Born from a burger habit.
From a paper tray in California to a flame-grill in Maine — our story is short, stubborn, and single-minded: a great burger is worth the work.
The Charburger that started it.
In 1969, a small family stand in Santa Barbara, California started doing something radical — cooking burgers over an open flame instead of a flat-top. That simple idea became Habit Burger, and its Charburger became an icon for anyone who grew up on the West Coast.
Our founders, Aiden and Margot Carver, both grew up on those Charburgers. Every California summer meant the same paper tray, the same charred edges, the same quiet thrill of biting into something cooked over real fire.
When they moved to Kingfield, Maine in 2022 — chasing snow, slower mornings, and the shadow of Sugarloaf — they couldn't find the burger they grew up on. So they built one.
From a paper tray to Main Street.
Habit Burger opens in Santa Barbara
The Charburger is born on a flame-grill, and the fast-casual playbook is quietly rewritten.
The Carvers move to Kingfield
Aiden and Margot trade California for Maine — and start hunting for a burger that doesn't exist here yet.
Ember & Oak opens at 164-B Main St
A 28-seat room, an open flame, and a short menu built around the tradition that started it all.
Still flame-grilling, still habit-forming
Local beef, house sauces, and a kitchen that hasn't touched a flat-top since day one.
Three rules we don't break.
Fire over convenience
An open flame is slower, harder and messier than a flat-top. It also tastes better. So we do it anyway.
Fresh, never frozen
Maine-raised beef, ground in-house daily. If we can source it locally and it's better that way, we will.
Short menu, done right
We'd rather perfect twenty-five dishes than serve eighty okay ones. Every item has to earn its spot.