After opening their doors just over a year ago, an Iowa restaurant is getting recognized in one of the biggest ways possible. They've been crowned as the home of Iowa's Best Burger.

It was back in March of 2022 that after living in an Iowa city of only 4,500 people for a few years, Marianne and Matt Pacha decided to open a restaurant. They felt like their new hometown had a major sense of community and wanted a restaurant with the same feel. That's undoubtedly why they give back every month. Now, that same community is celebrating with them as the home of Iowa's Best Burger.

The restaurant, Flight Bar + Grille opened in Huxley in central Iowa in March of 2022. The name was derived as a nod to the mascot for the local school district, the Ballard Bombers. Flight Bar + Grille has items like the Flight Tenderloin and Jet Sliders. However, what's likely to be the most well-known and popular menu item is Iowa's Best Burger for 2023... 'The Foundation Burger'.

Katie Boughey, the executive chef and kitchen manager for Flight Bar + Grille described 'The Foundation Burger' this way: It's a "double-smash burger with cheddar cheese. It includes mustard aioli, lettuce, tomato, caramelized onions and is topped with thick-cut bacon served between a beautiful and buttery brioche bun. We use simple seasonings – salt and pepper – to let the beef’s flavor be the star of the burger.”

According to the Flight Bar + Grille menu, "$1 from every Foundation Burger purchased is donated to the Ballard Education Foundation, supporting our schools."

Made from 80% lean beef that's never frozen, and sourced from here in the Midwest, the beef is rolled into a ball and then smashed on the grill with a steak weight. It makes for a crisp crust and, obviously both a great-looking and fantastic-tasting burger.

Iowa Beef Council
Iowa Beef Council
loading...

Flight Bar + Grille is located on N U.S. Highway 69 in Huxley. After donating $694 to the Ballard Education Foundation in March, they donated $859 for the month of April. Congratulations on being named the winner of Iowa's Best Burger. I expect the amount of the donation will continue to go up.

Iowa Beef Council
Iowa Beef Council
loading...

15 Iowa Restaurants on the Water That You Can Visit This Summer

We may not have as many bodies of water as Minnesota or Michigan, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy the ones we have! If you're looking to have some food or drinks out on a patio by the water this summer, there are quite a few places here in Iowa that you can check out. Here are 15 of them!

Awesome Outdoor Patios to Dine On This Summer Around the Corridor

Now that spring is here, patio season is right around the corner! With the help of Eastern Iowans in the Cedar Rapids Area Support Local Group on Facebook, I put together a list of great restaurant patios in the area where you can dine and/or drink when the weather gets warmer. Here are some of the popular places!

More From 98.1 KHAK