Business & Tech
Alameda Business Spotlight: Pearl's Deluxe Burgers
Award-winning burgers come to Alameda's Towne Centre.
Owners: Sylvia and Young Han Yi
This is the third Pearl's Deluxe Burgers in the Bay Area. Do you own the other two? My husband and I own this one and the one in San Francisco. My cousin owns the one in Mill Valley.
Why did you name your restaurants "Pearl's?" I started a Pearl's Diner in Sonoma in 2000. At the time, I had a different business partner and we were brainstorming names for our restaurant. My grandma's name is Ginju, which means Pearl in Korean. So I suggested "Pearl's," which has an old-fashioned feel I like. And my partner said, "You're kidding me. My grandma's name is Pearl too!" So we thought the name was perfect. My husband and I took the name with us when we started Pearl's Deluxe Burgers.
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What do you serve at Pearl's? We do classic hamburgers, making the organic, grass-fed beef patties by hand. We also make our own onion rings and cut them by hand. A lot of things here, like our chili and the dressing for our Asian chicken salad, are based on my mother's recipes. And our buffalo burgers are so lean—they are actually lower in fat and cholesterol than chicken or most fish. We have quick service, but food is definitely home style. That burger does not go on the grill until you place your order. With our kids meals, we offer apple sauce or apple slices along with the fries. A lot of places make you choose but we think you should get a little bit of both.
What is the most popular item on the menu? The Bula Burger, which won "Best Burger" at the San Francisco Great American Food and Music Festival. The Bula was inspired by a trip to Fiji. Bula is similar to the word aloha.
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What's your culinary background? I grew up in the restaurant business. I was a latchkey kid and had to learn to cook if I didn't want to eat TV dinners for the rest of my life.
What's it been like doing business in Alameda? It's one of the friendliest places I've opened in. People are really warm. I love the family atmosphere.
How long have you been open in Alameda? We opened at the beginning of September, and we've been busy every day since. I thought we would have a nice soft opening but every day it's been lines out the door.
