Carly Krajewski (far left), Billie Jo Kaler (far right) and the 2026 Ormond Burger Week committee. Photo by Jarleene Almenas
Alexander's entry: "The Conquerer" is a prime aged beef burger with fresh mozzarella, sautéed mushrooms and crispy onion straws. Photo courtesy of Greg Hunter/Speedway Custom Photo Lab
Billy's Tap Room's entry: "The Billy's Beach Hippie Burgerdog" is a prime beef "burgerdog" with beach hippie beer cheese, onion and tomato slaw, topped with pickle relish. Photo courtesy of Greg Hunter/Speedway Custom Photo Lab
Cue Note Billiards' entry: "Cue Note of Heat Burger" is an 8-ounce burger topped with jalapeño cheese, fried jalapeños and a large crispy onion ring. Photo courtesy of Greg Hunter/Speedway Custom Photo Lab
Fat Paulie's Wicked Awesome Eatery's entry: "A1A Gravy Smash" is a 6-ounce angus smashburger with A1 aïoli and provolone cheese on a grilled artesian roll with a side of the house-made gravy. Photo courtesy of Greg Hunter/Speedway Custom Photo Lab
Fletcher's Irish Pub's entry: "Fletcher's Classic Bacon Cheeseburger" is a 1/3-pound blend of corned beef and prime rib burger topped with lettuce, fresh tomato, onion, mayo and pickles, finished with thick-cut applewood smoked bacon and aged cheddar cheese on a toasted sesame seed bun. Photo courtesy of Greg Hunter/Speedway Custom Photo Lab
Flip's entry: "The Jam Session" is a 1/3-pound angus beef patty on a brioche bun with provolone cheese, bacon jam, applewood bacon, garlic and horseradish aïoli topped with arugula. Photo courtesy of Greg Hunter/Speedway Custom Photo Lab
Florida Seafood Co.'s entry: "The Grilled Shrimp Burger" is a shrimp patty, seared in clarified butter, topped with a grilled Asian peach slaw — sweet chard, peaches, cabbage, carrots and scallions tossed in a ginger sesame dressing — and sriracha mayo on a sesame seed brioche bun. Photo courtesy of Greg Hunter/Speedway Custom Photo Lab
Ormond Garage's entry: "The Latin Cupra" is an angus beef chorizo and montego cheese blended and seasoned with a sweet chili and smoked paprika salt on a kaiser roll. Topped with melted pepper jack and agave tequila glazed bacon over sweet jicama jalapeño slaw and cilantro lime crema. Photo courtesy of Greg Hunter/Speedway Custom Photo Lab
Good Vibes Scratch Kitchen's entry: "Good Vibes Tokyo Smokehouse Burger" has a Japanese milk bun, black garlic aïoli, two smash burger patties, smoked gouda, white American cheese with bacon, onion, miso jam, pickled cucumbers and crispy fried onion straws. Photo courtesy of Greg Hunter/Speedway Custom Photo Lab
The Grind's entry: "Jerry's Jalapeño Business" is a smash meat burger with jalapeño popper cheese patty, bacon jam, American cheese and onion frizzles on a brioche bun. Photo courtesy of Greg Hunter/Speedway Custom Photo Lab
Jimmy Hula's entry: "The Surfin' Turf" is a burger with jerk shrimp, melted Swiss cheese, spring mix, pico, avocado slices and Baja sauce. Photo courtesy of Greg Hunter/Speedway Custom Photo Lab
Lagerheads' entry: "Laugerheads Bacon Blues" is an 8-ounce beef patty with garlic, aïoli blue cheese crumbles, mushrooms and grilled onions on a brioche bun. Photo courtesy of Greg Hunter/Speedway Custom Photo Lab
Little Tomoka Yacht Club's entry: "Surf & Turf Jam Burger" is a half-pound urger with bacon, melted provolone, shrimp jammers and raspberry jam. Photo courtesy of Greg Hunter/Speedway Custom Photo Lab
Ormond Beach Diner's entry: "A1A Burger" has two 4-ounce angus beef patties, diner onion sauce, American cheese, lettuce and an heirloom tomato on a potato bun. Photo courtesy of Greg Hunter/Speedway Custom Photo Lab
Ormond Brewing Company's entry: "Brisket Burger" has a beef patty with pepper jack cheese, smoked brisket, fried onion, horseradish sauce, lettuce and pickles. Photo courtesy of Greg Hunter/Speedway Custom Photo Lab
Piraña Grille's entry: "The Kamehamcha" is a half-pound patty topped with "Piraña Way" wing sauce, grilled pineapple ring, Emmental Swiss cheese, lettuce, red onion, sriracha aïoli on a toasted bun. Photo courtesy of Greg Hunter/Speedway Custom Photo Lab
Pumphouse BBQ's entry: "The Smokeshow Popper Burger" is an 8-ounce beef patty with two bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers loaded with garlic, cheddar cream cheese and barbecue sauce, topped with lettuce, tomato, onion and garlic pepper mayo on a brioche bun. Photo courtesy of Greg Hunter/Speedway Custom Photo Lab
River Grille's entry: "Bayou Bun Burger" is a half-pound brisket burger with Black Forest bacon, smoked jalapeño, gouda cheese sauce, onion rings and pickled jalapeños on a toasted potato bun. Photo courtesy of Greg Hunter/Speedway Custom Photo Lab
SeaDrift Sports Bar & Grill's entry: "Mediterranean Burger" is a half-pound burger with bacon, feta cheese, lettuce, tomato, pickle and an onion ring. Photo courtesy of Greg Hunter/Speedway Custom Photo Lab
Tango's entry: "Chicharron Smash" has one smash patty, a chicharron, with melted provolone, salsa criolla and a spicy peach barbecue sauce on a toasted potato roll. Photo courtesy of Greg Hunter/Speedway Custom Photo Lab
How many burgers can you eat in 10 days?
The fourth annual Ormond Burger Week competition will be held Sept. 11-20, featuring 20 local restaurants competing for the title of "Best Burger" in town. The competition was founded in 2023 by members of Realty Pros Assured and Realty Pro Title.
Interest in the competition — from both restaurants and locals — continues to grow, said competition co-founder Carly Krajewski, of Realty Pros Assured.
"Everybody's asking about it," she said. "Everybody's talking about it."
All burgers this year will be $12, up from $10 in the previous years, as every participating restaurant will donate $1 for each burger purchased to Ormond Beach nonprofit Provision Packs.
That was something the restaurants wanted, Krajewski said. Last year's winner, Ormond Brewing Company, chose to donate a dollar for every burger sold during the competition. Alexander's, the second-place winner, followed suit.
"I love that it's locals helping locals," Krajewski said. "The locals are helping the restaurants that are local, and the restaurants are helping the charity that is local and it all stays within our community."
Provision Packs supplies food to children and families in need on the weekends and during extended school breaks in Volusia and Flagler counties. Last year, Ormond Burger Week was able to present the nonprofit with a $3,000 check. Ormond Brewing donated $550.
That was the coolest thing about taking part in Ormond Burger Week, said Vince Faulkner, who works in marketing and event planning for Ormond Brewing. Donating proceeds to Provision Packs seemed like the right thing to do.
"It feels kind of neat that we might have lit a fuse," he said.
He hopes the community takes Ormond Burger Week as an opportunity to give back — and show respect for the competition's committee who puts it all together.
"In the short order, this thing has made some good money for that local charity, which helps a lot of kids," Faulkner said. "So, get out, support this thing. You've got to eat, so you might as well eat a burger."
Benefitting a local nonprofit goes hand-in-hand with Ormond Burger Week's purpose, said competition co-founder Billie Jo Kaler, of Realty Pro Title.
"It's really neat to watch it go back to the community," she said. "I think that it'll grow because now, the people participating in Burger Week, they're excited, but they also know that it's benefiting [Provision Packs.] So it gives them an added reason."
Ormond Brewing Company is returning to the competition to defend their title. Their entry this year is the "Brisket Burger," which has a beef patty with pepper jack cheese, smoked brisket, fried onion, horseradish sauce, lettuce and pickles.
"It's got a little bit of a bite, but the creaminess of the horseradish, I think, it's going to all blend together nicely," Faulkner said. "It's hard to repeat at anything, but I think our staff is involved enough that they're like, 'Yeah, let's do this.'"
Last year's victory was a surprise for them as first-timers in the competition, he said. Ormond Brewing still sells its winning burger — the "M/C Burger."
"The burger just turned out to be exactly what everybody's tastebuds were looking for," he said.
Eight local restaurants are entering the competition for the first time: Billy's Tap Room, Cue Note Billiards, Flip's, Florida Seafood Co., Little Tomoka Yacht Club, Ormond Beach Diner, River Grille and SeaDrift Sports Bar and Grill.
Krajewski shared what Pumphouse BBQ owner and previous winner Rob West had to say about the competition. He remarked on how he loved watching people talk about the burgers, slow down and think about their food.
"I love that," Krajewski said. "The owners are so excited about it. They can see how people participate and how excited they are, taking little notes and not just voting for their favorite restaurant, but actually voting for the burger that they like."
The Ormond Burger Week committee strongly recommends people purchase other menu items in addition to a burger.
The winner of the competition will be chosen through a community vote. In order to participate, you must try at least five burgers and receive their restaurant stamp on the Burger Week passport, which can be picked up at any of the participating restaurants or printed online. Once Burger Week concludes on Sept. 20, drop off your passport at one of the restaurants or email a photo to [email protected].
Burger Bingo is also returning this year. If your restaurant stamps form either a horizontal, vertical or diagonal row, you'll be entered into a drawing to win a $25 gift card from one of the participating restaurants. Those who try them all with automatically get a gift card.
Visit ormondburgerweek.com.
