First Look: Farm Burger, Dunwoody

Snacks and sides, $2-$4.50; burgers and sandwiches, $6.75-$10; salads, $3.50-$10; kids menu, $5.

4514-B Chamblee Dunwoody Road, 770-454-2201, www.farmburger.net

A spin-off of the “farmer-chef” concept, Farm 255 in Athens, Farm Burger opened in Decatur in 2010, and spawned a second location in Buckhead in 2011. Now there’s a third location in Dunwoody, offering the same menu of Georgia grass-fed beef burgers and local and seasonal starters and sides. New to Dunwoody is the addition of an outpost of East Atlanta’s popular Morelli’s Gourmet Ice Cream, with a one-stop shop inside the Farm Burger space.

The look: Located next to a Starbucks in the busy Georgetown Shopping Center on Chamblee Dunwoody Road, the storefront is arranged for fast-casual dining volume, with a long entry hall leading to the order counter. Polished cement floors, corrugated metal accents and long pinewood communal tables create a cool but comfortable atmosphere.

The scene: One recent football Saturday afternoon, the Bulldogs were on the TV above the L-shaped pine bar, where groups of guys were getting serious with burger baskets and pints of beer. At the order counter, several customers were picking up takeaway, while some families queued up for lunch in the dining room, and the children peeled off for a peek into the Morelli’s ice cream case.

The menu: The hub of the menu is the build-it-yourself burger ($6.75), with free, $1 and $2 toppings, from lettuce, tomato and house sauce to a fried farm egg, local bacon and oxtail marmalade. “Blackboard Burger” combos include the likes of the Banh Mi ($10), with pickled veggies, housemade pork pate, cilantro and chili mayo. Snacks and sides lean toward Southern flavors, with boiled peanuts ($2), deviled eggs ($3), fried okra with chili mayo ($3), local greens ($3), and mac ’n cheese with pulled pork cheek ($4).

The drinks: Among the interesting beverage choices, look for Abita root beer on draft ($2), and “adult shakes” ($7.50) made with Morelli’s ice cream and a choice of Young’s Chocolate Stout, Wells Banana Bread beer or Original Sin cider. The concise wine list ($4-$37) is served by the tumbler, half or full milk jug carafe or bottle. The all-local draft beer list recently included Red Hare Watership Brown ($6) and Terrapin Hopsecutioner ($6).

The extras: At the Morelli’s counter, find favorites like salted caramel, butter pecan and coffee, plus recent special flavors, such as pumpkin pie, chocolate Guinness, banana cream pie, Oreo cheese cake, and peanut butter cookie dough.