It’s official.
The best burger in New York state can be found in Corning.
Butcher’s Son has earned the coveted title of Best NY Burger for its bold and flavored Ghost Burger, a standout entry in the 2025 Best NY Burger Competition hosted by the New York Beef Council.
“When we found out we were blown away,” said Cameron Matthews, owner of the popular Market Street restaurant. “We were excited just to be part of the top 10. To win it was amazing. We just want to tell our customers we are super grateful for their support.”
Matthews accepted the award during the New York Beef Council’s May Beef Month Proclamation event at the New York State Capitol in Albany May 12.
Matthews said the signature Ghost Burger, made with two grass-fed beef patties, candied jalapeños, jalapeño basil pickles, provolone cheese, and a generous slathering of the restaurant’s legendary BBQ sauce, is one of the original burgers at Butcher’s Son.
The burger earned top scores for taste, presentation and overall experience due to its “perfect balance of sweet heat, savory depth, and high-quality New York beef,” the Beef Council said.
The restaurant uses beef sourced locally in Steuben County, which Matthews credits for much of the Ghost Burger’s appeal.
“The huge thing about all of our burgers is they’re made with grass fed, locally sourced beef from Fieldstone Acres in Campbell,” Matthews said. “Their flavors are just nuts. I would attribute most of our success to the flavor and everything else in the burger.”
Public nominations and voting helped identify the Top 10 finalists in the competition. Anonymous judges then traveled across the state to evaluate the finalist burgers using a standardized scoring process.
The Beef Council’s panel of anonymous judges selected the Butcher’s Son Ghost Burger as the best burger in the land based on in-person evaluations.
“They said we had the highest score ever recorded at 99.24 percent, which is pretty cool and really exciting,” Matthews said.
Matthews said the restaurant has grown steadily since it opened in 2020. The attention from the Best NY Burger Competition is expected to fuel another wave of interest.
“It’s been getting bigger and better every year, and we are picking up new loyal customers every day,” Matthews said. “In the future we plan to get a roof up on our patio and then include that space so we can enjoy it during more seasons, and make inside upgrades as well.”
The Beef Council said each burger in the Top 10 reflected the “diversity, creativity, and culinary pride found in every corner of New York. These establishments were ambassadors for the state’s vibrant beef culinary scene, reminding us why burgers remain a beloved American staple.”
Beef Council’s Top 10 finalists for best burger in New York state
R&M, also on Corning’s Market Street, won the Annual Best NY Burgers Competition in 2016 and was also one of the 10 finalists. Here is the full list:
This article originally appeared on The Leader: This Corning restaurant makes the best burger in New York state. What’s its secret?
Reporting by Jeff Smith, Corning Leader / The Leader
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
