Plenty of successful chain restaurants have been launched on the West Coast of the United States.
Unfortunately for those of us who live elsewhere, some of them haven't ventured very far beyond that
region. These are the West Coast fast food chains that we wish would expand everywhere.
Portland-based Little Big Burger specializes in quarter-pound squat patties that resemble
miniature hockey pucks. With a focus on sourcing local ingredients, quality is high,
and that's reflected in the juicy,
expertly charred burgers made with Cascade Natural beef. According to Portland Monthly,
"[They] deliver some beefy perfume and lip-smacking crunch."
Expect some unusual touches worthy of Portlandia, starting with the cheese selection, as Little
Big Burger offers the likes of pimento and goat cheese and none of the processed stuff. The bun
is fluffy brioche that's of course made local. The veggies are organic, and the ketchup is spelled
"catsup" and it comes from Portland's very own Camden's. As for the fries, the standard setting
is shoestring slivers tossed in truffle oil, and we're certainly not complaining, especially when
they're dipped in the creamy fry sauce. Outside of Oregon, there are two locations in North Carolina,
and one in Washington. But this is a little burger chain that definitely needs to think bigger.
"You're just gonna consistently get a great meal. You're gonna get a
great sandwich. The fries are great. I've never been disappointed with this place."
Bay Area sensation Super Duper Burgers is basically the West Coast's answer to Shake Shack,
and dare we say, it actually surpasses it. The burgers are described by Business Insider as
"an amalgamation of rich, fresh flavors." They fall under the fast-casual banner,
so prepare for a bit of sticker shock when you have to pay.
As founder Adriano Paganini explained to QSR Magazine in 2016,
"If a burger costs $3 or less, you're not getting enough food or enough quality. But it doesn't
need to cost $15 either. We're charging the right price for the right quality."
In other words, don't expect to order from a dollar menu here.
What you'll find instead are ingredients that are, according to the chain's website,
"organic, locally-sourced, humanely raised, never frozen,
always made fresh from scratch every day." In our estimation, that is indeed super duper.
The burgers are prepared with meat from family-owned Brandt Beef. There's also
a veggie patty option served with hummus, cucumber, and Super sauce.
And the ice cream in the milkshakes comes courtesy of certified-organic Strauss Family Creamery.
There's also Peregrine Ranch wine, which is sustainable and biodynamic. If you'd like a
higher-end fast food option in your area, then Super Duper Burgers would be a welcome addition.
If you're skeptical about the prospect of bringing West Coast fried chicken to the South,
then you almost certainly haven't tried Seattle's legendary Ezell's Famous Chicken. Too often,
restaurants that tack on boastful superlatives to their names don't actually live up to the
grandiose billing. But that's not the case with Ezell's, which has the coveted distinction of
serving Oprah Winfrey's favorite fried chicken. It doesn't get much more famous than that!
There are plenty more devotees besides Gayle's best friend
who flock to Ezell's 14 locations across Washington and one in Oregon. But there are
two big predicaments when you are at Ezell's. The first is whether to go tender or bone-in.
Thankfully, there's no wrong answer! The next conundrum is seasoning:
original or spicy? You can't go wrong with the original recipe, but if you want heat,
kick it up a notch. You can even take the "why not both?" approach and go half and half.
Classic homemade sides like mashed potatoes, slow-baked BBQ beans,
mac & cheese, and cole slaw are all first rate, but it's the fresh baked dinner rolls
that absolutely require your attention. The Seattle Spectator goes so far as to anoint them
"the best thing on the menu." And if that's not enough carbs for you,
then you'd better cap off your meal with a slice of the sublime home-baked sweet potato pie.
Pizza Port, which has five locations spread across San Diego and Orange County,
is like that renegade cop in the movies. He's the one who doesn't play by the rules.
Pizza Port doesn't play by the rules either. It's a brewpub,
but also a family-friendly restaurant. It serves pizza topped with everything from meatballs,
bacon, and BBQ sauce to shrimp, pepperoncinis, and Buffalo ranch. The thick-crusted, kitchen
sink pies would assuredly cause Neapolitans to riot, but your kid's soccer team will be ecstatic.
"And the crowd goes wild."
In addition to the great pizza, the beer is unequivocally phenomenal, racking up a slew
of industry awards and accolades. Hoppy West Coast IPAs are the house specialty, but Pizza Port also
excels at brewing the darker stuff as well as easy sippers like the California Honey ale and
Chronic amber ale, the chain's most popular brew. Pizza Port also offers a brisk takeout
and delivery business, so it definitely fits the bill for fast food. If you're ordering to-go, make
sure to grab a six-pack or growler-fill to wash down your pizza, wings, and maybe even a salad.
With all due respect to Subway, if any sandwich shop deserves to use the slogan "eat fresh,"
it should be California-based Mendocino Farms. Inventive "cheffy" sandwiches and "soulful"
salads made with farm-fresh ingredients are the main draw at Mendocino Farms,
which offers permanent menu fixtures and seasonal specials prepared with a pan-global approach.
Sandwiches are divided between "foodie favorites" and more familiar "craveable classics." For the
former, we can't get enough of the Peruvian Steak, which is doused in spicy aji amarillo, topped with
Oaxacan cheese, herb aioli , red onions, tomatoes, and shredded romaine, with an available avocado
upgrade. It's served on a toasted potato roll and requires plenty of napkins, so try not to wear
white. As for the more familiar fare, "A Sandwich Study of Heat" takes the humble turkey sandwich
and turns up the temperature by adding chili aioli and a jalapeño salsa verde. There's also smashed
avocado gouda, so this isn't exactly a sandwich that ever showed up in your school lunchbox.
There are also vegetarian and vegan options if that's your thing,
along with a slew of sides like spicy curried couscous and marinated red beets and quinoa salad,
which you can sample before you commit. Mendocino Farms is currently only operating
in California and Texas. That's 48 states short of where it should be.
Celebrity chef Richard Blais successfully channeled fine dining flair into the fast casual
Crack Shack. Chicken of the high-quality Jidori variety is the name of the game at this chain,
and it comes in just about every iteration you can think of:
fried, grilled, ground, atop salads, by the piece, sandwiched, intermingling with fries
that are cooked in chicken fat. And just like the Top Chef winner's hair,
they're bound to grab your attention. There are plenty of chicken dinner winners on the menu,
but we recommend The Firebird. According to The Infatuation's description,:
"[It comes] with a just-spicy-enough fried thigh, crispy onions, pickles, and ranch sauce."
Save room for sides, including the messy yet magnificent Mexican poutine, which consists
of schmaltz fries, pollo asado, and jalapeño cheese wiz. There's also the freshly-baked
bite-sized biscuits that are served with sweet and savory miso butter. And if you want to bring
the little ones, go right ahead. There's a kids meal that includes nuggets, grilled chicken,
or grilled cheese; a choice of carrots or a small order of fries; a juice box; and a house-baked
cookie. Speaking of cookies, the mighty Cookie Monster milkshake is suitable for all ages.
"Cookie!"
San Jose boasts the second largest Vietnamese population
in the United States, so it makes sense that it would produce a booming bánh mì empire.
Lee's Sandwiches might not necessarily be the best bánh mì slinger in town,
but it is the most prolific, and without a doubt it's superior to the vast majority of its fast
food sandwich competition. We'll take Cali Lee's over Jersey Mike's any day of the week.
Skip the Euro portion of the menu and stick with one of the 18 Asian sandwich options,
which are all served on a fluffy 10-inch baguette with house-pickled daikon and carrots,
cilantro, and house-made mayo. There's a reason Lee's Combination is at the top of the list:
it consists of a standard bánh mì cold cut combo of ham, head cheese, and pate. The full package
offers a contrast of textures and flavors that wow with every bite. The grilled meats also deliver,
particularly the chicken and pork meatball, which is prepared in the traditional Vietnamese style.
For early risers, there are egg-centric breakfast sandwiches on the menu as well.
If you still have room in your belly, the crispy pork & shrimp egg rolls are a worthy addition.
Spread across California, with additional franchises in Arizona, Texas, and Oklahoma,
Lee's Sandwiches is currently over 60 locations strong. Let's hope that growth continues.
The food truck frenzy may be on the decline in Los Angeles, but the love for Leo's Tacos,
which operates seven vehicles across the county, remains strong. The menu highlights
all the usual taco suspects plus some more interesting cuts of meat, like stomach,
tripe, and head. But the lines remain long primarily for one extremely delicious reason:
al pastor. The brilliantly spiced, juicy spit-grilled pork bridges the best of
Middle Eastern and Mexican cooking, and few do it better than Leo's.
Paper-thin slices of pork are gracefully shaved from the massive cone of meat and then topped with
a sliver of pineapple that resides all the way at the tippy top of the towering structure so that
its sweet and sour juice can flow down upon the pastor. Order it simply as a taco, or if you're
with friends, opt for the alambres Hawaiian, a piggish mound of al pastor topped with plenty of
cheese and pineapple. Tortillas are served on the side to yank all that deliciousness up. And before
you dig in, make a detour towards the salsa bar to load up on sauces, cilantro, onions, and pickles.
Few stars shine brighter in Hollywood than Pink's. The landmark may not be recognized on
the Hollywood Walk of Fame, but its intersection at Melrose Avenue and La Brea Boulevard has been
formally named "Pink's Square," which is quite the achievement for a no-frills hot dog shack.
Launched in 1939, Pink's is still as popular as ever, drawing crowds of tourists and locals. In
addition to the history, there's also the food. If you want a hot dog kept simple,
topped with sauerkraut and mustard and possibly onions,
there's the New York dog. If a pickle, relish, tomato, and poppy seed bun is more your style,
then Chicago it is. In Los Angeles, the chili dog reigns supreme, but when you narrow your focus to
Hollywood and need that ol' razzle-dazzle, Pink's offers plenty of showstoppers.
Toppings include everything from guacamole and nacho cheese to grilled mushrooms and pastrami.
Span the expansive menu and you'll come across a who's who of boldfaced names attached to fanciful
creations. Getting your own Pink's hot dog is an honor falling somewhere between a People's
Choice Award and an Oscar. Our choice for top dog is the Huell Howser. Named after the late
local television legend, it features a pair of hot dogs in a single bun with a topping of chili,
cheese, onions, and mustard. Pink's is currently operating 15
locations in nine states, but quite frankly, that's not nearly enough.
In our humble opinion, In-N-Out serves the absolute best
fast food hamburger. It also boasts sweet headwear and an earworm of a jingle.
"That's what a hamburger's all about!"
Despite ferocious demand for those shockingly reasonably priced Double Doubles, expansion
is moving at a glacial pace. That's because the powers that be are sticklers for quality. While
that ensures your burger will be made exclusively with fresh ground beef and vibrant veggies,
it's bad news for anyone who doesn't live within 300 miles of the company's processing facilities,
which are currently relegated to California, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and Texas.
If you're out of range, though, don't despair. Just think of all the drawbacks to living the
In-N-Out life. For one, there are the frequent waits that have extended to an astonishing 14
hours. And its polarizing fries have their detractors, but other than that, In-N-Out is
basically the perfect burger chain, so pray hard that it eventually finds its way to your town.
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