Nelson Star’s Burger Month is almost here, and our tastebuds are ready! We’ve already enjoyed Trail Burger Month and Castlegar Burger Month earlier this year, and now it’s Nelson’s turn! From November 1st – 30th, almost fifty restaurants will offer their most elaborate burger creation and compete for your votes for the very best burger in town. 🍔

We’ve tried all 48 burgers this year! We’d like to give a big thank you to all the businesses who worked with us to make this happen – we wouldn’t be able to write this crazy article without your support!

Price: 

Each restaurant is serving up a unique burger for $19 (plus tax). Want to support local businesses and indulge in these creative concoctions? Add a side and a drink to your order, and make sure to bring a friend!

Legend:

GFA – Gluten Free option available

VA – Vegetarian option available

VEA – Vegan option available

Nelson Burger Month Menu 2025

🏆 Kootenay Current Top 10 🏆

There’s so many great burgers this year, although we have our favourites, of course. 🤩 Each of these is super tasty, and sure to have its fans, so let us know your favourites in the comments!

⭐️ = Top 10 Pick

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38 More Burgers We Think You’ll Love

While our Top 10 is ordered based on our option, the burgers below are listed in the order we tried them in. We loved so many burgers this year, and it’s hard to choose favourites, but we’ll let the reviews here speak for themselves!

There are some bangers here, so let us know your favourites in the comments!

Tandoori

Tandoori’s clay-oven chicken burger was one of our Top 10 last year, and we couldn’t wait to try their entry this year. They came out swinging with another beauty!

The chicken thighs are marinated in yogurt, garlic, and aromatic tandoori spices, then flame-grilled over a clay oven, giving each bite big Indian-style flavour with a little natural char. It’s super tender and a refreshing palette cleanser amidst so many fried chicken and beef burgers.

Both the mint mayo and house tandoori sauce layer in creamy, garlicky, herby notes that really sing. Fresh pickled onions add a great crunch without being sharp or intense, making the whole burger feel vibrant and balanced. Grilled, tender, and full of character — this is a unique entry that highlights the bold flavours we love about Tandoori beautifully.

Finley’s

Finley’s Maple Matador has layers of warm and sweet flavours that sneak up on you. 

The patty is a blend of Canadian beef and chorizo, giving it a gentle warmth from the smoked paprika and garlic that reminds us of summer afternoons in Spain where we enjoyed many a chorizo sandwich. Great flavours. 

Maple bacon adds a sweet note and crunchy element that contrasts beautifully with the subtle smokiness, and the creamy pesto aioli brings a fresh herbal lift that helps keep this burger balanced. 

Wrapped in a black sesame sourdough bun from Kootenay Bakery, the burger has a buttery chew that pulls all the layers together. Savoury, sweet, and just a touch smoky — this is a burger with depth in every bite.

Sage

Sage’s Saucy Chick caught our attention in the first bite. Instead of a breaded chicken breast, this is a golden, crispy fried chicken thigh that’s incredibly juicy and tender. That was a great choice by the chef, and really well executed. We kept commenting on it during our meal – it’s the highlight here, as it should be. 

The house zesty secret sauce, combined with garlic aioli, adds creamy, tangy elements that keep things interesting, and the pickled shallots and arugula balanced this one out with some great fresh flavours. 

The soft potato bun holds everything together perfectly — a fried chicken burger done just right.

The Landing

Before Burger Month, the fried chicken burger at The Landing was one of the best chicken burgers we’d had all year, and that base formed their entry for this year’s competition. 

The Hot Landing blends Nashville hot and Korean fried chicken styles, for a tasty entry done by chicken burger pros.

Chicken burgers often live and die by their sauce. It’s tangy and sweet, with a little kick from tarragon and soy — drizzled over crisp, golden chicken. 

That chicken is really the focus here, paired up with sour pickles for a classic Nashville combo that keeps things simple, allowing the chicken to shine. The chicken itself is thin, crunchy, and remarkably light for a fried chicken burger – likely thanks to their Korean fried chicken batter.

Gluten-free options for both the dredge, bun, and fryer show they’ve thought of everyone. Balanced, punchy, and textured — this is a chicken burger that’s as fun to eat as it is creative.

Kokanee Glacier Resort

Kokanee Glacier Resort is a hidden gem, just a short detour off the highway, but worth the visit. The lake views, elegant modern decor and natural light in the dining room set the stage for a charming burger experience that captures their Chinese heritage.

The burger itself features a prime rib patty paired with char siu pork belly — sweet, sticky, and tender, with a lovely soft texture. Kimchi slaw adds a fresh element, and a touch of sriracha aioli gives just enough creamy heat without overpowering the pork.

With a balance of tender meats, subtle spice, and fresh kimchi, it’s a tasteful fusion of cuisines, surrounded by beautiful scenery.

Pennydale Junction

Pennydale Junction’s Outback Stack has a kangaroo-and-beef patty, with a very mild game flavour that’s approachable even if you’re new to kangaroo. 

There’s plenty of smoked bacon, pressed flat for an interesting presentation, as well as caramelized onions and a fried egg perched atop the patty. 

The plate itself is decorated with edible flowers and painted with sauces like honey mustard and balsamic glaze for a super cute presentation that’s totally edible. 

Kangaroo may be a too little lean for our tastes, but that does make for a heart-healthy cut of meat that may be up your alley. With rolling green hills and a wraparound patio, it’s a treat to be surrounded by the beauty of the valley.

Relish

Relish goes all out every year, which may be why they won Best Presentation in 2024’s competition. This year, both the restaurant and the burger have been transformed into a tropical paradise. 

Not content to just throw on a slice of grilled pineapple, Relish came up with this tart-sweet jam made with pineapple, rum and grilled onions. It still brings some of those notes of the Caribbean, just more refined and less in-your-face. It’s a fantastic spread full of sweet and savour flavour, with a little bit of baking spice from the rum. 

The BBQ pork belly is smoky, and satisfying — a rich contrast to their signature beef patty that’s contrasted by crispy potato waffle chips — light and salty, adding a fun texture to each bite.

The jet-black bun and edible orchid make this one visually striking —perfect for Instagram, but the flavours back it up — smoky, sweet, and fun.

And can we get another one of those fun Hawaiian cocktails? We all need one after all this burger madness! 

Marzano

Blurring the line between pizza and burger as only Marzano could pull off, we have the Forno Burger. The house-ground chuck is spiced with chorizo, bringing paprika warmth without being overpowering, and is layered with sweet-and-sour braised peppers and onions.

Instead of a traditional patty, it’s chopped up and layered over the bun. It may be more of a sandwich than a burger, but there’s more to it than that. The sauce here is an olive aioli, which gives this whole dish a savoury Mediterranean feel, supported by sweet and sour peppers and fresh tomatoes.

But the real standout here is the bun — made from Marzano’s own pizza dough, baked in the flames in their authentic Italian forno (oven). Chewy with a crisp exterior, and a little bit of char, it’s one of the best buns this Burger Month, and a great nod to Marzano’s pizza roots. 

If you like this, they have other Forno Sandwiches available on their menu all year long that you should check out – we’re big fans.

The Royal

This is probably the crispiest chicken burger we’ve had to date. The thin, golden fried chicken is incredibly crispy and light, with a satisfying crunch in every bite.

Cherry cola chipotle BBQ sauce adds a sweet, smoky, slightly spicy sauce to the dish. It’s definitely got an identity all of its own, but has some of that cola DNA that gives it a nostalgic familiar note —just smokier. Bacon, aged cheddar, banana peppers, and roasted garlic aioli give salty, creamy, and tangy contrast for a well rounded flavour. 

On top of all of this is a sesame-hazelnut crumble — a little nuttiness, and a one-of-a-kind element this Burger Month. 

It’s a fun burger — approachable but interesting — and the chicken is the star throughout. Every bite delivers crunch, flavour, and a little surprise.

Ashman’s Smash Burger

Ashman’s Beefcake Supreme is unapologetically massive. It’s actually six of their individual patties, pressed into three jumbo smash patties, each cooked to golden-brown perfection with that addictive seared crust. 

It’s two-thirds of a pound — truly a ton of meat. 

Fortunately, Ashman’s patties are superb, and it’s actually very tasty. It’ll probably break your meal plan, but with cheese, bacon, and jalapeños, it’s made of ingredients we all love. 

It’s not delicate, it’s not refined — it’s a tower of crispy beef and time-honoured toppings, and we respect that.

Cultured Kitchen

New to Burger Month this year, Cultured Kitchen is dishing out some pretty bold flavours from their to-go counter in the alley behind the Salmo Hotel. Since it backs onto Erie Creek Brewing, you can also enjoy this in the comfort of their bright, wood-trimmed tap house! 

The Al-Chemist starts with a guajillo-and-achiote spiced pork patty – giving it a rich red colour that you can tell is bursting with spices. And it is: smoky, tangy, and full of beautiful chili flavours.

Smoked pineapple, pickled red onion, and fermented chili tortilla sticks fill out the toppings with some really creative flavours. There’s also queso fresco (fresh cheese), adding a light and creamy contrast that mellows out bold and spicy patty. 

It’s low in heat, but it’s one of the most spice infused burgers in the competition, and a really engaging dish that we recommend you try. It’s delicious, and after this fun and creative burger, we’re looking forward to trying some other dishes from our new found hidden-gem! 

Torchlight

Torchlight’s 1st Edition Chorizard lives up to the fiery name — it’s colourful, spicy, and packed with personality.

The pork-and-beef chorizo patty is full of flavour right off the bat — smoky and slightly spicy from the paprika and garlic.

Adding to this bold base, the sauces hit different notes: mango-lime puree, poblano bacon aioli, and a punchy green chimichurri — there’s a lot happening here. Each bite has something different going on, citrus, spice, creamy, herbaceous, even a little cheesy brightness from what tastes like Parmesan in the chimichurri. We loved how all those textures and flavours layered, and it’s a really interesting mix.

Like last year’s banger (our #1 for 2024), this is still spicy, still fun, and exactly what we expect from a brewery known for their fun and colourful brews.

Waypoint

Waypoint’s Lakeside Harvest Burger feels like a cozy fall meal on a bun — rich, balanced, and full of those gentle autumn flavours that make you slow down a little.

The BC pork patty sets a mild, savoury base for the sweet roasted squash aioli and the apple–caramelized onion chutney. That pairing of fruit and pork is classic. Think applesauce and pork chops and you’ll know what we mean. 

The sweet potato–jalapeño cheddar roll is a really interesting bun. Just a little bit of that sweet potato, but it’s there, and makes for a nice bright presentation. 

Also really interesting is the slightly nutty flavour from the squash aioli. It’s mild, but you’ll definitely notice it. 

A thoughtful, comforting burger with interesting toppings that we really don’t see every day. 

Cantina Del Centro

Cantina’s Lamb-Burg-Hini feels like the work of someone having a little fun — and knowing exactly what they’re doing.

The twin combo of smashed lamb patty and shredded lamb barbacoa is great here. The patty has a mild flavour with a more solid texture, while the barbacoa adds citrus, depth, and of course a looser texture. Together they create a layered and interesting experience, and we appreciated the variety.

Then you’ve got the mint chimichurri — wow. Bright, herby, and fresh, it’s the perfect counterpoint to the lamb’s richness. A wafer of crispy Oaxaca cheese adds this deep flavour from the charred cheese, and the pickled shimeji mushrooms were a pretty unexpected favourite here — tangy and earthy.

Lamb and mint is a pretty classic combo, but we really admire the way this was put together, with some unconventional texture and topping choices that we loved!

Sprout

Sprout surprised us with one of the most comforting burgers of the month, a mix of fresh and savoury flavours that’s one-of-a-kind, and totally meat-free. 

We didn’t know we wanted mashed potatoes and gravy in a burger, but we are here for it. The patty has these little crunchy lentil bits throughout that give it an interesting texture. The potato fritter was so satisfying and comforting with the gravy, with Thanksgiving dinner vibes — especially with the rosemary garnish as an aromatic.

Yummy fresh pesto, and sweet farm-fresh carrots brought some light elements to the flavour palette, keeping things fresh and well rounded. 

New and creative, you can always count on Sprout to deliver vegan dishes that we think everyone will love. 

Junction Eatery

Junction Eatery’s Blue Ox Burger hits that sweet spot with blue cheese — bold, creamy, and just the right little bit of funk without being too intense for the casuals (like us).

While we love the Junction Eatery’s smash patties, this year’s patty is a thicker Angus patty— a nice juicy base to explore the tangy blue cheese. That gives the burger a mature, creamy edge that’s balanced by a bacon and onion ring crunch.

A classic burger palette with a funky blue cheese twist that’s still tasty, even if it’s not de-throning the guacamole-topped Whistle Punk we liked so much last year (also available on their current menu).

Dominion Café 

Dominion’s Kitchen Witch brews up a cozy, autumn kind of magic with a warm mix of harvest flavours.

The quinoa and pumpkin patty smells like a fall harvest before you even dig in, with gentle sweetness and a savoury note that almost reminds you of a Sunday roast. The garlic toum and cranberry jam make for excellent sauces here, spread on generously, with some beautiful herbs and creamy tang. Cranberry spread puts us in a holiday mood, so it’s easy to get caught up in Thanksgiving vibes, especially with the pumpkin flavour here.

We loved the stack of fresh arugula adding green lift and texture. It’s hearty, homey, full of warm aromas and flavours — a vegan burger that’s just as tasty as the meat options.

Red Light Ramen

This one’s comfort food bliss — soft, saucy, and melt-in-your-mouth good. The pork ribs remind us of chashu (one of our favourite ramen toppings): tender, and slowly braised in a mix of soy, rice vinegar, and sugar. Every bite had that satisfying slow-cooked feel. There’s no bones, but if there were, this meat would pull right off. 

We loved how light the milk bread was — soft and buttery, and toasted just enough to give a bit of texture to keep things together. The daikon pickles were super crunchy and bright, which was a nice contrast to the soy meat flavours. The mustard greens brought a bit of bitterness and freshness that rounded it all out.

This is a sandwich where the meat is the star, but isn’t too heavy. It’s satisfying in that warm, ramen-shop way, but still has interesting layers that play well together. We’d eat this again in a heartbeat.

Yum Son

Vietnamese food has become recognized for having some of the all-time best sandwiches in their Banh Mi subs, so All Siu’d Up! has a high bar to live up to! 

The beef patty had a deep caramelized flavour from a nice sear, with sweet and smoky notes from the char siu (Vietnamese BBQ) glaze. Then you’ve got that crispy pork belly on top, adding crunch and tender flavour at the same time — a totally different texture from soft pork belly that was a nice change.

We liked how the pickled cucumbers was soft here, a good contrasting texture to the crispy fried rice paper shards. So fun. They added this unexpected, light crunch that somehow stayed crisp even with the sauce.

The sauce itself is classic Yum Son — a mix of sweet chili and Asian spices that’s right in their wheelhouse. 

We might still go for their Banh Mi’s, but this is still a nice break from their excellent regular-menu sandwiches.

Port 701

The Jammed Out Stout is fruity, creamy comfort-food. The dark ale cheddar cheese was so generous it almost reminded us of brie— buttery and smooth. It’s a decadent treat, especially with the sauce. 

The blueberry Guiness bacon jam is the other main flavour here. It’s fruity, kind of like a cranberry sauce, but not so sweet it feels like dessert. It’s a pretty interesting flavour for a burger, and that balance of savoury Guiness and sweet fruit stays engaging throughout the whole experience.

A golden onion ring provides a crunchy, salty element that adds a bit of contrast to the sweet jam and creamy cheese, but you’ll definitely find those two elements to be the signature notes here.

UpTown

You can smell the char before it even hits the table — and we mean that in the best way. The ribeye patty here has that perfect fire-blackened sear, smoky and just a little spicy, but still juicy inside.

We loved the balance on this one. It’s not drenched in sauce or stacked to chaos — just well-built and well-cooked. The maple whisky bacon adds a deep, sweet note and those crispy fried onions are exactly what you want on a burger like this: crunchy, golden, and addictive.

A new ingredient to the competition is the cajun-remoulade – a zesty and tangy sauce with a little heat to it, making for a burger that leaves you with hints of smoke, sweet, and crunch.

The Block

With a proven background preparing sandwiches with only a few carefully prepared toppings, The Block’s The Bison and The Beat burger stays right in that pocket. This burger is all about the bison — slow-cooked until it’s ridiculously tender and full of deep, meaty flavour. Like all of their menu, it’s a quality over quantity approach, but when the meat is this superb, it doesn’t need much else.

The goat cheese and pickled beets go together like old friends, adding a creamy, earthy balance that keeps the flavours grounded. It’s not a big mix of textures, but what’s here is deep and satisfying.

We really liked how focused this one felt — no gimmicks, just great ingredients done right.

Backroads Brewing

Also put together by the culinary team at The Block is The Shoulder Season, served up at Backroads Brewing. 

We loved the balance in this one, and the meat had a slow cooked red meat flavour similar to their other offering (listed above). The lamb shoulder is fall-apart tender, and that whipped feta gives it a nice salty, creamy contrast.

The balsamic black mustard is what really stood out. It’s tangy and a bit sharp, almost like mild horseradish, and the bright flavour cuts through the richness perfectly. Add in the pickled green tomatoes and basil mayo, and you’ve got this light, herby finish that ties everything together.

Our favourite part was how clean and harmonious all the flavours felt — the feta, balsamic mustard, and lamb play so well off each other. There’s some wonderful harmonious flavours going on in this one, subtle and engaging.

Kootenay Tamil Kitchen

Here’s a burger that’s immediately fragrant, with big, confident flavours. The pulled Chettinad chicken is fragrant and spiced just right — it’s got that unmistakable South Indian warmth that keeps you going back for another bite. Plus there’s SO much of it, we almost feel like we’re getting a whole extra scoop on the side after finishing up the burger. 

KTK is a master at adding interesting textures, and that’s true this year too. There’s this crispy fried lentil layer that feels like a fun surprise, with small granular crunchy bits in every bite. 

A generous portion of Swiss cheese is piled high on the meat, while apple slaw adds a crisp, sweet texture. It’s new flavour that is very interesting here, and goes together great! Avocado yogurt sauce provides cool-down moment to balance out the spices in the chicken.

There’s fun, strong flavours here, with a wide mix of textures. A unique, spicy, and tasty burger for those looking for a new experience.

The Dam

The Pickled Goat’s main identity revolves around two fun ingredients: a crispy puck of spiced goat cheese and deep-fried pickles dusted in smoky chili seasoning.

The pickles hit first: crunchy, tangy, and just the right amount of heat — then that warm, creamy goat cheese follows, melting into the bite and balancing everything beautifully. It’s the kind of combo you keep thinking about long after it’s gone.

It’s a burger that reminds us of eating spicy dill pickle chips – a childhood staple that’s playful and unique! 

The rest of the burger backs it up nicely, with a juicy patty and a sun-dried tomato and basil bun, but it’s that goat cheese and those spicy fried pickles that give The Pickled Goat its signature identity here.

Club Verde

The Scottie’s Super Deluxe Stack at Club Verde is a classic bacon cheeseburger with an intriguing spice blend that gives this burger it’s signature flavour, and a stack of golden snacks to go with it. 

That in-house spice blend on the patty really keeps you guessing – we’re still trying to figure out what that salty, zesty note was. It’s a secret mix, so we can’t say for sure, but it reminds us of a brine — a lingering flavour that’s pretty distinct and interesting. 

The other toppings here fall under the tried-and-true category: bacon, cheddar, pickled onions, fresh tomato, and crisp lettuce. All classic cheeseburger toppings that won’t surprise you, but are still tasty. 

Topped with comfort foods like jalapeño poppers, a fried pickle and onion rings, and with fries available for only $1 extra, you definitely won’t leave hungry! 

Black Cauldron

It’s hard to believe that one of Burger Month’s most decorated restaurants is serving up their last burger ever! Keeping in style with their mystical vibe, Black Cauldron’s Endgame is full of bold earthy colours, crispy root chips, and blackberry wine jam. 

With a venison-and-beef patty full of aromatic garlic and rosemary, this is a burger you’ll smell before you can see! All those herby, peppery aromas taste as good as they smell and really make the patty stand out. 

Blackberry wine jam and creamy smoked gouda add a sweet and creamy twist, tying into the earthy vibe of the venison and herbs.

Add the crunch of root chips and a striking beet bun, and it’s a fitting swan song from one of Burger Month’s all-time greats that’s a really cohesive vision rooted in earthy tones and wild flavours.

Wait’s on Nelson

We had the Corny Clucker for brunch one day, and it was a great mix for starting our day off, with some fun and unexpected flavours. 

The focaccia bun alone deserves a shout out here — soft, fluffy, and brushed with herbs. 48 burgers later, and it’s still the only focaccia bun we’ve had. Great texture. 

Inside was a warm mix of hearty flavours, surprising us a herby chicken patty with a heart of gooey cream cheese. 

It had a rich, creamy flavour that worked so well with the mild spice and made the whole patty extra tender and juicy. 

The corn relish added this playful sweetness and a change in texture, with a little bite from the red onion and sweet pickles. A cozy, satisfying burger with a surprise up it’s sleeve.

Vienna Café

This one’s all about the Mediterranean vibes. The roasted red peppers were sweet, with a little char to them, a thoughtful pairing with the salty olive and feta. 

Those flavours together really worked well, straight out of the sunny warm climate the burger is inspired by. We loved the little pops of crispy onion on top for a bit of crunch, with fresh tomato and cucumber adding some freshness to the mix. 

With an emphasis on olive and feta, it may lean a little salty for some, but we appreciate the theme and how these organic meats and ingredients tap into the Kootenay vibe.

Outer Clove

Anyone else grow up with cheese fondue for special occasions? You’ll be right at home here. 

The fondue-style cheese mix of Emmental and Gruyère was thick and savoury — like getting a taste of The Outer Clove’s cozy winter fondue in burger form. It’s got a slightly sweet, deep flavour to it that definitely goes outside of our normal cheese palate with some tasty European imports. 

The horseradish mustard aioli packed a strong punch that cut right through the cheese. We like a little horseradish now and again — it’s a pop of sharpness that goes so well with meat, while the garlicky smoked paprika patty added a warm spice to the patty. 

This one’s definitely made for cheese lovers, but the balance between the rich fondue texture and the sharp horseradish mustard was lovely here too. 

Louie’s

We really liked how restrained this burger was — nothing showy, not too overcrowded — and because of that, the house-smoked chicken gets to be the star. The char on the thigh gives it this gentle, fragrant smokiness, and the meat itself is incredibly tender. The fior di latte goes great with this, a gooey creaminess to go with that smoked meat.

The biggest surprise for us was the onions – sweet, but not in the usual caramelized onion way. The brandy sweetness actually comes through clearly — not just sugary, but aromatic, with a hint of fruit or vanilla. They were memorable enough that we instantly compared them to every other onion treatment in Burger Month… and nothing else was quite like them.

Beauties

Big meatball sub vibes, but in a totally different form factor. 

This burger delivers that bright, tomato-forward marinara with oregano-and-Italian-herb vibes that we love from spaghetti and meatballs. The patty even has that light and springy meatball texture we love — unexpectedly airy compared to a standard beef patty. 

The hickory sticks bring a fun smoky crunch that works surprisingly well with all the saucy elements. It leans into this quintessential comfort food with pimento cheese, smoky crisp bits, and those little pops of heat and acidity from the pickled jalapeños. 

In proper Beauties fashion, it’s playful but still satisfying, and it really does taste like a meatball sub reimagined as a proper stacked burger!

Broken Hill

Broken Hill is the most indulgent burger this year, in a category all of its own. This one is rich, and that’ll either make or break it for you!

The medium-rare house-ground chuck patty is loose and tender, and we appreciated the attention that went into toasting the brioche bun so it can hold together these savoury meats and sauces. The cured foie gras butter is luxurious and buttery — a little like pâté with that intense, thick liver flavour. 

That’s not to say it’s one-note, because there’s a few other complimentary flavours going on here too! 

We really enjoyed the jam — the sour cherry and onion mix gives a hint of tartness and sweetness that contrasts beautifully with the meat, foie gras, and truffle aioli.

Every bite is a blend of meaty richness, faintly sweet notes, and a hit of that acidity from the sour cherry. It’s a real treat to have something like this in Nelson, and while not for everyone, it’s a burger that certainly makes its mark.

Confident and bold, this burger dives headfirst into the world of succulent meats and buttery rich sauces, and we’ve never had anything like it. 

Jackson’s Hole

The Lambassador brings in a blend of spices and toppings that are household favourites of ours for a balanced burger made with flavours from the Mediterranean. 

We love whipped feta — it’s light, creamy, and gives a little lift to the lamb that pairs nicely with mint chimichurri for a green, bright note you hope for with lamb.

Sumac onions were another creative choice — floral and aromatic, a unique spice we don’t see often in burgers. The harissa aioli adds a gentle red pepper warmth that’s not spicy, just enough to open up the palate. 

All the components came together without any one element dominating — a really well-balanced, flavourful lamb burger.

Full Circle Cafe

Full Circle leans into familiar Tex-Mex comfort here: smashed avocado, layered with nacho cheese, pickled jalapeños, tomato, red onion, and a handful of crunchy tortilla chips.

We liked the creamy avocado here (surprisingly one of only two burgers to feature it), and the crispy tortilla chips — it gives the burger an easy, snacky feel. The flavours are a classic combo: a little heat from the jalapeños, a bit of smokiness from the chipotle sauce, and the cheese blend tying it together. 

While we tend to like patties a little more on the loose side, the texture contrast between the soft avocado and the crunchy chips kept this burger feeling fresh. 

Nelson Brewing Company

The Rogue Burger from NBC brings a few interesting flavours to the table this year, with liquorice notes and a ginger-horseradish sauce for a burger that almost has an Asian feel to it 

The smoky beef patty is paired with a bright, slightly sweet fennel slaw, which adds a mild licorice crunch that’s quite refreshing. Together with the arugula and fried onions, this burger has plenty of crunchy elements and textures going on, even without touching on our favourite part: the sauces.

There’s two really interesting sauces here, a ginger–horseradish sauce — bright and spicy, and a lemon piccata that’s zesty and savoury. 

It’s a new mix, and we appreciated how this burger takes those risks with flavours, but balances them thoughtfully — a creative, bright, and satisfying bite.

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Nelson Burger Month 2024 Winners

The 2024 Nelson Burger Month Winners were:

🏆 Best Tasting: Broken Hill

Here’s what we had to say: (full video here)

We’ve never seen a bun like this, beautiful bright orange, a result of the natural colours from the achiote and the cornmeal. It’s very eye catching – the photos don’t do it justice. Bite into one and you’ll see what we’re talking about. Very flashy.

It’s not just pretty though. The bun is sturdy and chewy, a satisfying base for the real star of the show: smoked beef shank, braised in a chili-spiced broth.

There’s a little kick from the chili infused meat, and the bold flavors are balanced by the refreshing ceviche topping. The thinly sliced onions, fresh cilantro, and lime juice added a bright, citrusy note that cut through the richness of the meat. It’s not something you’ll see often, and it keeps this burger feeling light and fresh.

There’s a lot of meat going on here, with smoked beef shank on top of a flank steak patty. We found the smoked beef shank takes centre stage in this one, and it could easily make a scrumptious sandwich on its own. We might even prefer that, but it’s still part of a tasty package here.

🏆 Best Presentation: Relish

Here’s what we had to say: (full video here)

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: that cheese sauce. It’s a show stopper, both in its presentation and its execution, adding a warm and moist element to this one that brings it to the next level. It’s fun to pour, fun to eat, and just all-round high quality comfort food. There’s a nice crunch from the apple jalapeño cabbage slaw, and a bed of crispy pork belly and golden onion curls that’ll put a smile on your face. 

It’s feel good comfort food done right, and a burger month highlight!

🏆 Most Original: Kurama Sushi

Here’s what we had to say:

This might be the best chicken patty in the competition. It’s very light, crispy and moist, with great sesame teriyaki flavours going on. We weren’t sure how the brown rice bun would hold up, but it’s actually awesome. Almost perfect really – a bit less rice-to-burger ratio perhaps, but if it means the bun stays together like this we’re very happy with it. 

Your enjoyment of this one will vary based on how much you like wasabi. It’s a flavour we like, put to great use here in the Japanese mustard coleslaw, but it’s also strong. 

A really cool burger that’s gluten free, delicious, and totally unique!

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