Ever since our failed burger meal at Woody's, we've been on the hunt for a good, American-style burger in Stuttgart. We've heard from several people that the [m]eatery is the place to go, and though we've been before for dinner, we didn't try the burgers. And so, with Matt and I both off work again this past Friday, we decided to take advantage of the lovely weather and the [m]eatery's lunch menu by checking out their burgers.

The [m]eatery's patio (taken from their Facebook page)

I so rarely get to go out for lunch, that it makes the few times I do seem very exciting! We could have made reservations online, but we decided to take a chance and show up without one. We walked to the [m]eatery's location downtown between the Königstraße and Calwerstraße and had no problem getting a patio table for two at around 1pm. I was especially glad to see their patio was out, as some but not all restaurants in Stuttgart have started setting them up. The weather was absolutely lovely on Friday -- it even hit 73 degrees! (Fahrenheit) -- making it perfect patio weather.

After a couple of minutes, a waitress came out and presented us with the lunch menu, which is conveniently both in German and English. I remember when we dined here for dinner about a year or so ago, we really enjoyed the tartare appetizer trio and our steaks. The quality of the beef is incredible, and their presentation is lovely with everything served in little baking dishes. If you're looking to impress a date or take out a loved one for a special occasion, the [m]eatery is an excellent restaurant for it.

Despite my interest in the hamburger á cheval (French-style beef tartare), I decided to go with the lunch-time cheeseburger special, as did Matt. At just 10,90€, the special menu offers a more affordable lunch-time price than their usual cost of 12-18€ for a burger.

Red Submarine lemonade with elderflower syrup, soda, and a cherry juice ice cube

I was also very intrigued by their extensive cocktail list, but in the end decided on one of their special (non-alcoholic) lemonades. I ordered the Red Submarine, which is a combination of elderflower syrup, soda, and a giant cherry juice ice cube. The drink was very impressive and tasty. I especially loved the novelty of the giant cherry juice ice cube. (Although to be honest, I found myself wishing for less ice cube and more soda towards the end of the meal when the ice cub wouldn't melt fast enough and I was thirsty.)

The burger presentation at the [m]eatery

Our burgers came out shortly thereafter on lovely wood cutting boards with a metal stand for the french fry cone. There were even specially carved holes for the ketchup dish and for the tiny Staub (yes, the expensive French cookware) cast-iron cocotte that had a small salad. They definitely get five-stars for presentation.

But on to the food...the burger was excellent! The meat was exactly how it should be -- loosely packed, juicy, and still pink inside so that you could really taste the meat. It even could have been a bit less cooked, but I did order a burger, after all, and not the tartare. It was definitely an American-style burger patty and certainly the best that I've had in Stuttgart. The fries were also of particular note here. They were of the thick, hand-cut variety and tasted much like the boardwalk fries that you find on the East Coast beaches. They were lightly salted and extra crispy. I wouldn't be surprised if they'd been double-fried.

Still, after all that, I'm not sure my search is over. The burgers we had in Düsseldorf were just too delicious with their special toppings and variety of homemade sauces. I wish I could merge their toppings with the [m]eatery's burger patties. Then I'd have the perfect burger place. I should also note that even at 10,90€ a piece, once we added on two (again, non-alcoholic) drinks, the check came out to be about 35€, which is still a bit pricey for lunch. You do pay for quality there. I will certainly return to the [m]eatery to try their other burger styles (especially the Classic with homemade BBQ sauce), but we probably won't be able to eat there often.

Old Bridge gelato with nutella (in the front), pistachio, and coffee flavors

After our delicious meal, we decided to enjoy the day and take a stroll through the Schlosspark. On our way, we stopped by the Old Bridge Gelateria next to the Königsbau-Passagen. They make some of the best ice cream in the city, as evidenced by the long line that usually trails out the door. We chose a cup with coffee, pistachio, and nutella (yum!) flavors to walk with on our way to the park. Once we got past the grilling area (which I swear we'll use some time), we set up our picnic blanket and lay down for a sunny afternoon book and nap. It was the perfect afternoon!

Have you been to the [m]eatery? What did you like best about their food? Leave your comments below.