Local restaurant wins ‘Best Burger Contest’

The Wisconsin Beef Council announced late last week that the All American Burger at Pickles Bar and Grill in Hazelhurst is the winner of the inaugural Wisconsin’s Best Burger Contest.

Pickles’ All American Burger is a half-pound burger with lettuce, tomato, raw onion, smoked garlic mayo and choice of cheese, according to a press release announcing the honor.

 All of Pickles’ burgers consist of a craft blend of brisket, short rib and ground chuck that are seasoned with a house blend seasoning, the release notes.

“We are honored to have our All American Burger named as the winner of the Wisconsin Beef Council’s 2024 Best Burger Contest,” said Justin Koshak, who co-owns Pickles with Dan Linscott. “We are happy to represent what the Northwoods has to offer when it comes to restaurants, taverns and grills. There are so many great spots up here that showcase great menus and fantastic food.”

The contest was designed by the Wisconsin Beef Council to seek out and promote 100% beef burgers prepared in Wisconsin restaurants. Pickles Bar and Grill emerged victorious, earning the highest score from a secret panel of three judges who traveled to the Elite Eight restaurants named in the contest.

“We are thrilled with the overwhelming response from Wisconsin residents for this contest,” said Tammy Vaassen, executive director of the Wisconsin Beef Council. “The Wisconsin Beef Council’s mission is to grow demand for beef, and our Elite Eight restaurants have reported a strong increase in business and sales of beef burgers. The feedback from our judges was immensely positive for all the competitors, which is a testament to the large number of nominations received for each of them. We are honored to have Pickles as our first-ever winner, with judges comments including: ‘the burger was juicy and thick, bun was delicious, cooked to perfection, flavor was amazing, and the owner stopped by several times to check on us.’”

The announcement followed a nomination period of 30 days where consumers across the state could submit their favorite burger joint. 

“Restaurants can watch for details about next year’s contest coming out in February of 2025 on our website,” said Vaassen. “The contest has shown us that whether you’re from a rural area or one of our larger cities, beef brings our communities together for delicious meals.”