Here are the burgers that made it to the judges’ table at Burger Battle Detroit on Sunday, June 28.
The first-place winner received a trophy and $1,000 check. Second- and third-place winners were also named.
Burgers were judged on presentation, execution, creativity and flavor. Full disclosure: I was a judge along with Detroit News managing editor Kevin J. Hardy, Michigan Chronicle managing editor AJ Williams and Sheefy McFly, a Detroit artist, muralist and musician.
First place: Rodeo Burger
From BurgerFi in Northville, its Rodeo Burger earned the “Burger of the Decade” title in honor of Burger Battle Detroit’s 10th anniversary. The well-crafted burger earned the highest score. BurgerFi’s Rodeo burger is crafted with two generous beef patties, topped with charred jalapeños, Pepper Jack cheese, fried onions and barbecue sauce. While it has a bit of kick, the jalapeños and Pepper Jack mellow and are balanced with the sweet-tasting barbecue sauce. BurgerFi boasts that its beef is all-natural, hormone- and antibiotic-free, according to its website.
Second place: Aljoom’s BBQ Burger
This year, Aljoom’s burger, a full two-hander, was stacked with ingredients. The grilled burger was topped with beef brisket that an Aljoom’s team member said was smoked for 14 hours. Also topping the burger were two cheeses: American and Swiss, followed by a slathering of bacon mayo plus homemade barbecue sauce. A final topping of crispy onions added plenty of crunch. In 2023, Ali Aljoom’s BBQ burger took home the top honors.
Third place: King Koney Smashburger
A first-time Burger Battle Detroit entry, King Koney entered its smashburger. Its burger has classic fixings of lettuce, tomato and a crisp, raw, thinly sliced onion. Topping the burger was American cheese. What stole the show was its creative topping on the bun. Owners and managers say they brush the top bun with butter and sprinkle it with grated Parmesan cheese mixed with parsley. The extra creativity added a nice flavor and slight crunch to the bun.
People’s Choice: Summer BBQ Beef Frita
Known for its Cuban-inspired street food, Frita Batidos has an Ann Arbor location and one in downtown Detroit on Columbia Street next to the Fox Theatre and the new Little Caesars world headquarters. Its Burger Battle burger was the Summer BBQ Beef Frita. The beef patty was served on brioche with a sweet chile mayo, smoked mozzarella and barbecue beef brisket. It was topped with shoestring fries and crispy shallots. Frita Batidos is the only Burger Battle champion, with back-to-back wins earning the title in 2017 and 2018. More recently, owner Eve Aronoff opened a Frita Batidos in Brooklyn, New York.
Battelle Burger
A returning Burger Battle champ, Kozy Lounge, featured a burger loaded with lots of ingredients, but all blended well together. Kozy’s Battelle Burger was built a generous patty with a specific layering of toppings between a buttered and grilled bun. On the bottom was chimichurri and shredded cabbage with the burger on top. The burger is topped with caramelized onions, Swiss cheese, and garlic aioli followed by the top bun. Kozy’s presentation was also very patriotic. Its burgers were served on handheld fans of the American flag. In 2019, Kozy Lounge took top honors with its Kat Burger, which is still offered on its menu.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: How you can try the 5 best burgers from Burger Battle Detroit
Reporting by Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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By Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press | USA TODAY Network
