A sure signs of spring in Halifax is the advent of one of the city’s most highly-anticipated annual events: BURGER WEEK. For the last few years, Brett and I have tested the limits of our stomachs, belts, and wallets to experience as many meat highlights as we can (not extreme by any stretch compared to some others, but I think our record in a week is 9).
This year, we managed to fit in 5 total from the shortlist I created a few weeks ago. This post summarizes all of the burgers I tried along with reviews (and the leftover list of those we didn’t get to try… damn!)
As an aside, I’m not sponsored by Burger Week—just super into burgers, validated by supporting a good cause (FEEDNS), and limited-time novelty.
Halifax Burger Week 2018 Reviews
1. Brooklyn Warehouse’s Cool Ranch Burger
- RATING: 9/10
- It turns out we saved the best for last. This was my final burg of the week (after having Ardmore’s for breakfast and Barrington Steakhouse’s for lunch, no less), so it really says something that this was my favourite given it could have been all to easy to be burged-out at this point
- A pork patty was a nice change from beef, and topped with a tomato aioli, crispy onions, and bacon, it was the perfect amount and combination of flavour without being overpowering
- Brooklyn Warehouse can really do no wrong IMO when it comes to food, and burgers, so no surprise that this came through with the quality and finesse I’ve grown to expect
2. Barrington Steakhouse’s Carnival Burger
- RATING: 8.5/10
- Stacked with onion rings, chili, and held together by a mini pogo stick, this burger delivered big, bold bursts of flavour bite after bite (how’s that for alliteration?)
- The burger patty itself was likely one of the highest quality beef I’ve had this burger week; it was cooked perfectly (i.e. still a little pink on the inside vs. well-done within an inch of its life)
- The bun was also among the best I’ve had this burger week; super fresh and tasty
- This was a massive portion; I couldn’t finish it
- Wouldn’t have minded a little dipping ketchup or mustard for the pogo
3. Black Sheep’s The Whole Farm
- RATING: 8.5/10
- This burger had a LOT going on (beef patty, duck confit, fried goat cheese, bacon, an egg) but that’s what drew me to it in the first place
- Every bite was a flavour burst and I thought the flavours all worked really well together—smoky, a touch of sweet, salty, and not overly greasy. Brett didn’t agree; he thought some of the flavours were contradictory or overwhelming
- It’s messy as hell to eat; wet naps would have been a helpful accompaniment
- The option to order a side salad instead of fries was VERY welcome and the salad was super tasty
- They donate a whopping $4 to FEEDNS from the $17 total for burger+fries, which is among the best donations I’ve seen
4. The Ardmore’s French Toast Burger
- RATING: 8/10
- Definitely more of a breakfast sandwich than a burger, per se, but the combination of french toast and sausage delivered a stellar hit of sweet, savoury, and salty (esp. topped with maple syrup)
- Eat this one with a fork and knife for best results
- I added home fries but likely didn’t need to—with 2 sausage patties, an egg, and cheese, this was rich and filling
- Recommend going early to avoid the rush!
5. Tempo’s Jalapeño Grilled Cheese Burger
- RATING: 7/10
- While it was definitely good, I thought it lacked flavour for the description; I figured the jalapeño may give it a bit more bite, but that wasn’t the case
- It’s a huge serving; Brett and I actually split one which worked well since there are 2 patties side by side on the “grilled cheese” baguette
- Burger was a little on the dry side
Burger Week Picks We Didn’t Get to Try…
- Stillwell’s Muffaletta Burger — This sounds like a bougie-ass version of a meat lover’s burger—count me IN
- Elements on Hollis’ Slamming Hot Mac ‘n Cheetos Burger — You had me at Hot Cheetos
- Unchained Kitchen’s Smoky Gator Hawg — Alligator and pork belly? Wuutttt? I have no idea what this would taste like but I am INTRIGUED
As an aside, I also heard from various others that Rinaldo’s burger and the burger by Vandal Donuts were amazing. They didn’t make my initial shortlist and unfortunately, we ran out of time.
Also, smart restaurants may want to consider following the wake of Burger Week with a Salad Week—I honestly feel like everyone’s ready for some vegetables at this point.
HOPE YOU HAD A HAPPY BURGER WEEK! For other ongoing eating/drinking adventures in real time, follow me on Instagram.