A gas burner having a switchable flame includes a combustion chamber having a bottom and a circumferential crenellated wall with a plurality of fuel exit ports disposed in the circumferential crenellated wall. The fuel exit ports are directed generally inwardly toward the combustion chamber and also upwardly from the bottom of the combustion chamber. The gas burner additionally includes a burner base and a swirl spreader disposed above the burner base which defines a top portion of the circumferential crenellated wall of the combustion chamber. An annular burner cap set includes an inner flame burner cap and a vertical flame burner cap where the inner flame burner cap and the vertical flame burner cap are selectively and alternatively positioned on the circumferential crenellated wall to define an inner flame state and a vertical flame state, respectively, of the fuel exit ports.