The Iowa Beef Industry Council and Iowa Cattlemen’s Association recently announced the 10 finalists for the 2019 Iowa’s Best Burger contest. Iowans submitted nominations between Feb. 11 and March 11 to kick off the quest to find the best burger in Iowa. Nominations were accepted online by IBIC and ICA. The number of votes each restaurant received determined the top 10 restaurants.

Restaurants making the top 10 list (in alphabetical order) include Ankeny Diner, Ankeny; Dotzy’s Restaurant and Saloon, Elgin; Landmark Restaurant, Williamsburg; Morgan’s Corner Bar & Grill, Ottumwa; Rides Bar & Grill, Fort Dodge; Robin’s Nest Café and Bakery, Clarinda; Saucy Focaccia, Cedar Rapids; The IowaStater Restaurant, Ames; The Twisted Tail Steakhouse & Saloon, Logan (Beebeetown); and Wood Iron Grille, Oskaloosa.

Promoting Iowa’s quality product

"Iowa has over 28,000 beef producers, and this contest is a great way to celebrate the beef they produce and the impact they have on Iowa," says Katie Olthoff, director of communications for the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association.

To qualify, the burger must be a 100% beef patty or patties, although other ingredients may be added such as spices, and served on a bun or bread product. Burgers may include any combination of condiments, sauces, cheese or toppings.

“Several restaurants have really unique and creative ways to encourage customers to vote. It was a close race to the finish line,” says Kylie Peterson, director of marketing for the Iowa Beef Industry Council. “In total, we had over 500 towns and cities across Iowa represented, which proves there are a lot of great-tasting burgers all over the state.”

3 restaurants new to top 10

Three restaurants are new to the contest’s Top 10 list: Dotzy’s Restaurant and Saloon, Landmark Restaurant and Wood Iron Grille.

Returning contestants include Ankeny Diner, Morgan’s Corner Bar & Grill, Rides Bar & Grill, Robin’s Nest Café and Bakery, Saucy Focaccia, The IowaStater Restaurant and The Twisted Tail Steakhouse & Saloon.

The quest to determine the winner of the Iowa’s Best Burger contest is underway. All top 10 restaurants will be visited by a panel of anonymous judges, who will evaluate the burgers based on taste, appearance and proper doneness (160 degrees F). The judges’ scores and comments will be accumulated, and the winner will be crowned May 1.

May Beef Month

May is Beef Month in Iowa, and cattle farmers have special promotions to highlight their quality product. Consuming beef is not only part of a healthy diet, but also a healthy and growing industry sector of Iowa’s economy, Olthoff says.

The Iowa beef industry creates almost 40,000 jobs and ranks 10th in number of beef cattle produced, accounting for $5.1 billion in business activity for the state. The significant impact made by Iowa’s beef industry proves that beef is no longer just what’s for dinner.

“Cattlemen are good stewards of the land and environment,” Olthoff  says. “They are constantly incorporating new technology on their farms to improve cattle care and comfort, while lessening their environmental footprint.”  

“We encourage everyone to visit these top 10 restaurants,” Peterson says. “These 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.”

To learn more about the contest and the top 10 restaurants, including addresses and hours, visit iabeef.org.

Last year Café Beaudelaire of Ames took home the title of the 2018 Iowa’s Best Burger. Winners in previous years are:

Source: ICA, which is responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and its subsidiaries aren’t responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.