Gallivant Milestones and Moments · Iowa Food

Burger Road Trip-2026: Top 10 Beefy Destinations On A Bun

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*We had another great time partnering up with the Iowa Beef Council while featuring their annual top 10 burgers of the year! The 2026 lineup was another juicy, beefy, cheesy, flavorful and delicious trip around Iowa. Here are the top ten burgers that made the list this year and we were proud feature all of them on The Iowa Gallivant! (Not in order from first place to tenth place)

Dixie’s Biergarten-Decorah, Iowa

This year’s champion is a smash burger masterclass. Dixie’s prepared their OG burger and it was worthy of a championship. Just check out those fries! Get up to the beautiful Driftless Area and and sink your teeth into a smash burger you won’t forget!

TCI Bar & Grill-Polk City, Iowa

Local Maytag Blue Cheese meets a classic thick burger at TCI Bar & Grill that’s located on a fantastic golf course on Polk City. If you like a burger with a view then you found your table at the club!

Northside Diner-Washington, Iowa

One of the cheesiest burgers we had statewide during our burger quest was right here at Northside Diner on Washington’s historic town square. Double smash bacon burger that’s coated with all that melted cheese.

Salsa Guy Cafe-Cedar Rapids, Iowa

The Salsa Guy has been in the top 10 before and they brought the flavors once again. They have a wide range of burgers and you must get an order of their house made potato chips!

The Landmark Bistro-Grundy Center, Iowa

There was no surprise from me to see this restaurant in the top for best burger in Iowa. We picked The Landmark Bistro as our favorite breaded pork tenderloin, in 2025, which means this kitchen has skills!

Prairie Canary Restaurant & Bar-Grinnell, Iowa

Farm to table alert! Prairie Canary in Downtown Grinnell has a juicy burger awaiting. They know how to gourmet-up everything they do so you know you’re going to get a great burger!

Smash & Grab Burger Co-Knoxville, Iowa

Smash and Grab made it back to the top 10 for the second year in a row, and they’re just getting warmed up. These smash style patties are positioned just off the square and they are sizzling with unique flavors!

Arcadia-Polk City, Iowa

Arcadia is another restaurant that made it back to the top 10! They won best burger in the Des Moines area with their beef being raised within eyesight of your table. That’s eating local!

Scooter’s On Main-Alta, Iowa

The NW-Iowa smash burger experience is at Scooter’s! Main Street-Alta will beef up your trip to the Storm Lake area for sure.

B52 Bar & Grill-Bennett, Iowa

B52’s is the small town eatery and bar you look for on a road trip through Eastern Iowa. Just west of the Quad Cities is where you’ll find them and their lineup of delicious smash burgers!

There will always be a debate on who should have made the list, but the good thing is…there’s always next year! Where’s your local burger go-to? Let us know in the comments because we can never have too many restaurat suggestion for own travels. Burger on and keep gallivanting!

To keep up to date with more Iowa Beef Council info then click here and follow their Facebook page!

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