Officials with the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association have announced the winner of the 2019 “Iowa’s Best Burger” contest: The Wood Iron Grille, in Oskaloosa. Michael Glesener and Matthew Gunn, owners of the Wood Iron Grill opened their new restaurant last Fall, with the goal of making it into the Top 10 in Iowa’s Best Burger Contest. This spring, they did that and more, not only reaching the Top 10, but ultimately winning the competition.

One of the award-winning burgers from the Wood Iron Grille.

Inspired to enter the competition by a past winner, the ICA says Wood Iron Grille staff have been working hard to make their restaurant great since it opened. After studying pastry arts in Chicago, Glesener, the head chef, temporarily worked in banking while his business partner, Gunn, worked in various restaurant roles along with turf and greenhouse management. Luckily, they joined forces to make the Wood Iron Grille what it is now.

The menu contains three exemplary versions of the 6 oz, hand-pattied burger. The Wood Iron Original Burger features applewood smoked bacon, a sweet and tangy onion jalapeno jam and smoked cheddar cheese. The Cajun Black and Blue Burger is topped with applewood smoked blue cheese and Cajun seasoning. The ‘Merica Burger is a classic with American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle. All the burgers consist of a mixture of ground chuck and beef short ribs. The Wood Iron Grille also features beef in the form of Poutine, a combination of slow-braised beef, served over fries, with local Frisian Farms Gouda Cheese Curds; a classic 12-oz ribeye, which is hand cut by the chef and sourced from Upper Iowa Beef and a Philly Beef flatbread.

This is the 10th year for the annual Best Burger contest sponsored by the Iowa Beef Industry Council, through the Iowa State Beef Checkoff Program, and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association. The Wood Iron Grille joins a great group of past best burger winners from around the state. Along with last year’s winner, Café Beaudelaire of Ames, previous winners include: 2017- The Smokin’ Hereford BBQ of Storm Lake; 2016 – The Chuckwagon Restaurant in Adair; 2015 – The Cider House of Fairfield; 2014 – Brick City Grill in Ames; 2013 – 61 Chop House Grille in Mediapolis; 2012 – Coon Bowl III in Coon Rapids; 2011 – Rusty Duck in Dexter; and 2010 – Sac County Cattle Company of Sac City.

The designation as Iowa’s Best Burger comes after a two-phase competition. The first phase is all based on votes from the public. For a month, burger lovers went online and voted for their favorite Iowa burger, submitting nearly 6,000 votes representing around 500 restaurants. At the end of the month, the ten restaurants with the most votes are declared the “Top 10.” From there, three anonymous judges visit each of the restaurants, focusing on the burger patties and scoring them based on taste, doneness and presentation.