Don’t let the name fool you: Cow Hollow is filled with cattle these days. Yet in a neighborhood dominated by block after block of delicious ground beef, Roam Artisan Burgers (1785 Union Street) stands out as one of the best gourmet burger joints in the city.

Upon a single visit to their charming, rustically-themed eatery it’s easy to see what makes them so darn good; co-owners Lynn Gorfinkle and Joshua Spiegelman put so much heart into what they do. And if you think that all they do is great burgers, you’d be missing out on some of the tastiest items on the menu. Also featured here are fresh milkshakes and homemade sodas sweetened with agave nectar–all handcrafted without a drop of high fructose-corn syrup–and a smörgåsbord of satisfying sides and savory seasonings. So much care goes into every single aspect of the dining experience here, it’s truly remarkable that Roam is able to offer an enticing assortment of fully-customizable burgers that start at just under $6!

The only downside of coming here is the difficulty of deciding between so many awesome options. They offer 8 burger specials–each with their own ‘team’ of local devotees–and allow you to choose between a patty of 100% grass-fed beef, free range turkey, all-natural bison or even elk. Your choice of meat is then sandwiched between a lightly-toasted sesame seed bun that was specifically-crafted for Roam by the Pacific Coast Bakery. Smothering the burger are a whole range of speciality ingredients. Here are some of my personal highlights:

The French and Fries is a modern masterpiece with gruyere, fresh avocados, watercress, caramelized onions and parmesan truffle fries all within the bun. The flavors here work so well together as you’re really able to taste all of the individual components as they weave into a satisfying whole on your palate. The subtle kick of dijon does a great job of cutting through the richness of the gruyere and avocado.

The Fry-Fecta is an infectious medley of fried sweet potatoes, russet french fries, and a ‘haystack’ of zucchini and onion strings, combined into a stainless steel bowl and served with your choice of seasonings. Do not miss out on adding the chipotle maple seasoning to the sweet potatoes. The interplay of sweet and salty tones is purely transcendent.

Strauss Family Creamery provides the backbone for Roam’s delectable Salted Caramel milkshake. As if the robust sweetness of this perfect meal-ender wasn’t enough on it’s own, your server hand-brûlées a home-made marshmallow atop a crispy graham cracker before dropping the heated confection directly into your dessert. I’ve never seen or tasted anything quite like it.

At Roam, the delectability is all in the details. I could keep going on and on about all the meticulous wonders of this all-star sensation, but what’s the point? Get on out to the Cow Hollow and taste it for yourself.

• Tag: artisinal, burgers, Cow Hollow, drinks, gourmet, hamburgers, milkshakes, Restaurants, Roam, soda