Chicago is home to many burger joints but few are as unique and healthy as Indie Burger. Located only a short walk from the Redlines’ Belmont stop, the restaurant’s burgers are made solely out of organic and all-natural ingredients, most which are from local Midwestern farms.

Indie Burger’s owner Cyrus Rab, a Chicago lawyer and self professed burger fan chose to open the restaurant nine months ago after growing tired of the number of similarly styled burger restaurants.

“I got sick of seeing all these burger places selling the same exact thing so I decided to open an alternative burger place where everything we use is organic,” Rab said, pausing for a moment. He then pointed to the ketchup and mustard bottles on the table. “Even the ketchup and mustard.”

But Indie Burger’s indie ethos doesn’t only extend to its food, but to music as well. The restaurant is plastered with various band posters and even features a board that promotes upcoming indie shows. The restaurant is fairly involved with the Chicago indie music scene and is one of the official sponsors of Tomorrow Never Knows, a winter indie music festival.

“We’re actually going to be feeding most of the musicians playing at the festival,” said Rab.

Many indie musicians are in turn also fans of Indie Burger. Members of the band Wilco once ordered the restaurant’s burgers up to their loft before a show and are known to visit on occasion. Even rapper Lupe Fiasco has dined at the restaurant.

Indie Burger also prides itself on being green and environmentally friendly. Everything in the restaurant is recycled or used in compost. Even the chairs are made out of recycled soda bottles.

Besides burgers, the restaurant also offers other options, including sandwiches, gyros, and milkshakes, all-natural or organic as well. There are even gluten-free and vegan options.

Serving food made solely from organic ingredients may be healthier but it does have an economic downside- making everything organic comes at a cost to the restaurant.

“My food costs are twice as much compared to some other places. This also makes the food a little more expensive to the customers,” said Rab. “But we do offer more value compared to other places.”

Nevertheless there seems to be a steady flow of customers entering and exiting the alternative burger joint the place is sure to stay busy.

“You know how you have mainstream music and then you have indie music? Well we’re the indie of the burger world.”