A downtown Washington restaurant is in the running for the best burger in Iowa. 

Northside Diner is officially vying for the title in Iowa Beef Council’s Best Burger Contest. It is the 17th annual contest held by the Beef Council, and a way to promote Iowa beef. 

Northside Diner partners with Marek Land and Livestock, a local Washington County century farm, for all of their beef. The beef is processed locally, keeping it pasture-to-plate. Owner Isabella Santoro states the importance of farm to table, “To me it just seems so obvious, but I realize that we’ve moved away from growing our own food and getting things locally. But, having grown up in Italy, that whole farmers market, knowing where your food comes from and how it was raised, is just so ingrained in the whole process of eating. From growing it to buying it to cooking it to eating it. I live here now, but I still want to eat good food and keep that same mentality.”  

Voting is open from February 9th to March 9th. A link to vote can be found with this news story at KCIIRadio.com. The 2025 winner of the Best Burger Contest went to Halftime Bar & Grill in Pleasantville. 

Link to vote: https://www.iabeef.org/events/best-burger-contest