The 10 finalists for the 2025 Iowa's Best Burger Contest were announced Monday on The Big Show! Kylie Peterson, Erika Osmundson, and Erin Good made the announcement for the 16th annual contest. In alphabetical order, the ten finalists for this year's title are:
- Arcadia in Polk City
- Big Head Burger in Waterloo *
- Burger & Company in Spirit Lake *
- Dan's Road House in Cresco
- Halftime Bar & Grill in Pleasantville
- Lewis and Lewis in Oskaloosa
- Salsa Guy Café in Cedar Rapids
- Smash & Grab Burger Co. in Knoxville
- The Roadhouse in Orange City
- and Wilder in Iowa City *
* - Past Top 10 Finalist
Peterson says that the top 10 was named after receiving the highest number of nominations out of over 6,000 ballots naming nearly 400 restaurants. In order to qualify, a burger must feature a 100% real beef patty on a bun or bread product. Toppings. condiments, sauces, and cheese are left to the creativity of the restaurant.
A panel of judges will now travel around the state to evaluate each of the 10 finalists' burger. A winner will be announced on May 1st on The Big Show to kick off May Beef Month. You can find more information on the contest on the Iowa Beef Council website.
2025 Iowa's Best Burger Finalist Map
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