People associate many pleasing aromas with a holiday. The piquant fragrance of pine needles reminds people of Christmas, for example, while the smell of a pumpkin pie baking stirs thoughts of Thanksgiving. And if the bouquet of a stout beer doesn’t make you declare, “Happy St. Patrick’s Day!” you’re doing that holiday wrong.
Likewise, during the week of April 15, an enticing aroma will waft throughout Chattanooga and lure passersby through the doors of local eateries, their taste buds primed – the aroma of freshly grilled meat.
If you’re picturing yourself gripping a sizzling all-beef wonder topped with your favorite condiments, then you guessed it: it’s time for Chattanooga Burger Week – the event local vegans, vegetarians and Chick-fil-A owners have been dreading all year.
Chattanooga Burger Week is about celebrating two things: burgers and the restaurants that serve them.
There’s much to applaud when it comes to local burgers. From Urban Stack’s Big Cheese (housemade pimento cheese, house sauce, chipotle ketchup, lettuce, tomato and balsamic onions on a certified Angus beef patty) to Nic & Norman’s Bat Out of Hell Smashburger (homestyle meatloaf burger topped with mashed potatoes, brown gravy, Nic & Norman’s sauce and fried onion straws) to Fountainhead Taproom’s Southwest Black Bean Burger (Southwest spice blend, queso cheese, pico de gallo and avocado on a brioche bun), there’s a burger for every appetite.
Hailing the businesses that serve these seared masterworks is an equally important part of Burger Week. So far, 24 restaurants will be grilling, plating and serving their finest in an effort to earn new fans and loyal customers, including recently installed chains like Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar on Gunbarrel Road and long-standing local spots like Mike’s Hole in the Wall on Cherokee Boulevard. (See the sidebar for the complete list of participating eateries.)
These establishments will be slicing and dicing more than tomatoes and onions during Burger Week; they’ll also be cutting their prices. If anything can make mouths water faster than a whiff of Anomaly’s Bordelaise (single smash patty, Swiss cheese, garlic pomme puree, shallot confit, bordelaise sauce, fried onion and arugula on a brioche bun), it’s an Anomaly’s Bordelaise that costs $7.
That’s not a typo; you read it right. From April 15-21, local foodies will be able to go easy on their debit cards as they dine at restaurants participating in Burger Week. Considering the cost of restaurant food these days, that alone should bring people out of their homes to fill every table, booth and bar seat in the city.
Think about it: People will be able to enjoy Agave & Rye’s Sicilian Burger Queen (two smash beef patties, mozzarella and sweet and spicy bacon on toasted buns of charred pepperoni, mozzarella and house red sauce) for less than the price of a Five Guys Burger and one cent more than a Whopper meal deal.
This seems like a good place to say Burger Week is also about recognizing the people who serve those celebrated slabs of flame-broiled deliciousness. To that end, local restaurants are encouraging patrons to tip as though they’re paying the usual price for their burgers.
To enjoy the full Burger Week experience, download the free app for iOS and Android phones from chattanoogaburgerweek.com. The app allows users to browse restaurants, sort establishments by available services (dine-in, takeout and delivery) and view burgers and drink specials.
Users can also sort restaurants by vegetarian substitutions, gluten-free options, whiskey stops, outdoor dining and pet-friendly locations. The app also contains a map of participating restaurants that allows users to view nearby establishments and map out a burger route for the week.
Finally, patrons can gain points by checking in at participating restaurants on the app to become eligible for prize drawings and vie for a grand prize of $500 in restaurant gift cards for the Burger Week patron with the most points. (Maybe the most passionate Burger Week fans will actually give their debit cards a more rigorous than usual workout.)
After Burger Week is over, app users will be able to vote for their favorite burger. The creation with the most votes will win bragging rights for 2024. Last year’s winner was Jack Brown’s Crab Rangoon Burger (100% wagyu beef burger, housemade Crab Rangoon filling, wonton strips and sweet chili sauce). The popular beer and burger joint is discounting this fistful of flavor again in a bid for a repeat.
A lot of tantalizing contenders stand between Jack Brown’s and a second crown, though, including Whiskey Thief’s Drunken Dragon (beef patty, Red Dragon mustard ale cheese, Thai chili candied bacon, panko crusted onion ring, smoked relish aioli and pickle chips), the Wanderer’s Walking Taco Burger (beef patty. chili, cheddar cheese, pickled jalapenos, cilantro lime crema and Fritos), Alimentari’s Angry Pickle Muenster (Angus beef patty, Calabrian dill pickle aioli, muenster cheese, arugula and red onion marmalade on a brioche roll) and more.
A LOT more, thanks to the efforts of the Tennessee Beef Council, which is the force behind Burger Week. So, grab the app, map your route and prepare to chow down.
Participating restaurants
Burger Week participants as of April 3
• 423 Taco
• Agave & Rye
• Alimentari at The Westin
• Anomaly by Oddstory
• Bad Daddy’s Burger Bar
• Basecamp Bar & Restaurant
• Burger Republic
• Common Table
• Drake’s
• Five Wits Brewing Company
• Fountainhead Taproom
• HiFi Clyde’s
• High Rail Rooftop Bar
• Jack Brown’s
• Mike’s Hole in the Wall
• Naked River Brewing Co.
• Nic & Norman’s
• Southside Social
• Taphouse
• The Bar at Table South
• The Wanderer in Hotel Indigo
• Urban Stack
• Whiskey Cowgirl
• Whiskey Thief