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Burger mania: New chains popping up

Smashburger expanding. Enter Burger 21 and BurgerMonger.

Burger mania shows no signs of abatement, and the chains are pushing into the area.

June 24 is the debut of BurgerMonger, set up in the former Ruby Tuesday's next to the carousel on the third level at Willow Grove Park mall. The Tampa Bay-area franchise, brought north via restaurateur Brian Harrington, touts Akaushi Kobe beef (and hot dogs), all-natural chicken, Kobe beef chili for the hand-cut fries, Haagen-Dazs ice cream, and house-made breads. Challah burger rolls are slathered with a garlic butter. For dessert, they slice butter cake, add a scoop of vanilla, and drizzle on the same strawberry syrup used in shakes. It's fast-casual, so you order at the counter and grab a table. Owners promise that orders are ready in six minutes.

Funny that Tampa Bay also is the home of Burger 21, which in May opened its first New Jersey location, in Voorhees Town Center. Burger 21, also fast-casual, touts its Angus beef.

Colorado-based Smashburger, which opened a Glassboro location in February, has two more spots teed up: in Maple Shade (TBA) and Radnor (tentatively opening Aug. 7).

New York-bred Shake Shack has locations in University City and King of Prussia up for early fall.

BurgerFi - out of South Florida - has a location due for early fall at 12th and Arch Streets.

I also hear that Umami Burger, a California chain now building a cult following to rival that of In-and-Out, has a location or two in mind for Philadelphia.