Spring is a wonderful time of year. There are so many new seasonal ingredients available for us to use at Melt.

We believe in using in-season locally grown food products whenever possible. This allows us to give our customers the best quality food with the healthiest ingredients. It also allows us to support local farmers and growers.

What is Locally Sourced Food?

Locally sourced food means different things to different people. Depending on where you live, locally sourced food may have been grown in your town, county, region or even country.

The locavore movement, which has become popular the last few years, challenges people to buy food grown within a radius of where they live—be it 50 miles, 100 miles, 150 miles, or within a state’s border. Generally speaking, locavore food originates as close to home as possible.

Benefits of Buying Local

Whether it comes from a backyard garden, the farmer’s market or a locally sourced distributor, there are many factors that make locally produced food a win-win proposition for everyone.

• Cost: The cost of food is often higher if it has to travel a long way to make it onto your plate. This is because it has to be more securely packaged and will often have preservatives added to it. There is also the cost associated with keeping certain foods refrigerated during shipment.

• Quality: Local food is fresher than food that has gone halfway around the globe to reach your plate. That means it’s also a healthier option since its nutrients haven’t been compromised.

• Food Safety: The shorter the distance your food has travelled, the less likely it is to have been contaminated in the process.

• Carbon Footprint: Locally sourced food will have a lower carbon footprint attached to it. In a world that’s obsessed by all things green and organic, buying locally sourced food is something everyone can do to help the planet.

It all started with bacon. Next came chili peppers and beef jerky.

We know, these sound like burger toppings. Actually they are just a sample of the unique artisan chocolate bar selection we now carry at Melt.

Admit it, you’re kind of curious. Not just a novelty, some of these chocolate combinations are just crazy enough to work together. If you keep an open mind, you may find a flavor that wows your palate.

A sampling of our chocolate flavors includes: 

• Peanut butter and banana
• Barbecued potato chip with dark chocolate
• Fruit and nut dark chocolate
• Beef jerky with milk chocolate
• Gogi berry
• Oaxaca smoked pasilla chile with bittersweet Tanzanian chocolate

We also carry more conventional pairings, so we’re bound to have a flavor you’ll love. Our chocolate is also Certified Organic and Fair Trade. Not only do these bars taste good, they’re good for the planet.

At Melt, you’ll come for the burgers and stay for the chocolate. Or is it the other way around?

Here’s some food for thought: Did you know that a single burger from most fast-food chain contains meat from dozens or even hundreds of different cattle?

At Melt, our burgers are made from aged, hand-trimmed 100 percent Angus Beef. Our all- natural, premium beef cuts are ground fresh daily and hand-formed into our half-pound burgers. They are always chargrilled to order.

It’s not just about making the best burger. We take food safety personally. That’s why our kitchen is wide-open. Everyone can see what we’re doing. It’s open to the world so you know we have the highest standards in food preparation.

When you eat out in an unfamiliar place, is your default selection a big chain restaurant? Here are four points of difference that make one-of-a-kind restaurants like Melt stand out from the chains:

• Quality of ingredients and options
• Excellent customer service
• Personal décor: Have your seen our animal photos? Enough said.
• We treat our customers like special guests. You are never rushed out the door!