Vegan Wizard Burger now open in downtown Albany
Wizard Burger, a spin-off of Burrito Burrito in Troy that like the original focuses on fastcasual vegan food and grew out of pop-ups at the Collar City site, has been open for takeout and delivery since mid-march at 74 N. Pearl St. in Albany, in The Kenmore building.
It presently serves from 5 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday only, offering from a small, evolving menu that must be ordered online via wizardburger.com. Current fare includes variously stacked and garnished meatless burgers using patties from Impossible Foods or vegan “chicken,” a "fishless filet," potato tots, fried pickles, sodas and, for dessert, gluten-free balls of chocolate chip cookie dough. Single burgers are mostly in the $7 to $8 range, rising to $13 for an Impossible patty on a pretzel bun with cream cheese, American cheese, pickled jalapeno, beer-battered onion rings and Melba sauce.
Alex Berta, who opened Burrito
Burrito two years ago with business partner Chris Carpentier, said the pair don’t have a firm timeline for when the dining room, now behind a wall in a Kenmore storefront adjoining the takeout space, will be ready — perhaps by late spring. Ditto on the liquor license, which has yet to be filed with the State Liquor Authority, Berta said.
The plan is to eventually have table service for in-house dining, a menu with the fast-casual items now available as well as slightly more upscale fare for a dinner crowd, and a full bar menu with beer, wine and cocktail programs. Burrito Burrito, at 333 Broadway, Troy, is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday to Saturday,