Thunder Bay is Eating 44 Burgers This Month, Are You In?
Amanda Bay
November 10, 2026
Thunder Bay, it’s happening again! The Ultimate Burger Battle is back and forty restaurants in the city are competing this year, plus four more across the region. That’s 44 brand new burgers, all built for one month, and fighting for the top title. Did we mention, funding from every burger sold helps feed people right here at home through United Way’s NOURISH the North (so if you’ve ever needed permission to eat burgers four times in one week, this is the perfect excuse).
The Ultimate Burger Battle started seven years ago (aka Novemburger) as a fun way to get people into local restaurants and has turned into a full-blown November tradition. Since it kicked off, 181 restaurant partners have signed on, which means almost 200 different burgers have been dreamed up for the battle. Thunder Bay has bought more than 147,500 of them. Which means together, those burgers have raised over $425,000 for our community …almost half a million dollars!!
With that kind of track record, the bar keeps getting higher, and this year’s participants are clearly up for the challenge. Let’s start with the one that’s going to split your group chat right down the middle. George’s Market is bringing the PBJB. That’s a Peanut Butter, Jelly and Bacon burger. It’s got peanut butter sauce, jam, candied jalapeños, candied bacon and marble cheese, stacked on a George’s lean burger on a Roma Bakery bun. So it’s sweet, salty, smoky, a little spicy, and a take on your fav childhood sandwich. You’re either already planning your trip, or you’re horrified, and that’s exactly why you need to try it.
The rest of the lineup is just as wild, but in the best way. Some that have caught our eye so far—Bonobos has introduced their take on a Chicken Parm burger…sans the chicken (but you would never know it), while Java Hut is whipping up a breakfast-style Benny Bacon burger topped with hollandaise, which Erika Mikkola, the battle’s Chef de Mission, says is “absolutely intriguing.” Some spots are stacking on fried mozza and cheese blocks, and a few are going all in on bacon jam. Last year’s champion, The Bop Shop, is putting their signature Bibimbap on a burger, with crispy rice and a fried egg included.
The rookies also came to play too this round. One first-timer is topping their burger with pickled carrots; another is doing chicken in sweet ginger sauce with an Asian-inspired slaw. At the same time, another interesting take is a ginger garlic pork patty in Korean Gochujang sauce, coated in sesame seeds, plus a few surprises that are staying secret for now. “Sounds interesting,” Erika says of the pickled carrots, “but I feel like all the flavours together could work.”
So are you classic or chaotic? Every November, Thunder Bay splits into two camps. Team Go Wild wants Gochujang, hollandaise and peanut butter. Team Classic just wants a really, really good burger. “A classic burger goes such a long way if you can create one that hits in all the right places,” Erika says. Her own rule? If there’s bacon and cheese on it, she’s in. Which means the PBJB is probably already on her list.
Here’s a fun little side story! When Erika brought the battle to Thunder Bay, she hadn’t eaten meat in about 15 years. For the first five years of the event, she only tried the veggie burgers, and her friends never let her forget it. Then, a couple of years ago, she decided to start eating meat again and picked burger month to do it. Her first November back, she ate 17 burgers…simply iconic.
So what’s the 2026 competition looking like? The Bop Shop swept last year, winning Ultimate Burger of the Year and People’s Choice (the community vote). Prospector Burger Barn took Most Ultimate Burgers Sold after selling 5,308 burgers in a single month (that’s roughly 170 a day!!!) With 44 contenders this year, nobody’s crown is safe.
All money raised through the Ultimate Burger goes to NOURISH the North, which brings together farmers, food producers, Indigenous partners, community groups and local businesses to build a stronger food system across northwestern Ontario. In one year alone, the campaign raised over $140,000 for local food programs, helping kids, families, and seniors facing food insecurity get access to fresh, healthy meals.
November in Thunder Bay belongs to burgers, so you better start making your must-try list now. Throughout the month, make sure you rate what you ate by heading to the campaign’s website and voting for your fav Ultimate burger. For details, visit: burgerbattleuwaytbay.ca
