2026 CoVa Battle of the Burgers Recap
On May 30, 2026, burger lovers from across the region gathered at Chesapeake City Park for Coastal Virginia Magazine’s 2026 CoVa Battle of the Burgers. Guests spent the afternoon sampling creative sliders from some of Coastal Virginia’s top restaurants while voting for their favorites and enjoying an incredible day of food, drinks, live music, and local flavor.
This year’s lineup featured 15 talented restaurant competitors, each bringing their own unique take on the classic burger. Attendees also enjoyed craft beer from some of the region’s favorite breweries, specialty vendors throughout the Arts & Craft Village, and live entertainment that kept the energy high throughout the day.
Contenders Included: Bay Local, Food Play by Rio Too, JMT Vegan Eats, Kitchenfinity, Locals Burgers and More, Redwood Smoke Shack, SATE: A New American Experience, Scotty Quixx, Simply George, Smashers, The Heroic Chef, The Vanguard Brewpub & Distillery, Viking Cafe, and Westside Burgers.
The event also included: Exclusive Beer Distributing Partner: Pretty Ugly Distribution. Various Breweries such as Big Ugly Brewing, Benchtop Brewing, Caiseal Beer, and Tradition Brewing Company. As well as High Noon Seltzers.
A huge thank you to our Gold Sponsors, Certified Angus Beef® and Performance Foodservice Virginia; Silver Sponsors, Gallo and Pull Start Fire; and Chalet Sponsors, Esprit Decor Home Furnishings, Grand Slam Car Wash, and Accel Pest & Termite Control. We would also like to thank Chesapeake City Park, the City of Chesapeake, all participating restaurants, breweries, vendors, volunteers, and attendees for helping make this year’s event a tremendous success.
We can’t wait to welcome everyone back for another unforgettable Burger Battle in 2027!
THE BIG WINNERS
The Burgers
Winners were awarded in both the People’s Choice and Judges’ Choice categories.
Judges’ Choice Overall Winner: SATE: A New American Experience
Burger: General Tso’s Ground Chicken Burger
A bold, Asian-inspired ground chicken burger topped with melty pepper jack cheese, crisp coleslaw, and crunchy fried onions, all served on a buttery brioche bun.
1st Place People’s Choice: J&K Style Grill
Burger: Hawaiian Burger
A juicy Angus beef burger glazed with smoky teriyaki sauce and topped with sweet grilled pineapple and Dr Pepper-grilled onions, all served on a soft brioche bun for the perfect island-inspired bite.
2nd Place People’s Choice: Smashers
Burger: The One-Hitter
Two slider-sized smashed Certified Angus Beef patties topped with melty American cheese, grilled onions, Kosher dill pickles, and signature Smasher Sauce, all served on a toasted potato bun.
3rd Place People’s Choice: SATE: A New American Experience
Burger: General Tso’s Ground Chicken Burger
A bold, Asian-inspired ground chicken burger topped with melty pepper jack cheese, crisp coleslaw, and crunchy fried onions, all served on a buttery brioche bun.
The Beer
Guests voted to select a People’s Choice winner.
People’s Choice Overall: Big Ugly Brewing
Chris Murphy
Chris is the Web Creative Director at VistaMedia, where she leads a digital team in crafting high-end, user-friendly websites. A versatile creative, she balances her technical leadership with writing web-exclusive lifestyle and hospitality content and exploring the Virginia outdoors with family and friends.
