Picture this: a beef and pecorino romano meatball patty, grass-fed mozzarella, pickled red onions, garlic mayo, Kevin’s Nona tomato sauce and house walnut pesto on a sourdough bun.
It’s the Meatball Madness burger from Ottawa’s Art-Is-In Bakery, which won Ultimate Burger of the Year in the United Way Ultimate Burger Battle last month.
The fundraising event was a smashing success, nearly doubling its impact in its second year.
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Inspired by love and loss, donor Tom Moore triples Giving Tuesday donations
For Tom Moore, a retired tech executive and longtime Ottawa resident, giving back to The Ottawa Hospital isn’t just a gesture of generosity. It’s personal. Tom grew up on a
Inspired by love and loss, donor Tom Moore triples Giving Tuesday donations
For Tom Moore, a retired tech executive and longtime Ottawa resident, giving back to The Ottawa Hospital isn’t just a gesture of generosity. It’s personal. Tom grew up on a
In 2024, the first iteration of the event raised $15,000 over the course of November. This year, with 20 restaurants across the region participating, 5,570 burgers were sold, raising $28,398 for the United Way East Ontario.
“The tough, complex problems are never solved by one organization, one policy, or program,” said Dennise Taylor-Gilhen, interim president and CEO of United Way East Ontario, in a press release. “It was amazing to see members of our community come together so enthusiastically to support their favourite local businesses while making a difference for the most vulnerable people at the same time.”
During the campaign, which ran throughout the month, each participating restaurant created and sold a special burger, often featuring local beef and produce along with a few secret ingredients. For each burger sold, two dollars was donated to the United Way to help fund youth programs, mental-health services and other community initiatives.
Art-Is-In Bakery came out on top with its Meatball Madness burger.
“We believe supporting local families and businesses creates a cycle of support. We see the problems in our community and do what we can to help, because that’s what gives hope,” Jose Diaz, executive chef of Art-Is-In Bakery, which is located at City Centre, said in the release.
Gburger also gained attention with its G Royale burger: double patties made with local beef, cheese, royale sauce, onion, pickles and lettuce, served on a sesame seed bun with a potato loaf centre slice. It was the most-sold burger of the campaign.
Chef, operations manager and partner Matt Hinds told OBJ last month that Gburger was looking forward to taking part in the campaign for a second year.
“It’s really exciting to see it grow and Gburger itself has grown since last year,” said Hinds, referring to the restaurant’s move from Elgin Street to Wellington Street and its expansion to include a second location in Manotick. “We see this as an opportunity to do even more good for the community.”
Local burger enthusiasts were able to vote for the People’s Choice Award. The top three were:
- The Royal Oak’s Canadian Caesar Smash
- Starbite Resto’s Number 92
- Bowman’s Bar and Grill’s Brew & Bloom Burger
