Iowa’s Best Burger Finalists Include 3 Eastern Iowa Restaurants

In a state that raises some of the best beef cattle in the nation, there are bound to be some great hamburgers out there. Every year the Iowa Beef Industry Council looks for the best, searching restaurants large and small throughout the state of Iowa. Well, get ready to sit down and eat because we have our finalists for the 2024 Best Burger in Iowa contest!

KCRG reports that this year's contest featured over 7,500 ballots cast and over 500 restaurants were nominated. The list then had to be trimmed down to the top 10. Kylie Peterson, director of marketing for the Iowa Beef Industry Council told KCRG that the ten nominated restaurants are "only a few of the many restaurants in Iowa that do an outstanding job of promoting and serving our beef products." And the best part about this year's list? There are several restaurants you can visit right here in Eastern Iowa.

Big Head Burger in Waterloo

The first area finalist is Big Head Burger in Waterloo. Their Facebook page lists them as a food truck that can be found at 324 West 4th Street in Waterloo. Frequently named the best burger in the Cedar Valley.

The Market at the Tap in Monticello

Located at 105 West First Street in Monticello, The Market at the Tap is known for live music, Prohibition-era decor, and The Coalition Burger. They credit the beef they use from Berringer Family Farms as a reason for their success.

Wilder at The Graduate in Iowa City

The final nominated restaurant in Eastern Iowa is the Wilder, inside of the Graduate Hotel in Iowa City. Their 'American Gold' burger features local American Wagyu beef.

Here are the rest of the nominated restaurants in the 2024 Best Burger contest.

• Chuckwagon Restaurant, Adair
• Flight Bar+Grille, Huxley
• Houson's on Main, Milo
• JJ's Tavern+Grill, Ankeny
• Lucile's at the Continental Hotel, Centerville
• The Flying Elbow, Marshalltown
• Williamson Tavern, Williamson

KCRG reports that since this is the 15th year for the contest, the Iowa Beef Industry Council also allowed previous contest winners to compete.

The contest will continue with a panel of anonymous judges visiting each restaurant to taste and score the burgers. The winner will be announced on May 1st.

Here is a look at some previous best burger winners!