The votes are in and tallied. This year’s Iowa’s Best Burger contest proves that great tasting beef burgers are being served across the state. Officials with the Iowa Beef Industry Council say Iowans submitted more than 6,200 nomination votes between February 15th and March 9th representing 311 Iowa restaurants. The number of votes each restaurant received determined the 2016 Top Ten restaurants and their burgers.

Among the Top 10, was: the Chuckwagon Restaurant, in Adair; Down Right Delicious, and Vaughn’s Café & Bakery, both in Clarinda; and, The Elm’s Club, in Creston. The Iowa Beef Industry Council and the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association counted the nominations that were received via the website, texting and paper ballots.

Also among the restaurants making the Top Ten list (in alphabetical order) is:

– Ankeny Diner, Ankeny
– BW’s Burgers, West Des Moines
– First Street Grille, Keosauqua
– PerXactly Bar & Grill, Maquoketa
– Rides Bar & Grill, Fort Dodge
– The Ritz, Arnolds Park

The quest for the winner of the Iowa’s Best Burger will now begin. All Top Ten restaurants will be visited by a panel of anonymous judges who will evaluate the burgers based on taste, appearance, and proper doneness (160 degrees). The judges’ scores and comments will be accumulated and the winner will be crowned on May 2.

To learn more about the Top Ten restaurants and the contest, visit www.iabeef.org.

Last year, The Cider House of Fairfield took home the title of the 2015 Iowa’s Best Burger. Winners in previous years are: 2014 – Brick City Grill in Ames; 2013 – 61 Chop House Grille in Mediapolis; 2012 – Coon Bowl III in Coon Rapids; 2011 – Rusty Duck in Dexter; and 2010 – Sac County Cattle Company of Sac City.