Six 518 Burger Spots Make Prestigious NY Best Burger Competition

Who Makes the Best Burger in the 518?

The search is officially on for the Best Burger in New York State—and this year, the Capital Region is officially in the mix.

The New York Beef Council’s annual Best NY Burger Competition is underway, and after nominations wrapped up earlier this month, six local burger spots have advanced to the public voting round.

Voting is open now through April 10th, and this is where you can help elevate a local business with a really good burger.

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Burnt Buns

Last year’s winner, The Butcher’s Son in Corning, scored a record 99.24% with their “Ghost Burger."   Pretty impressive, but it can be topped.

Read More: Capital Region Proud: Siena’s Fight Falls Just Short vs Duke 

Conversely, not a single Capital Region burger cracked the Top 10 in 2025. With all the incredible options across Albany, Troy, Saratoga, and Schenectady, that felt like a serious snub.

But this year, we may be getting a taste of redemption.

6 Area Burgers Were Nominated

Out of more than 50,000 restaurants statewide, just 42 were nominated—and six of them are right here in our backyard:

• Savoy Taproom (Albany)
• Illusive Restaurant & Bar (Rensselaer)
• Chatham Brewing (Chatham)
• Big Tony’s (Stillwater)
• Muddy’s Tavern (Watervliet)
• OK Social (Valatie)

From stacked gourmet creations to classic tavern-style burgers, the Capital Region burger boom is bringing serious flavor to the competition.

If you’ve ever said, “This place has the best burger around,” now’s the time to prove it. Cast your vote, support local, and let’s get a Capital Region burger where it belongs—on top.