Best Expansion by a Local Burger Joint

For years, the BurgerMeister at Carl and Cole streets, right next to the Muni stop, has filled Cole Valley with the smell of good, grilled, made-to-order hamburgers. Now the popular local joint has expanded to another location, 138 Church St. in the Castro, also close to a Muni stop. The new storefront, clean and well-lit, has all the important ingredients of the original: a friendly staff, quick service for either eating in or takeout, and high-quality burgers, fries, milkshakes, and beer. Relatively inexpensive, BurgerMeister makes a great spot for a fast lunch, and the Castro location has more stools and counter seats than booths and tables. If the new store has a little less charm than the original, where outdoor and window seating makes dog- and stroller-watching a breeze, we can only hope BurgerMeister displaces some of the un-friendlier fast-food burger outlets around town. And the blue cheese burger is to die for.