Iowans submitted nominations between February 15 – March 15 to kick off the quest to find the best burger in Iowa. Nominations were accepted online by the Iowa Beef Industry Council and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association. The number of votes each restaurant received determined the 2021 Top Ten restaurants. The restaurants making the Top Ten list (in alphabetical order) include, in our area, Troy’s Bar and Grill, in Earling.

Other restaurants (in alphabetical order) include:

• Arty’s Ice Cream & Grill, Wilton
• Bambino’s, Ossian
• #DutchFix, Pella
• Fishback & Stephenson Cider House, Fairfield
• Foodie Garage Eatery, Dubuque
• Moo’s BBQ, Newton
• Murph’s Creamery & Grill, Toledo
• Saucy Focaccia, Cedar Rapids
• and The Map Room, Cedar Rapids.

To qualify, the burger must be a 100% real beef patty served on a bun or bread product. Burgers may include any combination of condiments, sauces, cheese or toppings. Kylie Peterson, Director of Marketing for the Iowa Beef Industry Council, said “After a challenging year for Iowa’s restaurant industry, it was refreshing to see Iowans rally behind their favorite local burger joint. In total, we had more than 200 towns across Iowa nominated which proves that there are a lot of great tasting burgers all across the state.”

Seven of the Top Ten restaurants are new qualifiers. Returning contestants include Moo’s BBQ, Saucy Focaccia, and Troy’s Bar and Grill. The quest for the winner of the Iowa’s Best Burger will now begin. All Top Ten restaurants will be visited by a panel of anonymous judges who will evaluate the burgers based on taste, appearance, and proper doneness (160 degrees Fahrenheit). The judges’ scores and comments will be accumulated and the winner will be announced on May 3 to kick off May Beef Month.

Peterson says “This year’s Top Ten restaurants are award-winning worthy. But they 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. With spring upon us, I challenge Iowans to rally their support behind restaurant owners and Iowa’s beef farmers by choosing to order a beef burger one additional time per week.”

To learn more about the contest and the Top Ten restaurants, including addresses and hours, visit www.iabeef.org.

Last year, The Twisted Tail Steakhouse & Saloon of BeeBeeTown took home the title of 2020 Iowa’s Best Burger. Winners in previous years are: 2019 – Wood Iron Grille of Oskaloosa; 2018 – Café Beaudelaire of Ames; 2017 – The Smokin’ Hereford BBQ of Storm Lake; 2016 – The Chuckwagon Restaurant 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.