Finishing a cold run on a January morning, I decided to reward myself with something tasty yet different for my after workout lunch here in the Clayton community. Located at the heart of downtown Clayton, I found my dining destination – Five Star Burgers.

This popular spot is a small chain burger restaurant that has its origins in New Mexico and has since spanned to Colorado and Missouri, where the local owner Steve Gontram has just opened a second Five Star in Kirkwood following his success of the Clayton location. In 2010, USA Today named Five Star Burgers as one of the great American burger joints.

The day I arrived Five Star was full of friends and businessmen alike talking casually and enjoying their food. The Clayton spot features an entire chalkboard wall, where a list of local beer choices and different burgers are featured for the month.

My server, Kate, dropped off the menu and at first I was overwhelmed the number of choices. From the specialty burger to the wide array of salads, it was hard for me to decide what I wanted to eat. Additionally, I was a bit taken back with the cost of the items, as most of the choices are over 10 dollars. I settled on a medium rare lamb burger, and a large order of natural cut Idaho Russet fries.

The lamb was well cooked, tender and juicy, with bun served toasted and buttered. The fare took me back to my family’s annual 4th of July barbeque and made me long for summer.

The fries were equally delightful – crispy and lightly salted so not to ruin the natural flavor of the potato.

The manager that day, Dave, said what makes Five Star Burgers stand out is the fact that the restaurant uses local ingredients in their dishes and also because of atmosphere it provides. “We bring forth excellent local product and food. It is also the restaurant’s decision to also use local beef and also to serve local beer,” he said. “We have a small restaurant with a fun environment because a lot of families come.”