The winner of “Ireland’s Best Burger” for 2021 has been revealed – as independent burger shop Flipside takes the top prize.
Sligo locals Paul Brennan and David Dunne have flipped their way to fame as Kepak, sponsors of National Burger Day, revealed their shop to be officially home to the best burger in Ireland for 2021.
The win provides another boost to the busy Sligo burger joint following the recent resumption of indoor dining after they successfully navigated pandemic related closure by pivoting to takeaway, the organisers of National Burger Day say.
The announcement comes ahead of National Burger Day on August 12, which, in support of the foodservice sector, will see participating outlets across the country mark the day with a special Two-for-One deal on their signature burgers.
Over the past month, almost 20,000 Irish burger enthusiasts cast their vote for the most mouth-watering burger in the country.
Ireland’s best burger
With over 450 burger outlets to choose from, Flipside has been awarded the juicy title of the best burger in the country.
Former winners of the award for the Best Gourmet Burger in Connacht, Flipside is described by the organisers as “a stylish burger bar serving top-quality burgers, prepared on the spot using only the freshest local ingredients”.
It was noted that Flipside also serves up vegan and vegetarian options, as well as salads, sides, ice-cream sundaes and fries.
Other winners of this year’s awards include Dublin’s well known Thunder Road Café, which won Best Burger in a Restaurant and Harry’s Galway which took home the Best Burger in a Pub award.
Meanwhile, food trends arising during the pandemic were also evident among this year’s participants, with two food trucks including Gaelic Burger in Kildare and O’Reilly’s in Cork capturing the attention of foodies in Leinster and Connaught and bringing home the bacon in their respective provinces.
The full list of winners is as follows:
Best burger at a…
- Restaurant: Thunder Road Café, Dublin;
- Hotel: Hotel Killarney, Kerry;
- Pub: Harry’s, Galway;
- Convenience/Forecourt: Burger King at Applegreen;
- Independent Fast-Food Chain: Blue Thunder, Claremorris, Mayo;
- Independent Takeaway: Tony’s Pizzeria, Dundalk, Louth.
Best Independent Takeaway
- Connaught: Cafolla’s in Castlebar, Mayo;
- Leinster: Fairview Grill, Dublin;
- Munster: Lixnaw Chipper, Kerry;
- Ulster: Johnny’s Ranch, Donegal;
- Northern Ireland: The Pizza Shack & Burger Bar, Newry, Armagh.
Best Takeaway Chain
- Connaught: Blue Thunder, Westport, Mayo;
- Leinster: Burger Boxx, Ashbourne, Meath;
- Munster: Bun Bros, Ennis, Clare;
- Ulster: Friar’s Rest, Letterkenny, Donegal.
Best Gourmet Burger Specialist
- Connaught: Cian’s on Bridge Street, Westport, Mayo;
- Leinster: Gaelic Burger, Kildare (foodtruck);
- Munster: O’Reilly’s Foodtruck, Cork (foodtruck);
- Ulster: Burger Burger, Belfast.
National Burger Day
To help celebrate the humble burger, Kepak is hosting Ireland’s National Burger Day across the country tomorrow (Thursday, August 12).
In addition, for every burger purchased and a photo shared online with the hashtag #nationalburgerday, a meal will be donated to Simon Communities across the country, with over 14,000 meals donated in 2020 as part of the campaign.
Hundreds of Irish food businesses are taking part. A full list of participating outlets can be found here.
National Burger Day is sponsored by Kepak and supported by supported by Flipdish, Blenders, Coughlans and Kilmeadan.