Philly Burger Brawl to Return in October with 60 Restaurants Firing Up The Grills

Philly Burger Brawl is back and ready to fire up the grills for its tenth edition on Sunday, October 23, 2022, at Xfinity Live, from 11:00am to 3:00pm. Over 60 restaurants are ready to battle for burger bragging rights all to help Philadelphia youth. Burger lovers and foodies are all invited to enjoy all-you-can-eat samples of the region's best, most inventive and most unusual burger creations. Festival goers will then cast their vote for People's Choice, while food critics, writers and celebrity judges pick the Judge's Choice. Festivities will include a cocktail competition, music, entertainment and other surprises. Tickets are on sale at phillyburgerbrawl.com for general admission for $35 through Labor Day, $40 through September 15th and $50 after. VIP tickets are $100 and include perks like early entry, a VIP lounge and unlimited drinks from 11:00am to 1:00pm. Proceeds from the event will go to support Philadelphia Parks and Recreation's Teen Engagement Initiative & eSports Center Development. Philly Burger Brawl is presented with support from top supporting sponsors Beam Suntory, Customers Bank, Xfinity LIVE! and We Are Philly. Burger Brawl is rain or shine.

"Philly Burger Brawl is back again with a brand new line-up of restaurants ready to fire up the grills for an amazing cause," said Philly Burger Brawl organizer and Rouge owner Rob Wasserman. "This is a special year that will highlight the resilience and creativity our restaurateurs displayed as they navigated through the COVID-19 Pandemic. We welcome back some familiar faces doing this for years and years back to the beginning, as well as fresh faces new to the scene that emerged during the last two years."

He added, "For our guests, be prepared to come hungry as chefs and restaurants wow us again at the grills. While nothing beats walking away with Burger Brawl bragging rights, we are all actually winners as we raise tens of thousands of dollars together to support the youth of our amazing city. I have been counting down the day when we can get back out there, and I hope to see you all at Xfinity LIVE! this October."

Philly Burger Brawl attracts 60+ of the area's leading restaurants chefs and bartenders to compete in cutthroat battles for the best burger and cocktail. Hosted this year at Xfinity LIVE!, Philly Burger Brawl pulls an audience of 5,000+ participants including eating attendees, culinary bloggers, celebrity judges, and the region's leading companies who serve as generous sponsors. The event provides intimate moments for attendees to engage online and in-person with restaurants, merchants at the event, and sponsors, to deliver an experience that is more meaningful to all. Wasserman said, "It is a competition, a fundraiser, a community-building event and a celebration of our city's food scene."

Philly Burger Brawl began in 2011 as a neighborhood fundraiser by founders and restaurateurs Rob and Maggie Wasserman. Their goal was to gather a few restaurant industry friends for a burger competition that raised money to support local projects for Philadelphia youth. Over the years, the event grew to over 60 participating restaurants (brawlers) and over 5,000 attendees. The event has raised money supporting programs for local youth over the last ten years.

During the pandemic, the event was on pause like many large-scale events in the Philadelphia region. Now, in 2022, the grills are fired up, the sound of sizzle will be in the air, and the city's largest food fest and burger competition is back! Look for a new line-up of restaurants that includes past participants, mixed with new restaurants making their debut.

For 2022, brawlers represent every major food neighborhood in Philadelphia, as well as restaurants from the surrounding counties in the Greater Philadelphia region. The growing list of competitors to date includes:

A.kitchen + bar

Blume Burger

Bourbon & Branch

Brotherly Grub

BurgerFi

BURGERTIME

Butcher Bar

Cedar Craft and Kitchen

Chic-A-Delphia

Continental Midtown

El Camino Real

El Rey

Fatboyzz BBQ and Catering

Fette Sau

Good Dog Bar

Harp & Crown

Heritage

Huda

Huntingdon Valley Country Club

Imperial Caribbean and Seafood

La Peg Brasserie

Libertee Grounds

Loco Pez

Mikes BBQ

Misconduct Tavern

Moonshine Philly

Pizza Jawn

Prohibition Taproom

Restaurant Aleksandar

Ripplewood Whiskey & Craft

Rouge

Sweet Breezy BBQ

Steam Pub

Stove & Tap

Supreme Oasis

Sylva Senat - Pyramid Club

The Burger that ate Philadelphia

The Goat

The Refectory at Villanova

The Winston Athletic Assoc.

The Wycombe House

Three Monkeys Cafe

Tin Can Bar

Tio Flores

Tradesman PHL

Troubles End Brewing

Twenty Manning

Village Whiskey

Wolf Burger

All competitors will compete for the coveted trophy and title of Judge's Choice. For 2022, judges will again select 1st place, 2nd place and 3rd place prizes. The esteemed panel of judges will include over 40 members of local and regional press, members of Philadelphia's restaurant community, local celebrities and dignitaries, and local tourism officials.Top local influencers will select the top winner (plus second and third place) for Instagrammer's Choice factoring in Instagram-worthy looks and presentation, and must-try taste and flavor. Guests will also place their votes for their favorite burgers to select the People's Choice Winner.

New for 2022, judges and guests will use the Let's Rallie app to pick the winners. All participating businesses will have a business profile on the app that will communicate and share updates in real time adding a whole new layer to the already unique Burger Brawl experience.

On top of a great day of food, and a cocktail competition with area top bartenders, Burger Brawl attendees can rock out at Xfinity LIVE! with tunes from Beasley Radio Group's family of stations, with talent on-hand from 93.3 WMMR, 95.7 Ben FM, 102 WMGK, 97.5 Fanatic and WXTU. Don't forget to smile for the camera as Philadelphia's favorite social photographer Philly Chit Chat Hughe Dillon will also be there to document the day!

Philly Burger Brawl is organized this year by long-time volunteers and founders Rob and Maggie Wasserman, and presented with support from top supporting sponsors Beam Suntory, Customers Bank, Xfinity LIVE! and We Are Philly, plus additional sponsors Do Good Foods, PECO, PA Beef Council, Firstrust Bank and Beasley Radio Group (93.3 WMMR, 95.7 Ben FM, 102 WMGK, 97.5 Fanatic, WXTU).

For its 10th year, Philly Burger Brawl pivots to benefit after school programming for both Parks & Recs and the Philadelphia School District in its attempt to help teens find safe havens while helping the broader community.

For years, the Philly Burger Brawl Event has combined great food for great causes, and this year is no different. Event organizers and Philadelphia restaurateurs Maggie and Rob Wasserman have pledged the funds raised to improving public e-sport gaming spaces for underserved youth in the Philadelphia community.

The investment is meant to narrow the access gaps to e-sport gaming infrastructure in both Philadelphia community centers and school district. The goal is to give adolescents and teens in the area with limited means a place to stay safe, develop community, and further develop the added analytical and problem-solving skills that gaming can offer.

"We often think of e-sport gaming as a luxury," said Wasserman. "The reality is, however, that it can provide opportunities for socialization, community development, and skill-building in a way few other activities can. It's our hope that these spaces will create a place for at-risk kids to come, have fun, stay safe, and cultivate a sense of belonging."

Facilitated in partnership with the Philadelphia Department of Parks and Recreation (PRR), the initiative aims to bring esports to more neighborhoods and new audiences, make esports and state-of-the-art technology more accessible for underserved youth and increase youth exposure to and knowledge of the esports community and industry. Additionally, the program will add to the community by including computer lab access for seniors, resume-building workshops, homework help, additional after-school programming all while creating a public/private partnership to serve as a national model for youth engagement.

In addition, The Philadelphia School District will be building an e-sports program that provides boys and girls the opportunity to learn the science behind e-sports gaming in a safe after school environment. E-sports gaming is a great way to introduce the computer science, art, and engineering behind the games to students who may otherwise not have this curriculum in their school.

Tickets are on sale at phillyburgerbrawl.com for general admission for $35 through Labor Day, $40 through September 15th and $50 after. VIP tickets are $100 and include perks like early entry, a VIP lounge and unlimited drinks from 11:00am to 1:00pm.

Follow Burger Brawl on social media at @phillyburgerbrawl for updates, restaurant additions, deals, contests and more leading up to the event.