Imagine a beef and pecorino romano meatball patty, grass-fed mozzarella, pickled red onions, garlic mayo, Kevin’s Nona tomato sauce and house walnut pesto on a sourdough bun.
This is the Meatball Madness burger from Ottawa’s Art-Is-In Bakery, which took home the title of Ultimate Burger of the Year at last month’s United Way Ultimate Burger Battle.
The fundraising event was a fantastic success, nearly doubling its results in just its second year.
Art-Is-In Bakery’s Meatball Madness burger. Photo credit: United Way East Ontario
In 2024, the first version of the event brought in $15,000 over November. This year, with 20 restaurants participating across the region, 5,570 burgers were sold, raising $28,398 for United Way East Ontario.
“The tough, complex problems are never solved by one organization, one policy or program,” said Dennise Taylor-Gilhen, interim president and CEO of United Way East Ontario in a press release. “It was amazing to see members of our community come together so enthusiastically to support their favourite local businesses while making a difference for the most vulnerable people at the same time.”
During this month-long campaign, each participating restaurant created and sold a unique burger that often featured local beef and produce along with some secret ingredients. For every burger sold, two dollars were donated to United Way to help fund youth programs, mental health services and other community initiatives.
Art-Is-In Bakery emerged as the winner with its Meatball Madness burger.
“We believe supporting local families and businesses creates a cycle of support. We see the problems in our community and do what we can to help because that’s what gives hope,” Jose Diaz, executive chef of Art-Is-In Bakery located at City Centre said in the release.
Gburger also made waves with its G Royale burger: double patties made from local beef topped with cheese, royale sauce, onion, pickles and lettuce on a sesame seed bun featuring a potato loaf center slice. It became the most popular burger during this campaign.
Gburger’s G Royale burger. Photo credit: United Way East Ontario
Chef Matt Hinds told OBJ last month that Gburger was excited to be part of this campaign for another year.
“It’s really exciting to see it grow and Gburger itself has grown since last year,” Hinds mentioned regarding their move from Elgin Street to Wellington Street along with opening a second location in Manotick. “We see this as an opportunity to do even more good for the community.”
Burger lovers had the chance to vote for their favorite burger for the People’s Choice Award. The top three were:
