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ultimate burger battle

Bop Shop Kimchi Burger

Kimchi Burger crowned this year’s Ultimate Burger

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The Bop Shop’s Kimchi Burger has emerged victorious from the 2025 Ultimate Burger Battle.

The Ultimate Burger Battle is a United Way-organized event which enlists local eateries to compete for glory by selling wacky and outrageous burgers over the month of November, with $2 from each burger going to United Way of Thunder Bay.

This year’s event saw 56 local businesses sell more than 45,000 burgers, raising over $135,000 for United Way.

The Bop Shop’s Kimchi Burger claimed the title of Ultimate Burger for 2025 thanks to rave reviews by the Burger Battle’s burger ambassadors, including this reporter.

The burger ambassadors were tasked with rating burgers using a scoring system that included presentation and appearance, taste, originality and creativity, toppings and sauces, and execution, with taste holding double the weight of the other categories.

Beyond the Ultimate Burger award, the Kimchi Burger also earned the first-place award for the People’s Choice Ultimate Burger of 2025, as voted on by fans.

Second place for the People’s Choice went to the Wayland Bar & Grill, while Dawson General Store claimed third place.

Prospector Burger Barn won Most Ultimate Burgers Sold with 5,308 burgers.

The all-star Kimchi Burger earned its top spot by marinating its beef patties in Kimchi, topping the creation with Gochujang mayonnaise, and plating the piece with two juicy pork dumplings rather than French fries.

The Bop Shop’s owners, Thomas Sevin and Minsun Kim, were surprised to find that the burger was praised for its appearance.

“Honestly, we didn’t put much effort on the presentation,” says Kim, “We were concentrating on the flavour… but it was gooey and saucy looking already with the gochujang mayo and the cheese on top, and I think that was enough for the burger.”

Kim and Sevin, who are married, entered the Burger Battle for their first time this year.

The couple accepted their awards with deep emotion: “Every single burger was touched by Thomas… he put so much effort in and so did I,” Kim adds.

Sevin and Kim plan to compete again next year to defend their title.

Some of the participating locations are still selling ultimate burgers for another week, including Bop Shop.

Canuck Classic by Cottage Time Public House

Ultimate Burger Battle: The Canuck Classic, by Cottage Time Public House

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The humble Canuck Classic does not attempt to break the wheel, but diligently produces a simple and aptly-named classic staple.

The star of this show is a bison patty, which offers a mild difference in taste and texture from the common all-beef smash burger.

The burger is topped with melted white cheddar, lettuce and tomato, and sizzling, sweet caramelized onions.

Caramelized onions are placed between the brioche bun and the bison burger. (Sam Goldstein/November 27, 2025)

House-made maple-dijon aioli is spread over buttery brioche buns, toasted to perfection.

On a standard Canuck Classic, crispy bacon is placed atop the cheeseburger, but tragically, this reporter made the trip to Cottage Time Public House when the restaurant was out of bacon.

The bacon was sorely missed, as its savoury, salty flavour is meant to balance the sweet caramelized flavour of the onions.

This reporter tried to use his imagination, but no mind can reproduce bacon’s iconic je ne sais quoi sensations.

Despite the lack of bacon, the Canuck classic was enjoyable, with quality fresh ingredients cooked expertly.

This is among the simplest and least experimental of this year’s burger battle entries, but it makes up for it with a very reasonable price of $9 plus tax for the burger, with $2 going to United Way.

For those desiring a basic burger experience, with no frou-frou additions, the Canuck Classic is a suitable, low-risk choice.

Dawson General Smokeshow Too

Ultimate Burger Battle: The Smokeshow Too, by Dawson General Store

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Never was a trip outside the city more worthwhile than for the quest to discover Dawson General Store’s take on the Ultimate Burger Battle.

Dawson’s reputation may have preceded this reporter’s first foray into their establishment, but The Smokeshow Too managed to exceed even those lofty expectations.

Two smashed all-beef patties are piled high with a smorgasbord of toppings: one patty lies under whiskey-braised pulled beef and melted gouda cheese, while the other takes bits of in-house smoked thick-cut bacon and two slices of gooey American cheddar.

Dawson General Store’s beef patties are topped with shredded beef and thick chunks of bacon. (Sam Goldstein/November 22, 2025)

Sandwiched between in-house milk buns, shredded pickles and pickled onions bring a tanginess to the sweet and smoky flavours of the meaty middle.

The Da-Vinci-esque masterpiece is finally paired with a house-made chipotle blueberry BBQ sauce.

The burger borders on overwhelming the senses with its myriad flavours and quality ingredients.

A cross-section of The Smokeshow Too. (Sam Goldstein/November 22, 2025)

Dawson General Store’s Smokeshow Too is not the most original, creative, or outrageous of the burgers available this November, but it may very well be the most delicious.

The burger goes for $17.95 plus tax, with an additional $4 for a combo. $2 of each burger goes to United Way.

Bop Shop Kimchi Burger

Ultimate Burger Battle: The Kimchi Burger by Bop Shop

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While many battling burgers have elected to stack numerous ingredients upon one another like the biblical Tower of Babel, the humble Kimchi Burger opts for a different approach.

Like David in battle with Goliath, this burger makes up in courage what it lacks in stature.

Bop Shop’s masterful entry may look like a simple double cheeseburger, but it packs a shocking blend of flavours into its small profile.

This burger’s beef patties are infused with kimchi (Korean fermented vegetables), marinating for three days before hitting the fryer, and earning the burger its name.

Bop Shop mixes its fantastic kimchi into the beef for a wholly unique battling burger experience. (Sam Goldstein/November 13, 2025)

The Korean influence doesn’t stop with the patty.

Gochujang, a Korean red chili paste, is mixed into the restaurant’s homemade mayonnaise, which is slathered on the buns.

The result is a messy one, but the flavours make it wholly worthwhile.

Beware, however, that this burger is not for the faint of heart: for those who love spicy food, this burger will satisfy, if not challenge. But for those who struggle with spices, this burger may be too much.

The burger is also very greasy and heavy. Those seeking this burger for lunch in the middle of their workday are unlikely to welcome the ill-timed food coma that may follow.

Gochujang mayo drenches the Kimchi Burger, creating a gooey mess. But looks aren’t everything! (Sam Goldstein/November 13, 2025)

Rather than fries, the burger is paired with excellent Korean-style pork dumplings that more than earn their place alongside this legendary burger.

The Kimchi Burger blends sweet, savoury, and spicy in equal measure to create something as delicious as it is original.

The combo goes for $21.99 plus tax, with $2 going to United Way.

Burger Ambassador Sam Goldstein, captured just moments before he enters flavour heaven. (Julia Whitney/November 13, 2025)

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Ultimate Burger Battle set to get underway in northwestern Ontario

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United Way’s Ultimate Burger Battle, which was previously known as Novemburger is kicking off for the year.

The annual campaign, rebranded this year, and is welcoming more restaurants than ever before.

The initiative invites local restaurants to create a custom burger for the event that will be sold throughout November.

At the end of the month, one of the creations will be selected as Thunder Bay’s Ultimate Burger of the Year, as voted by the Ultimate Burger Battle Ambassadors.

Funds from the campaign are supporting United Way, with $2 from each burger sold going to the not-for-profit.

“Another year of delicious burgers, friendly competition, and community building. What can we say, food brings people together!” said Ultimate Burger Battle Chef de Mission, Erika Mikkola. “When we started this event back in 2019, we brought in 11 restaurants.”

“This year, we have 55 participating restaurants, including six regional restaurants in Kenora, Nipigon, Terrace Bay and Manitouwadge! We’re eternally grateful to the community for helping us grow the campaign over the past seven years.”

On Wednesday night, a tasting party was held at The Outpost at Lakehead University to get a sneak peek of the burgers from several participating restaurants.

A total of over 400 people were in attendance.

There are also a couple of new additions to the event this year, including A&W and George’s Market & Celebrations.

Throughout the campaign, $1 will be donated to United Way of Thunder Bay when you upgrade your burger at A&W to double bacon, double cheese.

At George’s Market, 20 per cent of sales from their turkey feta spinach burger patties will support United Way, adding a new way to enjoy Ultimate Burger Battle by creating your own burger.

The event has also introduced merchandise.

Branded shirts, hoodies, and hats from Ungalli Clothing Co., bath bombs, lip balms, and body butters from Lovely Body Products, and candles from Waxxed Candle Co. are all available for purchase

Throughout the month, community members can rate what they ate by voting online on the campaign’s new website for their favourite Ultimate Burger.

At the end of the month, the three burgers with the most votes will be crowned People’s Choice.

“The Ultimate Burger Battle is about food in more ways than one. Sure, we get to enjoy a month of delicious burgers, but the campaign’s true aim is to provide food security for community members in need through NOURISH the North,” explained United Way of Thunder Bay CEO Albert Brulé.

“By connecting locally grown food with local needs, we help ensure that individuals, families, children, and seniors facing food insecurity have access to fresh, nutritious meals. Last year alone, we raised over $130,000 to support local food programs.”

The campaign changed its name earlier this year to create more opportunities for other United Ways across Canada to participate.

There are a total of 13 United Ways participating in 2025.

You can learn more about the initiative by clicking here.

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Lakehead University’s campus pub hosts sneak peek of burger battle

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A sneak preview of the Ultimate Burger Battle takes place Wednesday evening.

The month-long campaign brings Thunder Bay’s best eateries together in competition to concoct unique burgers with proceeds going to the United Way.

The campaign runs throughout the month of November when the winners — including People’s Choice, and Most Ultimate Burgers Sold — will be announced.

“This year’s event promises big flavour, and even bigger impact,” United Way Thunder Bay CEO Albert Brulé previously stated. “Every dollar raised during the Ultimate Burger Battle goes towards supporting food programs right here in Thunder Bay and across our region.”

Wednesday’s preview is set to take place at Lakehead University’s The Outpost with the doors opening at 5:45 p.m.

Opening remarks will begin at 6:15 p.m. with attendees allowed to begin a “tour of tastings” at 6:30 p.m.

Previously known as Novemburger, the event featured 40 participating restaurants from Northwestern Ontario and raised more than $131,000 for the United Way in 2024.