Next Level Burger to Relaunch as Next Level Veggie Grill on Oct. 25

Next Level Burger on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard will officially become the first location of the chain to relaunch as Next Level Veggie Grill on Oct. 25.

Next Level, an all plant-based burger joint founded in 2015, acquired fast-casual vegan competitor Veggie Grill last year. Eventually, all 20 locations of the two chains will convert into Next Level Veggie Grills.

“As we celebrate our Hawthorne location’s 10-year anniversary this month, we’re taking things to the Next Level all over again” said Next Level CEO and co-founder Matt de Gruyter in a press release. “With Next Level, we’ve aspired to drive global impact, and now, as the world’s largest wholly owned vegan restaurant company, we’re doing just that bigger and more boldly than ever — and we’re only just getting started.”

Next Level Veggie Grill at 4121 SE Hawthorne Blvd. will host a grand opening party 11 am-1 pm on Saturday, Oct. 25. The event will feature free samples, giveaways, Next Level merch and more. In addition to the new name, the restaurant will have a new logo, storefront and menu. The menu will combine the two chains’ offerings with vegan burgers, shakes, steak, fries, bowls, salads, burritos, protein plates, desserts and smoothies, according to the company.

The company closed its Next Level Burger location at 1972 W Burnside St. in the spring due to “ongoing safety concerns in the area.” The company was founded in Bend in 2014 and now has 20 locations all over the country, including in Brooklyn, N.Y., and Austin, Texas. The next two Portland-area locations that will rebrand in the next few months are the Veggie Grills downtown at 508 SW Taylor St. and in Beaverton’s Cedar Hills Crossing.