The Winner of the 2025 Iowa’s Best Burger Contest Has Been Revealed

If you're looking for the best burger in the entire state of Iowa, you've come to the right place! The Iowa Beef Industry Council and the Iowa Cattlemen's Association have named the 2025 winner of Iowa's Best Burger Contest!

Who Were the 2025 Finalists?

There were ten finalists this year, including:

• Arcadia PC, Polk City

• Big Head Burger, Waterloo

• Burger & Company, Spirit Lake

• Dan's Road House, Cresco

• Halftime Bar & Grill, Pleasantville

• Lewis & Lewis Hot Shotz Kitchen, Oskaloosa

• Salsa Guy Cafe, Cedar Rapids

• Smash and Grab Burger Co., Knoxville

• The Roadhouse, Orange City

• Wilder at Graduate Iowa City

Who is the 2025 Winner?

Congratulations to Halftime Bar & Grill in Pleasantville, home of Iowa's newest BEST BURGER! The family-friendly eatery is owned by the DeHeer family, who have been running the joint for just over two years. The announcement reads:

"Halftime Bar & Grill has nine unique burger offerings on their menu featuring delectable combinations of toppings for every palate.  From their classic Bacon Cheeseburger to their Sriracha Bourbon Burger and the Over-The-Top Beer Cheese Burger to the Barnyard Argument Burger, the DeHeers have amped up the tasting experience, providing patrons with a variety of options to choose from."

One of the judges also mentions the Humpback Burger, which is topped with ham, pepper jack cheese, bacon, sautéed onions, and the restaurant's smoky house sauce. You can read more about Halftime and their big win HERE.

How Was the Winner Chosen?

According to the Iowa Beef Industry Council, the annual contest has two phases. The first phase is the nomination period, where the public can vote for their favorite restaurants on the organization's official website. After the nomination period ends, the top ten restaurants with the most votes are announced.

Phase two of the competition is totally up to the judges. The website reads:

"The second phase includes a group of anonymous judges who visit each restaurant to taste-test the burger and score based on taste, doneness, and presentation. Judges' scores are tallied to determine who the title of Iowa’s Best Burger is awarded to."

READ MORE: I Finally Tried One of the ‘Best Burger in Iowa’ Winners [PHOTOS]

Here are all the previous winners of Iowa's Best Burger Contest that remain open in 2025:

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