Shelburne restaurants again competing in Best Burger in the ‘Burne contest 

Written By PAULA BROWN

LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER

Do you think you know which restaurant in Shelburne has the best burger? Now is your chance to put it to a vote.

The Shelburne Business Improvement Area (BIA) has announced the return of their “Best Burger in the ‘Burne” contest, which sees local residents submit votes to decide the best location in Town to get a burger. “The Best Burger in the ‘Burne” contest kicked off on March 1 and will run until March 31. 

“We are thrilled to bring back this community favourite event. It's a fantastic way to support our local businesses and enjoy some delicious burgers,” said Len Guchardi, a representative of the Shelburne BIA. 

The burger competition will feature four participating local restaurants, including Beyond the Gate, Dufferin Public House, Main Street Café and Tipsy Fox. 

Past winners of the “Best Burger in the ‘Burne” contest include the Dufferin Public House in 2023 and Tipsy Fox Pub and Grill in 2024. 

This year, the Shelburne BIA will be utilizing a ranked ballot system to determine the “best burger.” Ballots can be submitted by scanning a QR code available at each participating restaurant starting March 14. 

The BIA will also accept written ballots, which can be dropped off at the Town of Shelburne office. 

For the 2025 “Best Burger in the ‘Burne” contest, the Shelburne BIA is also introducing a “mystery taste tester,” who will be tasked with sampling each burger and giving their unbiased burger ranking. 

The final results for the “Best Burger in the ‘Burne” will be determined by blending the community ballots and the mystery judge's ranking. 

The restaurant with the most votes at the end of the contest will be crowned as the “Best Burger in the ‘Burne” for 2025 and receive a commemorative plaque from the Shelburne BIA. 

Participants who complete their ballot will also be entered into a draw to win a $100 gift certificate to any downtown Shelburne business of their choice.