Slow Boat Battle to Keep Burger Cup Crown vs Dark Horse Crafters
The heat is on. The beef is broiled. And, as the smoke clears, only two burger flippers remain.
That's because we're down to the Championship Round of the 2019 Burger Cup, and there's sure to be some scorched egos when it's all said and done. There'll also be jubilance for some as this year's dark horse, east-end artisan suds and pub grub slingers Crafters Brewing Co continue to defy expectations, pushing past hutong hotspot Side Street for a shot at the crown.
This round's other bracket is equally exciting, but for different reasons. A pair of former champs, Q Mex (2017) and Slow Boat Brewery (2015, 2016, and 2018) slugged it out in a contest that remained too close to call right up until the bitter end when Slow Boat snagged the win by a mere few dozen votes.
One of Crafters' enthused new fans at the fest
Crafters' rise couldn't have been predicted before this year's Burger Fest. Prior to that, they were a tiny cider and beer operation that kicked off, as fate would have it, at their friends' bar and (and would be Final Four rival) Side Street. On top of not having a place of their own until very recently, Crafters also didn't begin making burgers until shortly afterward. Regardless of being green to the burger game, the Communication University-neighboring crew garnered plenty of new fans at our Burger Festival last month. Indeed, from their nacho and Chinese smoked pork-topped burger to their poutine, and of course their craft booze, Crafters proved a big hit.
Scan/Extract here to crown this year's best burger (and get a Didi voucher for the effort):
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Crafters face a daunting challenge from three-time and reigning champs Slow Boat. The current title holders have more than proven themselves over the years with the thousands of burgers they sold at the Burger Fest and of course their award-winning craft brews. It's certainly been a deftly navigated journey from Slow Boat's humble little port of call in the hutongs, and if they secure this win they'll become the first contestant to make it four wins overall.
Slow Boat had no shortage of love at this year's fest, reportedly selling several thousand of burgers
Speaking of which, Q Mex's showing this year was impressive indeed, leaving them losing only by a hair. That can be attributed to the strength of their new chorizo burger and their ever-growing roster of locations (three already, with a fourth at The Place on the way). As they continue to grow their brand, we wouldn't be surprised to see them bounce back even stronger come next year's competition.
Side Street, meanwhile, have plenty of consolation despite their slip out of the Burger Cup. As one of the few remaining hutong hotspots after Beijing's extensive recent redevelopment campaign, they attract huge crowds with their laid-back ambiance, multitudes of beer, fun clientele and, above all, their creative Indian-American grub. Thanks to all that and more, they'll surely be a force to be reckoned with at future Burger Cups down the road.
In the path to the final, one thing is for sure: the Burger Cup has created an orgy of consumption amongst burger fans in Beijing. Sixty-one percent of voters last round indicated that they have eaten more burgers than usual during the Burger Cup so far, while 48 percent say they've drunk more beer than usual. The Cup has also raised awareness: 67 percent learned about new burger places they had not heard of before, whereas 61 percent of voters took action, and went to test new burger places.
Finally, as has been the case each year, the Burger Cup changes minds: more than half the voters (56 percent) indicate that they've changed their opinion on their favorite burger place in Beijing.
Only time will tell if this year's two finalists will be able to sway your vote before the polls close at midday on Tuesday, Jul 16. Part of that vote also includes who you think deserves the coveted third place. Come back at 4pm on the same day to see who has been crowned 2019 Best Burger, and may the best competitor win!
5. Home Plate BBQ
6. Jing-A
7. The Great Outdoors
8. Great Leap Brewing
9. Blue Frog
10. Arrow Factory
11. 3 Little Pigs by Andy's Craft Sausages
12. Boxing Cat
13. Beersmith Gastropub
14. 4corners
15. The Local
16. Let's Burger
17. De Refter
18. Hulu
19. Cannon's Burgers
20. Fatburger
21. Caravan
22. Miam Miam
23. The Cheesecake Factory
24. Lily's American Diner
25. Paddy O'Shea's
26. Plan B
27. Katchup
28. Biteapitta
29. Loca Loca
30. A Lil' Somethin'
31. No Diet Bistro & Bar
32. Royal Stacks
33. Fatboy's
34. XL Bar
35. Lush
36. Migas Mercado
37. The Butchers Club
38. East Hotel
39. QS
40. Root Pop
41. Laker's
42. Little Creatures
43. Bistro 108
44. Veggie Table
45. Grandma's Kitchen
46. The Rug Café
47. Cafe Flo
48. Bistrot B, Rosewood Hotel
49. VSports Bar and Restaurant
50. Joe's Bar and Kitchen
51. Hey Burger
52. Legend Beer
53. Wolfgang's Steakhouse
54. Luga's Villa
55. The Bookworm
56. Morton's of Chicago
57. La Rosee
58. The Roots
59. Eudora Station
60. Panda Brew
61. Living Room, CHAO Hotel
62. Waspark
63. Red Rose
64. Café Flatwhite
65. 1F
66. Rodeo Connection
67. Angel Burger
68. Signature's, Kempinski Hotel
69. Bodensee Kitchen
70. NBeer Pub
71. Grinders
72. Beer Mania
73. BLT American Restaurant Salad & Grill
74. 40+ Club
75. Irish Volunteer
76. Mr. Eel's Love
77. Hotties
78. Aurora
79. Tiger's
80. Blue Marlin
81. Burger Break
82. The Bell
83. CHAR Bar & Grill, InterContinental Hotel
84. Burger Counter
85. Halo Burger
86. Steamrhino Brewery Restaurant
87. Four Ace
88. Meat by Ernest
89. Fella's
90. C'est la Vie
91. Village Cafe, The Opposite House
92. Three Guys Burger House
93. Shamrock
94. The Cut, Fairmont Beijing
95. O'Leary's
96. Beer Boom
97. Molly Malone's
98. Rolling Rolling Craft Brewing
99. Spacelab
100. Peiping Machine
101. Park Side Bar & Grill
102. Su Zui
103. Steak Exchange, InterContinental Hotel
104. Xuan House
105. Windy City
106. Cairns
107. Peking Garden
108. He Kitchen
109. Park Square
110. W Restaurant
111. MustGuette
112. Picture My Cup at Kimo Kids Cafe
113. Bergling
114. Dongli Brewery
115. West Gastropub
116. Flora Steak and Bar
117. 42Play
118. Rhythm Craft Beer
Need some context? Take a look at where each of this year's hopefuls placed last year.
Photos: the Beijinger, courtesy of the restaurants
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