After a night of friendly fire between local eateries on Monday, Midtown Tavern came out on top out of eight contenders vying for the title of Augusta’s 2024 Burger Battle Champion thanks to the help of a family pimento cheese recipe.
Midtown’s competition included Abel Brown, Brinkley’s Chop House, Edgar’s Grille, Finch & Fifth, Tank n Taps, Cucina 503, Sheehan’s, and one non-restaurant, Recteq.
Votes were cast by a large crowd of taste testers, whose sampling options ranged from Sheehan’s take on the classic drive-thru burger to dishes with an autumn-inspired twist (think: Finch & Fifth’s seasonal burger with Oktoberfest beer cheese and bacon aioli).
A family recipe
Maguire Welsh, owner of Midtown, described the winning sandwich as a pimento cheese burger with strawberry jalapeno bacon jam. Welsh said the pimento cheese, made using his grandmother’s recipe, is the special ingredient that set it over the edge. “It’s definitely a crowd favorite,” he said. “Just a good, southern pimento cheese.”
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“It feels great, we’re excited about it,” Welsh said after being named the champion.
Welsh noted that he plans to hang the trophy belt above the bar in Midtown, where it can be seen as soon as guests enter.
Support for Boys and Girls Club
The flavorful event served as a microcosm of the wider theme – raising awareness for the Augusta Boys and Girls Club (BGC). Hosted by the Young Professionals Board, which is affiliated with BGC, this is one of the organization’s largest yearly fundraisers.
According to BGC Board Chair Blakey Downs, this year’s event was the most successful in its history. She said that final numbers are not yet available, but that the event raised more funds than ever before – topping the average amount of $70K-$75K, a number provided by Young Professionals Board President Mary Baker Maund.
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Remembering Trexel Bolick IV
This year’s event was also uniquely held in honor of a BGC board member who died in July, Trexel Bolick IV. Bolick was 30-years-old, a husband and the father of two daughters. A moment of silence was taken during the event in his memory.
