Chattanooga Burger Week is an annual event that is enjoyed by local food and drink lovers.
Did you know Chattanooga has a burger-focused obsession week? If not, now you do. This week is held every year in the Spring and features amazing burgers at Chattanooga restaurants available for amazing prices. Keep reading to learn more about this Chattanooga yearly tradition.
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What Exactly is Chattanooga Burger Week?
Chattanooga Burger Week started in 2021 when a local Tennessee event planning company decided to create a community-boosting event. The overall purpose is to promote local Chattanooga restaurants through their amazing burgers. Every year, for one week in the Spring, participating restaurants craft their signature burgers to sell at a discounted price. Along with the discounted burger, you are encouraged to purchase sides and some locations have specialty drinks to pair with the burger too.
There’s also a grand prize awarded at the end of the week. We’re talking about a very serious reward for the winner with hundreds of dollars worth of prizes. And anyone can enter! Simply try a burger at 3 of the participating restaurants and check-in on the app. Yes, there’s a Chattanooga Burger Week app which I recommend getting especially to help you plan and grab burgers on the go. And this year, you earn points for checking-in at each restaurant. Whoever racks up the most points by the end of the week will be dubbed the “Biggest Burger Lover in Chattanooga.”
What Kind of Burgers Can I Expect to Try?
Some restaurants stick to the classics and offer your typical-style burger with nothing fancy. While other places will go all out and create a crazy concoction. The following restaurants from the previous years are also participating again this year. Be sure to check their offerings for this year before planning your week to see if it’s something you wanna try.
2023 Burgers
Agave and Rye
Agave and Rye always has the most creative burgers for this special week. I always make a point to go by and try what they have to offer.
Last year, I tried Agave and Rye’s “The Racy Miss Tasty” which is definitely on the crazy side. This burger starts with a ground beef patty and raw ramen deep fried together to make a burger with a crunch. It then gets placed on a brioche bun and topped with their taquito cheese, similar to a nacho cheese but better. Then it’s loaded with sweet and spicy bacon, lettuce, chunky salsa, cowboy candy (jalepeños), and comeback sauce. This burger is amazing! If you love crazy food combinations with loads of flavor, this is the burger for you. It’s sweet, tangy, and spicy all at the same time and no particular flavor overbears on the other making it well balanced. And speaking of balance, Agave and Rye’s “OG Margarita” pairs surprisingly well with this unique burger creation.
Oddstory Brewing
Oddstory Brewing has some of the best locally brewed beer which pairs well with their simple, yet elegant burgers they offer for Chattanooga Burger Week.
Last year, I tried Anomaly’s burger. Anomaly is the new restaurant side of Oddstory Brewing. This year they featured the “Harissa Smashburger.” It’s a single patty burger topped with lettuce, tomato, and caramelized onion. Then it’s covered with swiss cheese, feta cheese, and a smokey harissa mayo. Per the chef’s recommendation, I paired this burger with Oddstory’s lightest beer, the Cozen. The burger was great, especially with the beer. I added a side of fries as well as their “Special Sauce.” The fries are great and the sauce is tangy with a nice kick to it.
Burger Republic
You can’t go wrong with Burger Republic. Their burger options are always a happy medium between classic and unique.
We decided last year to try Burger Republic’s special as well, which was a last minute decision. And it was a good decision. Their burger this year was called “The Green Jacket.” This is a big burger covered in pimento cheese, topped with lettuce, tomato, and their house-made bacon jam. And it’s served on a brioche bun from another local place called Niedlov’s. Another great part about this burger is that it comes with the side options of home-style chips, french fries, or tater tots. The patties of their burgers are huge compared to some of the other restaurants so bring your appetite.
2022 Burgers
High Rail
In 2022 I tried High Rail’s “Bison Off the Rails Burger.” This Carolina Bison burger was topped with arugula, white cheddar, paprika aioli, and onions caramelized in Templeton Rye which was the distillery for the week. (More info about select distilleries and breweries below.) What was even cooler is that they served this burger deal with house-made potato chips. Most places only serve the burger so be sure to check each location’s offering for this year to see what it includes.
Whiskey Thief
I also tried the “Whiskey Thief Burger” in 2022. This was a hamburger topped with arugula, white bean mayo, red pepper bacon jam, and pepperjack cheese. It was definitely my favorite out of the two I tried in 2022. I also recommend planning your time here for sunset. This is one of the best vantage points downtown to overlook the Tennessee River, Tennessee Aquarium, and the Walking Bridge. But be aware that they get busy quickly so plan accordingly.
What makes Chattanooga Burger Week so special?
I think the highlight of the week is how every burger is only $7! And we’re talking about good quality burgers worth more than that amount. For this reason, please be sure to order more than just a burger and be sure to tip well! This is a win-win for everyone. Good burgers at a good price and supporting local Chattanooga businesses.
Chattanooga Burger Week App and Prizes
Chattanooga Burger Week is more than just some good burgers at good prices. There’s additional prizes to be won. I already touched on the grand prize and the “Biggest Burger Lover in Chattanooga” but there’s more fun to be had too. Once you’ve downloaded the app and the burger week officially starts, you’ll find ways to win gift cards, Chattanooga Burger Week merch, and more. And not only do we get prizes as partakers of burgers, but one restaurant will win “Best Burger Week Burger” for the most voted burger. As you try burgers during the week, be sure to vote for your favorites to help them win the title.
Plan Ahead for the Best Chattanooga Burger Week Experience
I cannot recommend this enough. Plan ahead for the best Chattanooga Burger Week experience. Every restaurant participating in this event has something different to offer. Not just the burgers themselves, but every restaurant is unique too. Some places allow take-out while others require dine-in. Some are open all week while others are only open on certain days. And some are bars which require you to be 21 or older just to enter. So before you embark on this delicious burger journey, be sure to download the Chattanooga Burger Week app for all the details for each location. Including, who has outdoor seating, who is pet friendly, and who has specific dietary options for their burger week special.
Chattanooga Burger Week’s Future
This event is still young and constantly growing. With over 25 restaurants this year, there’s no limit to how many places can participate, so the goal is to keep it growing. Chattanooga Burger Week was created to promote community and businesses built around good food. You’ll notice that some of these places aren’t even burger restaurants and that’s ok. Diversity is welcome here and anyone can bring a good burger to the table if they want to.
The Chattanooga Burger Week event planners just launched their app for this year! The app allows you to better track your burger week journey, collect points, win prizes, and more. Be sure to download the app for your Chattanooga Burger Week adventure.
If you enjoy Chattanooga Burger Week, you’ll wanna check out the other Chattanooga festivals they host. Such as the Summer Cocktail Fest in June, the Margarita Festival in August, and the Bacon and Barrel in September.
Conclusion
Chattanooga Burger Week is an awesome, week-long event for food and drink enthusiasts. I love how it showcases some of the best restaurants and bars that Chattanooga has to offer. And the Chattanooga food community truly shines during this time. Let me know in the comments below if you’ve tried a burger from this event and which one is your favorite. Share the experience with me on social media and share this post with other burger lovers in the community. And watch my YouTube video from the last 2 years that I experienced this fun week with friends. Until next time, enjoy exploring Chatt!
More Local Chattanooga Food and Drinks:
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Great overview – I was curious about the Racy Miss Tasty at Agave & Rye, it sounds like quite the adventure! I enjoyed Cherry Street Brewing’s “Brewer’s PB&J burger” this year. It includes creamy peanut butter and a mango pepper jelly! Thanks for the fun video and this post so I know some other great burgers to try!
Yes, it’s an adventurous one indeed. I think Cherry Street’s was also an adventurous one! Thanks for the feedback. I look forward to what new and crazy concoctions these places come up with next year!