Hot Grill Summer

Hot Grill Summer is a sizzling food festival that brings burgers to life in all shapes and forms, making the endless summer even more deliciously fun!

It's a bun-derful time filled with great food, fun and the vibrant spirit of summer!

Participating eateries and burgers

Local eateries grilled up their burger masterpieces for this year's Hot Grill Summer competition.

Below is a list of the eateries that participated. Click on eateries in the list to view the burgers they offered!

Award winners

Supreme Award winner

Our esteemed judges had the exciting role of selecting the inaugural winner of this year's competition.

The 2026 Supreme Award winner is ...

The Butter Factory has taken out the Supreme Award, impressing the judging panel with a burger that showcased “some of the best produce Northland has to offer – from land to ocean.”

Judge Luke Bird praised the winning creation for its balance of flavours and flawless consistency: “The burger was hearty and well put together, holding its shape while still being seriously moreish. The richness of the meat and the distinctive flavour of the pāua worked brilliantly together … every bite just as good as the last,” he said. 

Second equal in the Supreme Award category were Cafe Botannix and Distinction Hotel, both recognised for serving up creative, flavour‑packed entries. 

People's Choice Award winner

You also made your voice heard! 

The 2026 People's Choice Award winner is ...

Local Talent Taverna claimed the People’s Choice Award, securing a quarter of all votes for their crowd‑pleasing Bifteki Cheeseburger. 

When