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Three Eastern Iowa restaurants named finalists for Iowa’s Best Burger
Mar. 27, 2024 6:15 am
Three Eastern Iowa restaurants have made the top 10 list of finalists competing for the title of Iowa’s Best Burger.
The 15th annual competition hosted by the Iowa Beef Industry Council and Iowa Cattlemen’s Association has given nods to restaurants in Waterloo, Monticello and Iowa City after tallying more than 7,500 ballots voting on more than 500 nominees.
The Eastern Iowa finalists are:
- Big Head Burger in Waterloo
- The Market at the Tap in Monticello
- Wilder at Graduate Hotel in Iowa City
Others finalists around Iowa include:
- Chuckwagon Restaurant in Adair
- Flight Bar + Grille in Huxley
- Houston’s on Main in Milo
- JJ’s Tavern + Grill in Ankeny
- Lucile’s at The Continental Hotel in Centerville
- The Flying Elbow in Marshalltown
- Williamson Tavern in Williamson
“This year’s Top Ten restaurants are award-winning worthy, but are only a few of the many restaurants in Iowa that do an outstanding job of promoting and serving our beef products to their customers on behalf of Iowa’s beef farmers,” said Kyle Peterson, director of marketing for the Iowa Beef Industry Council.
All finalists will be visited by an anonymous panel of judges who will evaluate burgers on taste, appearance and proper doneness of 160 degrees. Qualifying burgers must be 100 percent beef and served on a bun or bread product.
The winner will be announced May 1 to kick off May Beef Month.
Three of the top 10 restaurants in Adair, Marshalltown and Huxley are past winners. Lucile’s at The Continental Hotel was previously a top 10 finalist.
An Eastern Iowa restaurant has not held the title since The Cider House of Fairfield in 2015.
Comments: Features reporter Elijah Decious can be reached at (319) 398-8340 or elijah.decious@thegazette.com.
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