See Your Burger on the Zinburger Wine & Burger Bar Menu: Local Chain Hosts Fourth Annual Burger Contest

Zinburger Wine & Burger Bar is hosting its fourth annual burger contest later this month, and your creation could take home the top prize. 

The upscale burger concept — with restaurants in Sunrise and Boca Raton — is currently inviting burger fans to submit their own burger creations on Facebook or Instagram (with the hashtag  #ZinFanBurger) through August 31.

Last year, no one had ever heard of the Honolulu Baby Burger featuring charred pineapple, volcanic fire roasted red peppers, and Spam — until the combination won the 2014 Zinburger’s Burger Contest. After hundreds of submissions and weeks of online voting, burger fans welcomed the one-of-a-kind special feature burger for its limited time run on the Zinburger menu.

According to Atlanta resident Sandy Dostal Thornton, the creator of the winning burger, a Hawaiian-style burger was just the perfect choice. Could a South Florida resident's secret recipe make the final cut this year?

The winner of this year's fourth annual Zinburger Burger Contest will be chosen by both Zinburger chefs and Facebook fans, and will be featured on the Zinburger menu for one week at each of Zinburger's ten East Coast restaurants. The winning chef will also receive a $100 gift card.

Once all the entries have been collected on August 31, Zinburger chefs will choose their favorite three selections. Facebook fans and Instagram followers will then have a stab at selecting their favorite entrant during open voting from September 9 to 21. A winner will be announced September 22, and the winning burger will be served October 5 through the 11th.

There are a few rules, of course. The burger must be made with Certified Angus beef and use only a Zinburger bun. Any and all toppings and sauces are allowed, however.

The winning burger will be chosen and judged on the following:

• Taste (do the flavors combine to create an appealing flavor and texture)?
  
• Mass appeal
  
• Visual appeal
  
• Name of the burger
  
• Complete Recipe
  
• Creativity (videos and photos are encouraged)
  
• Use of seasonal ingredients
  
• Overall cost to produce
  
• Ability of the submitter to participate in media promotions

After opening its first location in Clifton, New Jersey, four years ago, today Zinburger is best known for its menu featuring made-to-order gourmet-style burgers, hand-spun shakes and floats, homemade pies, and a selection of 23 wine varieties. Zinburger has since expanded to several New Jersey locations, and in cities including Atlanta, Durham, and Charlottesville.

Zinburger Wine & Burger Bar is located at 6000 Glades Road, Boca Raton, and 1800 Sawgrass Mills Circle, Sunrise. Visit zinburgereast.com.

Nicole Danna is a food writer covering Broward and Palm Beach counties. To get the latest in food and drink news in South Florida, follow her @SoFloNicole or find her latest food pics on the BPB New Times Food & Drink Instagram.