The best burger in Iowa is found at The Flight Bar + Grille in Huxley

For the best burger in Iowa, head to Huxley this year. The Flight Bar + Grille, 931 N. Hwy. 69, opened in 2022 and now lands atop the Iowa Beef Council Industry’s quest to find the best burger in Iowa.

Flight Bar's entry, The Foundation, features a double smashburger with cheddar cheese, topped with mustard aioli, lettuce, tomato, caramelized onions and thick-cut bacon stacked on a brioche bun. Katie Boughey, executive chef and kitchen manager, said the restaurant uses 80% lean, fresh ground beef that’s rolled into a meatball and then smashed straight on the grill with a steak weight to give it a crisp crust, according to the Iowa Beef Council Industry.

The burger, one of a half-dozen on the menu, comes with house-made pickles and fries.

Owners Marianne and Matt Pacha moved to Huxley six years ago, and named their restaurant for the Ballard school district’s mascot — the Ballard Bombers — and adopted an aviation theme.

“For every Foundation Burger that we sell, we donate $1 to the Ballard Education Foundation,” Matt said in a news release. “It was the inspiration for the burger’s name, and it’s been in place since we opened Flight. It’s important to us to give back to the community, and this is one way we can contribute.”

In the past year, the restaurant donated more than $3,000 to the Ballard Education Foundation, which funds its local schools, the Ballard Community School District. After being named a Top 10 Iowa’s Best Burger Finalist in March, they shattered their one-month record by raising $700 for the Ballard Education Foundation.

This is their first foray into the restaurant business. The couple opted to open a restaurant after they couldn't find a place to eat burgers and drink a beer in Huxley. Matt previously worked in the retail food business and Marianne was a preschool teacher and photographer

Where is Flight Bar + Grille?

Location: 931 N. U.S. Hwy. 69, Huxley

Contact: flightbarandgrille.com

Hours: Open Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

How is the best burger in Iowa selected?

Burger fans nominated their favorites from across the state, with nearly 6,500 voting for 509 restaurants. From there, judges visited the 10 restaurants with the most votes to judge the burger patties based on taste, doneness and presentation.

Who were the other best burger nominees in 2023?

• Arty’s Ice Cream & Grill, Wilton

• Foodie Garage Eatery, Dubuque

• Ben’s Burgers, Ankeny                                                                             

• Flight Bar + Grille, Huxley

• Birdies, Burgers and Brews at The Hillcrest, Graettinger                     

• Jeronimo’s Bar & Grill, Springbrook

• Burger & Co., Spirit Lake                                                               

• Parlor on Main, Central City

• Fishback & Stephenson Cider House, Fairfield                                     

• Troy’s Bar & Grill, Earling

More: Who has the best burger in Iowa? 10 finalists across the state compete for top honors

Who won the best burger competition in the past?

Last year, The Flying Elbow in Marshalltown took home the title of 2022 Iowa’s Best Burger.

Previous winners include Bambino’s in Ossian in 2021; Twisted Tail Steakhouse & Saloon in BeeBeeTown in 2020; Wood Iron Grille in Oskaloosa in 2019; Café Beaudelaire of Ames in 2018; The Smokin’ Hereford BBQ of Storm Lake in 2017; The Chuckwagon Restaurant in Adair in 2016; The Cider House of Fairfield in 2015; Brick City Grill in Ames in 2014; 61 Chop House Grille in Mediapolis in 2013; Coon Bowl III in Coon Rapids in 2012; Rusty Duck in Dexter in 2011; and Sac County Cattle Co. of Sac City in 2010.

Susan Stapleton is the entertainment editor at The Des Moines Register. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, or drop her a line at sstapleton@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: The Flight Bar + Grille's The Foundation named the best burger by Iowa Beef