Where's the Meat? It's at Village Burger in Maplewood

Village Burger Sizzles on Maplewood Ave.

The new "better burger" spot is a hit in the Village.

By Carolyn Maynard-Parisi for Patch
Email the author
January 30, 2012

Village Burger has only been open for about a month, but it feels as though it has been there forever.

This casual, cheerful spot on Maplewood Avenue buzzes with families, local workers and students from Maplewood Middle School.

Of course, the fact that it is owned and operated by one of the best-known restaurant families in town doesn’t hurt.

“We’re working the kinks out,” owner Angelo Vayas explained modestly. Vayas owns the restaurant with wife Mary — who in her “spare time” operates the eclectic boutique No. 165. Angelo is also the proprietor of the wildly popular Village Trattoria "chainlet," with locations in Maplewood, South Orange and Summit.

The space was briefly WokStar, run by the couple’s son Aris. Although that spot didn’t work out the way the family had hoped, Aris was deeply involved with developing the Village Burger menu and concept.

The burger selection includes the bestselling Original Burger with Cheese, topped with special sauce. Other options are a California Burger with onions and avocado, a Pizza Burger, a BBQ Burger or a Chili Burger. The meat is a special blend made just for the restaurant by Summit Meats.

For more about this new restaurant in Maplewood, click on Maplewood.patch