A vegan burger? It sounds like an oxymoron, I know, and it’s exactly what I thought when I visited Flower Burger, the new and only vegan burger restaurant in Italy. Opened in October 2015 in Porta Venezia right in the center of Milan, Flower Burger is the latest destination not only for vegans, but also for those who love to taste new flavours or simply like to follow trends. A space created by 20-something entrepreneur Matteo Toto, whose aim was to blend the trend for healthy eating with the trend of gourmet burgers that have started to pop up in the last few years.

The restaurant decor reminds of the Hippy era (inspiration behind the name Flower Burger), with bright colours and psychedelic Yellow Submarine graphics mixed with natural wood and lacquered iron furniture. The kitchen is found behind a ’70s-inspired curtain, like an open lab. The big tables are meant to be shared by guests, creating a more friendly and relaxed enviroment.

But what about my burger? I must admit, as reluctant as I may have been when I entered the place, once I tucked into my Tofungo I was completely won over by the concept and most importantly the food. A delicious bun made with 7 different cereals filled with a tasty smoked tofu patty wonderfully complemented by tomatoes, spinach, mushroom, salad and a creamy mushroom sauce, it mesmerized my taste buds and changed my perception of vegan food as boring and tasteless. And the taste buds were not the only one to enjoy the experience. If you ever thought of vegan food as visually sad and colourless, Flower Burger will make you change your mind. All burgers in the menu are not only prepared using the highest-quality ingredients, mostly locally sourced, they are also a feast for the eyes.

The menu includes six burgers, all creatively put together and to be served accompanied by the signature potato chips, duly cooked in the oven (no fried food for us vegans!) and flavoured with tasty paprika. Everything here is homemade, from the sauces and patties to the bread, from tumeric to seven-cereal and vegetable carbon buns – this latter one having acquired an iconic status already.

Flower Burger is the perfect place where to enjoy a healthy and unique meal that conveys a strong sense of creativity and emotions… natural homemade happiness Made in Italy!