Glendale Favorite: Illegal Burger competed in the 2022 Denver Burger Battle. They proudly presented La Jefa, a burger featuring charred cilantro lime pineapple salsa, pepper jack cheese, smoked bacon, and chipotle aioli.

Burger Time: Attendees had 19 different burgers to sample at the 2022 Denver Burger Battle.

The Cherry Cricket (People’s Choice) and Stanley Beer Hall (Judge’s Choice) were the victors of Denver’s ultimate burger showdown on August 4, 2022. The epic burger showdown, which occurred at Auraria Campus  – Tivoli Quad, presented 19 burger contenders to more than 1,500 burger enthusiasts.

A returning contender was Chamber member, Illegal Burger, which rolled out the La Jefa. The burger has charred c

ilantro lime pineapple salsa, pepper jack cheese, smoked bacon, and chipotle aioli. Illegal Burger is located in Glendale’s CitySet for Dine In, take out, or delivery. Visit www.il legalbur ger.com/location/glendale for more information.

Denver Burger Battle started in 2010 where the Denver metro area’s top burger restaurants compete for top honors and ultimate bragging rights. Each year trophies for Judge’s Choice and People’s Choice get passed down from winner to winner; burger battle winners will get their names added and engraved on the trophies so they can proudly display their victories 

People’s Choice: The Cherry Cricket and its 983 Big Cheesy, which was smothered in American cheese and gooey mac, stacked with crispy poblano and crunchy cheetos, and finished with a swipe of sweet and savory bacon jalapeno jam, was declared the 2022 People’s Choice winner. Photo credit: Karen Mills of Full Pour Media.

until the next Denver Burger Battle.

Denver Burger Battle has one simple goal: to determine the best burger in Colorado. A team of burger experts and enthusiasts carefully vets and hand selects each competing burger, so guests have the chance to taste and vote from an impressive, curated bracket of local restaurants.

Stanley Beer Hall and its Peaches & Cream Burger, with Niman Ranch beef, creamed goat cheese, spiced peach ketchup, pepper jelly, and grilled Palisade peaches, was voted 2022 Judge’s Choice by a panel of esteemed burger critics. This is the third time that Stanley Beer Hall has earned a Denver Burger Battle Judge’s Choice trophy.

Previously, Stanley Beer Hall took home Judge’s Choice hardware in 2017 and 2018. “This win to us is an awesome team win on all parts. We bonded together and got a pretty cool burger and executed it the way we wanted to,” says Nick Howard, Stanley Beer Hall Executive Chef.

The Cherry Cricket and its 983 Big Cheesy, which was smothered in American cheese and gooey mac, stacked with crispy poblano and crunchy cheetos, and finished with a swipe of sweet and savory bacon jalapeno jam, was declared the 2022 People’s Choice winner. This is the fourth time that Cherry Cricket has earned a Denver Burger Battle trophy.

Cherry Cricket was the defending champion for People’s Choice, winning two years in a row for 2021 and 2022. They also earned Judge’s Choice in 2019 and People’s Choice in 2016. “This is awesome,” says Heidi Ziepprecht, Cherry Cricket General Manager. “Thank you, Denver! This is the one we wanted.”

In addition to the burgers, many cocktail vendors were on hand to provide samples. They included Epic Western, who is the only canned tequila cocktail that uses 100% blue agave tequila. Day Chaser cocktails, Laws Whiskey House, George Dickel, Bulleit Bourbon, Crown Royal, Coca Cola, Natalie’s Juice, Woodchuck Hard Cider, and Waterloo to quench the thirst, sponsored the event.

A portion of proceeds from the Denver Burger Battle will benefit Firefly Autism, a nonprofit that seeks to transform the lives of children with autism.

For more information, visit www.DenverBurgerBattle.com, or follow @Denver BurgerBattle on Facebook and Instagram.