Tomorrow the griddles fire up
The countdown has reached zero. At 19:00 tomorrow, the esplanade outside the Reale Arena will turn into the Bay of Biscay’s largest carnivorous playground as The Champions Burger San Sebastián 2025 opens its gates. For eighteen days —10 to 27 July— more than 200,000 visitors are expected to judge which of 24 contenders deserves the throne of Best Burger in Spain. Free entry, a pet-friendly vibe and a 100 % cashless system mean the only thing you’ll need to worry about is choosing your next bite.
From “mates’ cook-off” to nationwide phenomenon
Back in 2017 a group of Valencian entrepreneurs parked ten food trucks on the old Turia riverbed for a friendly burger shoot-out. Fifteen thousand curious locals turned up.
- 2018-2019 · QR voting and new stops like Alicante and Zaragoza.
- 2020-2021 · A pandemic drive-in edition makes national headlines.
- 2022 · First landing in the Basque Country.
- 2023 · Thirty cities and 3.2 million visitors.
- 2024 · Record 4 million guests and a new Best Burger in Europe category.
- 2025 · Over 40 stops and a December grand final with 35 qualified restaurants.
The recipe for success? A 100 % popular vote, street-food flair and the spirit of a summer festival.
Winners’ circle — and last year’s Basque triumph
| Year | Grand Final City | Winning burger | Restaurant | Fun fact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Zaragoza | Smash Gallega | Jenkin’s | First pure-smash victor |
| 2023 | Valencia | Cecina ’n’ Orange | La Muralla | Orange-zest sauce twist |
| 2024 | Leganés | Lil Wayne | Gottan Grill | Also crowned European champ |
| Donostia 2024 | Local stage | Red Monster | Dava Street Food (Zarautz) | 220 g aged beef, Takis dust, smoked cheese, bacon jam |
Basque pride swelled last year when Dava’s Red Monster stormed the local rankings and later hit the podium in Bilbao and Barakaldo. Their mix of aged beef, Takis crunch and bacon jam lit up TikTok. For 2025 they’re back with a revamped version rumoured to feature a gochujang glaze.
What’s new for 2025
- Route 66-style neon archway that lights up every sunset.
- Expanded Burger Stage with blues jam sessions and DJ sets until midnight.
- Basque craft-beer route pouring Basqueland, Mala Gissona and Gross.
- Influencer Zone: Moflete (Joe BurgerChallenge) and The Ox (Pablo Cabezali) unveil exclusive creations.
- Four dessert stalls: Belgian waffles, Basque cheesecake, gourmet doughnuts and soft-serve ice-cream.
The 24 trucks revving their engines
| Truck | Base city | Highlight burger | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jenkin’s | Madrid | Pulled Brisket Smash | 14-h smoked brisket + Idiazábal |
| Soul Burger | Seville | Black Brioche | Charcoal bun + boneless rib |
| Vacarnal | Elche | Aged Hell | 60-day dry-aged beef, roasted jalapeño |
| Nola Smoke | Zaragoza | Louisiana Smash | Pecan-wood smoke |
| Gottan Grill | Málaga | Lil Wayne | Aged rib-eye, 48 h bacon |
| La Muralla | Alicante | Citrus Beef | Cecina, orange confit |
| Street Food Burger | Santander | Blue Diamond | Cabrales cheese, pear chutney |
| Circo | Barcelona | Mushroom Steak Vegan | Truffle-kissed mushroom steak |
| The Vicbros | Murcia | Five-Cheese Bomb | Gouda, Emmental, Cheddar, Bleu, Scamorza |
| Tximist | Tolosa | Basque Fire | Crunchy txistorra, pickled piparra |
| Rico | Ourense | Galician Gold | Rubia-Gallega beef + tetilla |
| El Tarantín Chiflado | Valencia | Caribe-Med | Plantain fritter & mojo sauce |
| Dak Burger | Zaragoza | Carbonara Smash | Velouté of yolk and pancetta |
| Moa Brasas Gourmet | Pamplona | Pamplona Premium | Slow-cooked suckling-pig |
| Dava Street Food | Zarautz | Red Monster 2.0 | Gochujang glaze (new) |
| … plus Kai Donostia, Bobby’s, La Burguesía and more, rounding out the 24-strong grid. |
Visitor journey — from entry to last bite
- Access & payment: Free entry; pre-pay burgers at the central booth or via app and grab a QR ticket.
- Tasting: Standing tables, a beer garden and covered picnic zones. Burgers average 180-200 g — go with friends and share.
- Voting: Scan your QR and rate bun, patty, combo, presentation and originality. Links expire after 30 min.
- Side events: Three daily masterclasses (smash technique, sauce wizardry), live blues 21:00-22:30, DJ 23:00-00:00, #DogBurger Sundays with treats for pups.
- Merch: Limited 500-piece “Burger Lover Donostia ’25” tee, retro caps and artist-designed reusable cups.
Economic & social impact
- €3 million direct return to hospitality, transport and lodging.
- 220 temporary jobs created locally.
- 37 % out-of-province attendance according to 2024 survey.
- Short-supply chains: local producers like Txogitxu supply several trucks.
8. Keeping it green
- Compostable cups and cutlery.
- Waste-sorting eco-points every 30 m.
- Re-turf plan agreed with the city council.
- Carbon footprint offset via reforestation in the Peñas de Aia Natural Park.
Plan your visit — and dodge the queues
| Topic | Handy tip |
|---|---|
| Opening hours | Mon-Thu 18:00-00:00 · Fri-Sun 12:00-00:00. Grand opening 19:00. |
| Best times | Arrive before 19:30 or after 22:30 to halve queue time. |
| Getting there | Metro Donostialdea Line E2 (Anoeta) · guarded bike/ e-scooter parking · Dbus lines 19 & 28. |
| Parking | Illunbe car park (free 3 h) + shuttle. Avoid Amara rush hour. |
| Payment | Cards or mobile wallets only. |
| Families | Covered Kids Zone, mini-burgers, baby-changing modular WCs. |
| Allergens | Clearly labelled menus; two gluten-free trucks and one vegan. |
Donostia in 48 hours — a food-lover’s itinerary
Day 1
- Morning surf at Zurriola + healthy brunch in Sagüés.
- Afternoon burgers at The Champions Burger; sunset over the Urumea river.
- Evening pintxos crawl through the Old Town — leave space for Goiz-Argi’s txangurro.
Day 2
- Morning stroll to the Peine del Viento and cable-car up Monte Igueldo.
- Midday vermouth at La Bretxa market.
- Afternoon Jazzaldia festival (22-27 July) on La Concha beach.
- Nightcap at Gros craft-beer bars: Basqueland Taproom, Mala Gissona, Gross.
Quick-fire FAQs
- Price per burger? €12-15.
- Dogs allowed? Yes, on leash; Sunday treats included.
- Huge crowds? Saturday evenings mean queues — patience or off-peak hours.
- Rain plan? Covered tents; only a red-alert storm stops service.
Final verdict — your vote counts
San Sebastián may boast 13 Michelin stars, but for the next three weeks the spotlight belongs to brioche buns, sizzling patties and secret sauces. Tomorrow a competition begins where your palate and your vote will shape Spain’s burger history. Book the dates, sharpen your appetite and join the symphony of smashes, sizzles and blues riffs that will crown the next queen of flavour.
See you by the grill — on egin!
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