Bürgermeisters, it’s the very best time of the yr for you — the Nashville Scene‘s Burger Week is on the horizon. From July 7 to 13, the annual celebration of all issues on a bun will happen in additional than 50 eating places and bars throughout town and into the outskirts of Nashville, with institutions providing particular burger offers which you can make the most of in your quest to search out the very best of the very best.
Proper off the bat, sure, the worth has elevated from $7 to $8 this yr. We get it, occasions are exhausting, however this has all the time been a loss-leader for many of the collaborating eating places. They’re already making sacrifices to serve lots of of burgers to the throngs of Burger Week members who descend upon their eating places annually to pattern the inventive takes on smash burgers and different choices. The price of the whole lot related to working a restaurant has gone up — it appears higher to identify the members an additional buck quite than see “shrinkflation” of patty sizes in an try to account for the elevated prices. This ain’t “Slider Week”!
To assist soften the blow, Burger Week sponsor Little Harpeth Brewing Firm is providing particular offers on their scrumptious Rooster Scratch beer, a really perfect peppery pilsner to enhance a juicy burger. Some collaborating eating places are that includes burger-and-beer combos, whereas others are simply discounting Rooster Scratch all week to assist offset that further greenback. You’ll be able to examine the official record on the Burger Week web site to search out out the place the beer specials are supplied.
Some eating places are nonetheless refining their particular burgers and offers, however there are many issues to already get enthusiastic about as you intend your eat-inerary for subsequent week. Step one is to obtain the official Burger Week app. Not solely will that provide you with an inventory of all of the collaborating eating places and a map to assist information your tour, however you may also examine in at every cease to earn factors that enter you in varied contests all through the week. The grand prize is $500 price of reward playing cards from among the collaborating eating places. You must also vote in your favourite on the finish of the week to assist decide the very best between buns for 2025.
As all the time, we ask that you just be affected person should you encounter massive crowds or eating places run out of their particular burgers. That’s form of the purpose, as we need to drive enterprise to native eating places and introduce nice new spots to our readers. Please contemplate ordering some further meals, like a facet of fries and a drink, to assist offset the loss that a lot of them are taking in your meal — and tip like a first-round draft choose!
On my first go by this yr’s particular burgers, there’s lots to love! If I needed to determine a theme this yr, it appears like a lot of the entries are good, old school. straight-ahead smash burgers, and I’m not complaining about that. You’ll discover some variations on a traditional at spots like: Bavarian Bier Haus, Golden Sound, Germantown Cafe, Widespread Floor, Double Canines, Jasper’s, Mooyah in Brentwood and Franklin, and Mr. J’s.
It wouldn’t be Burger Week with out some over-the-top choices, and also you’ll want two palms and doubtless a bib to get by Brown’s Diner’s Hatch Chili Burger, topped with spicy onion straws on a mattress of romaine lettuce and Hatch chili aioli. It is slathered in Mexican beer cheese sauce made out of Hatch chilis, Chihuahua cheese and Modelo beer and topped with a pile of pickles. It appears like a pleasant mess!
One other over-the-top possibility is the Smash, Dip and Crunch Burger from Sonny’s Patio Pub & Refuge. Image a fairly typical smash burger, then dip it in pepper-jack cheese dip and roll it in nacho cheese Doritos. Delightfully decadent! In case you’re a fan of large onion rings, contemplate the choices from Robert’s and Gathre that each function fried slices that look to have come from softball-sized onions.
Gathre’s burger, by the way in which, is known as the Blue Smoke Present, and it represents one other theme of this yr’s choices — fruity burgers. It has a blueberry barbecue sauce together with a licensed Angus beef patty, bacon, smoked white cheddar and brisket mac-and-cheese to finish the deal with. Cledis is considering alongside comparable strains with a burger known as Blackberry Smoke, a concoction of a smashburger topped with white American cheese, bacon, grilled jalapeños, smoked blackberry preserves and whipped mascarpone.
If I needed to choose an early favourite, I’d lean towards Scoreboard’s Wafflin’ Ain’t Straightforward Burger as a result of it’s simply gimmicky sufficient to attract consideration whereas offering the crowd-pleasing taste combos that always go viral. It incorporates a beef patty between two golden waffles, topped with crispy bacon, a fried egg and a drizzle of maple butter. Yeah, just about the whole lot you’d need for brunch.
The burger that the majority intrigues me is the Watermelon Sugar Excessive from The Pharmacy Burger Parlor and Beer Backyard. These guys all the time give you attention-grabbing burger specials, however this one appears particularly considerate in its building, with each factor contributing one thing to the celebration. They’re taking one in all their handmade patties and topping it with a slice of watermelon to contribute somewhat trace of sweetness, plus arugula, the pepperiest of greens, salty and tangy goat cheese and creamy mayo. I stay up for giving that one a strive!
You’ll be able to assist kick off the week of enjoyable on the large Burger Week Kickoff Celebration on Monday, July 7, at Sonny’s Patio Pub & Refuge at 1322 Sixth Ave. No. in Germantown from 5 to 7 p.m. The free-to-attend occasion will function freebies from Wonderbelly, an Uber Eats photograph sales space, food and drinks specials and naturally, burgers. Attendees may also earn 100 factors within the Burger Week app to extend their odds of successful a type of prizes.
So name your burger-loving buddies and make plans to see what number of of those locations you’ll be able to hit throughout the week. Tell us your favorites!
