best burgers on the planet Earth, and I stand by that claim. But the burgers at Burger Revolution come really, really close.

Not your usual hamburger bar

The first clue that this isn’t a typical burger joint is the extensive menu, chalked onto large boards behind the small takeout counter. It took us quite a while to make up our minds, but I finally chose the Chèvre Guevara (goat cheese, roasted red pepper, bacon and smoked tomato jam), while Paul picked the Royal Rizal (caramelized onion, blue cheese, bacon and red pepper jelly).

The second clue that this wasn’t McDonald’s or Burger King was the news that our meals would take about 10 to 15 minutes to prepare. No worries; we sat at one of the two red picnic tables outside to wait.

Started by husband and wife Jeff and Rayling Comacho, the restaurant has a fun and cheeky vibe. The red-and-black signage likely intentionally echoes the style of those old Che Guevara t-shirts, and the restaurant’s “manifesto” is written on the wall above a poster of Napoleon brandishing a hamburger flipper.

So, how was the food?

When the server arrived with our meals in a paper bag, she apologized (!) for including fries. Trying to reduce calories at least a little, we hadn’t ordered the combo. But a combo we received—and it was a happy accident.

Normally, I’m not much of a chip fan (don’t even get me started on how much I dislike poutine), but these French fries were outstanding. Hand-cut from locally grown Yukon Gold potatoes, they were crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, and lightly dusted with salt and herbs.

But it was the burgers that will have me detouring to Belleville from now on. Made with sustainable local beef, popped into soft buns and slathered with toppings, they were juicy, messy, piping hot and fabulous. My photo really doesn’t do them justice.

We inhaled our meals beside the restaurant’s parking lot and the view of Front Street wasn’t terribly inspiring, I have to admit.

As an alternative, you could bring an insulated bag and transport your burgers somewhere a little more scenic—say, the picnic tables in Riverside Park beside the Moira River, a five-minute drive to the east. That’s what I’ll be doing the next time I stop for a Burger Revolution fix. And, believe me, there will be a next time.

If you go

Currently offering takeout from 11am to 8pm six days a week (closed Sundays), Burger Revolution is located at 300 North Front Street (AKA Highway 62). From Highway 401, take exit 543 and drive about half a kilometre south; the restaurant will be on your right-hand side.

There’s a second location at 34 Monogram Place in Trenton, just south of Highway 401 off Glen Miller Road (exit 526).

For more details, see the Burger Revolution website.

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