SYCAMORE – Busy shoppers searching for a bite to eat no longer have to choose between lunch and finishing their errands.

Wahlburgers restaurant opened inside the Hy-Vee grocery store at 2700 DeKalb Ave. on Aug. 22.  

The casual dining restaurant specializes in a variety of unique burgers created by actor and chef Mark Wahlberg and his two brothers. The menu includes classic American fare, such as burgers, sandwiches, shakes and sides.

With eight different burgers to choose from, selecting one can be difficult, but Hy-Vee Co-Store Manager Scott Miller suggests his customer’s favorite.

“It’s “The Our Burger.” That’s the No. 1 request and compliment we get from customers – that and the level of our service,” Miller said.

Another unique burger creation is the “Originally From Dorchester,” a double beef patty burger with Swiss cheese, bacon, sauteed mushrooms and tomato jam.

Although it is too soon to tell if the restaurant will increase the store’s overall revenue, foot traffic has increased in the store since Wahlburgers opened. 

“It’s definitely brought more customers back into the store,” Miller said. “Where else in the area are you going to shop for your groceries and enjoy a great meal deal? We have a great team, and our Food Service Manager Roxanne Maliszewski really knocked our grand opening out of the park.” 

The grand opening drew customers from as far as an hour away to get a taste of the restaurant’s offerings. 

“I’m not much of a burger guy,” Rockford resident Tyree Davis said. “I prefer the chicken sandwich, but I thought the food was pretty good. Fried onions and a great sauce, I thought the food was interesting.”  

The opening was part of a deal made in 2018 to open 26 Wahlburgers in Hy-Vee locations across the Midwest. 

The West Des Moines-based grocery chain exclusively carries another of Mark Wahlburg’s products like his “Performance Inspired” nutritional supplements.  

Wahlburgers is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. View the full menu at wahlburgers.com