There are many dishes that people feel represent the quintessential all-American food. Hot dogs and apple pie come to mind immediately. To me, the most American dish of all is a hamburger, whether grilled on my back deck or served up in one of the city’s diners, cafes, or restaurants, from plain to four-star. A good burger will always have fans, which is probably why, when Roam Artisan Burgers opened up on Union Street last year, it was an immediate success.

A cheerful spot with lots of reclaimed wood and a long counter for seating and placing orders, Roam specializes in using sustainable meats and produce, such as 100 percent grass-fed beef, free-range turkey, and all-natural bison for its burgers, as well as an organic veggie burger. Not only that, but Roam’s burger buns are custom-made at a local bakery, pickles are made in house, and the fries are cooked in rice bran oil. There is a selection of house-made, agave-sweetened sodas and the shakes are made using Strauss Family Creamery ice cream or organic, nonfat frozen yogurt. They even serve kombucha on tap – a raw, organic, carbonated drink that contains probiotics, organic acids, enzymes, and vitamins and is definitely an acquired taste (okay, I think it tastes like vinegar). There are also bottled sodas from the Boylan Bottling Company, Mighty Leaf bottled teas, and a selection of microbrews and sustainably produced wine.

If all of this is sounding a little too “granola,” note that Roam’s burgers have been listed as top picks in the 2010 Zagat guide, San Francisco magazine, and Trip Advisor, among others.

Roam has several standard burgers, such as the Classic with butter lettuce, tomato, onions, and house sauce; the Heritage with applewood-smoked bacon, fontina, butter lettuce, tomato, caramelized onions, and herb mayonnaise; and the Pacific Blue with blue cheese, watercress, tomato, caramelized onions, and steak sauce. But the fun starts when you create your own burger, adding on sauces such as organic ketchup, herb ranch dressing, and BBQ sauce and then moving to toppings that include lettuce, tomato, and onion; white cheddar, Gruyere or pepper jack cheese; cremini mushrooms, bacon, truffle-Parmesan fries, and avocado; and even an organic, free-range egg. All burgers can be made with beef, turkey, bison, or a veggie patty. Sauces and basic veggies are free, and burgers start at $7.99. Add-ons range from $1 to $1.50.

Sides include russet fries, sweet potato fries, and a zucchini-onion “haystack.” The few nonburger menu items include a Farmer’s Market salad (that can be served with a mini-burger trio), a green salad, and a selection of seasonal, locally grown veggies.

If you’re not in the mood for a burger, then Roam isn’t the place to go. But when you want a mouthwateringly good, top quality, all-American burger with all the fixings, then roam on over to Roam.

Roam Artisan Burgers: 1788 Union Street (between Octavia and Gough); daily 11:30 a.m.–10:00 p.m.; 415-440-ROAM (7626), www.roamburgers.com

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