York’s Burger Week: All the Delicious Details
“You can find your way across this country using burger joints the way a navigator uses stars.” —Charles Kuralt
You can find your way through York City this week the same way! Consider York’s Burger Week (BW) your navigation system across the city’s best restaurants from May 19–26. We interviewed a few spots about their all off-menu, exclusive burger specials all week long.
The Busy Bee
This quirky gem located in Central Market added 10 burger specials to its already-rotating menu this week. With tons of vegetarian and vegan options, and a creative spin on the week’s beefy contenders, there’s something here for everyone. We tried:
- Grilled Hippie: Grilled Veggie Burger on Onion Naan with Roasted Red Peppers, Artichokes, Baby Spinach and Fig Balsamic Vinaigrette Drizzle
- Chief of Station Karachi: Halal Lamb Burger on Onion Naan with Baby Spinach, Red Onion and Feta
Why do you participate in BW?
Head chef and owner Andrew Barnes (AB): “I just like burgers. It’s mostly about the burgers and doing something different other than just burger, cheese and bacon. Not that I don’t like them, but I try to serve the niche.”
Why York?
AB: “I’m enjoying watching [the York community] open up to food. When I first started [Busy Bee] 20-some years ago, it was ‘what the hell is that?’ It’s been fun, adventurous, and I get to feed my ego and my creativity all at the same time.”
Revival Social Club
Revival is known for its fresh, seasonal menu full of globally various options. They’re rolling out their new spring menu just in time for Burger Week. Included in the options:
- Grilled Lamb Burger: Grilled lamb, feta cheese, pickled red onions, and roasted red peppers on a brioche bun
Why do you participate in BW?
Rob Ayala (RA), chef and owner: “Plain and simple: It’s fun. We love food and we love burgers. So if we can do something that’s fun with a burger that’s different, that’s not common, we’re all in.”
Why York?
RA: “The community. They came together and have made Revival what it is, honestly.”
Roost Uncommon Kitchen
Roost, a spot guaranteed to come recommended by any native Yorker, added a twist to its Burger Week specials. The chefs each created the burger they’d most want to eat on their deathbeds, and at the end of the week, the burger with the most sales is the winner of bragging rights and lots of drinks. We tried:
- Jordan’s Burger: 2- to 3-Ounce House Blend Burger, Onion, Pickles, American Cheese, Bacon, Ketchup, on a Potato Roll
Why do you participate in BW?
Owner Jordan Pfautz (JP): “We participated in Burger Week since the first one when we were still Baron [Von Schwein]. That’s actually where the Smash-Mac on our menu came from; we actually won Best Burger that year. I sold over 300 burgers that week, so it’s always been a big week for us.”
Why York?
JP: “How community based it is and how everyone works together. You get to see familiar faces all the time, and we all support each other, so it’s a neat community.”
Tutoni’s
Typically serving the heart of downtown York farm-to-table Italian specialties and inventive tapas, Tutoni’s is throwing a burger on the menu just for York’s Burger Week. Pair one of the tasty signature pastas with the specialty burger while you can!
- Locust Point beef, rhubarb, mostarda sauce, smoked ricotta cheese and watercress on a brioche bun
Why do you participate in BW?
Allison Witherow (AW), Chief Marketing Officer: “We participate in Burger Week because we love being a part of the downtown York family of restaurants. It’s fun to see all of the creative dishes that our neighboring restaurants come up with based on a single item. We also find that these specialty food weeks bring in new people that may not have been to our restaurant before. Maybe something simple and recognizable like a burger will take away any intimidation factor and get some new folks to give us a try. Then we hope that they’ll be hooked!”
Why York?
AW: “We love how the people of York really embrace small business and dining out. There is a dedicated group of folks who love to support locally owned establishments and we can’t thank them enough for their ongoing, unwavering support. It’s a close-knit community, and we love that people get to know our servers and bartenders and come back to see them time and time again.”
Don’t miss any of this week’s beefy specials. It’s all here on the menu.