Charleston is spoiled when it comes to great burgers. Just look at the Fig Lebowski, this year’s winner in the Charleston City Paper’s annual Burger Throwdown in the most creative and innovative burger category.
From the folks at Moe’s Crosstown Tavern in downtown Charleston, this delicious burger is made with an Angus beef patty topped with whipped feta, bourbon onion fig jam, crispy prosciutto, spring lettuce mix and tomato on a butter toasted potato bun.
Credit: Provided
“I knew I wanted to use whipped feta, and my family is also big cartoon and comic fans,” said Moe’s owner Mike Tronoski about developing the burger. “A burger on Bob’s Burgers was called the Fig Lebowski, and I felt like a bourbon-fig jam would pair well with whipped feta.
“With those toppings being elevated, we decided to go with something a little different than bacon to add a salt content. I landed on using a crispy prosciutto. We used spring mix instead of standard Romaine lettuce and tomato to finish the burger. My wife was also a big part of helping determine if we were happy with the finished product.”
In this year’s Throwdown, there are fresh finalists from a field of 16 hamburger restaurant participants, up five joints from last year. Eight categories remain in the contest with “Best Place to Get a Burger” being considered the overall top award category. Shoutout to Smash City Burgers, which placed first in five of the contest’s eight categories this year after winning four categories last year.
This year, we are taking a deep dive into the “Most Creative/Innovative” category to explore what hits when it comes to burger experimentation. While Moe’s Fig Lebowski took the crown, the Napa Valley Burger from Sesame Burgers and Beer was runner-up and John King Grill and Dueling Piano Bar’s King’s Ransom came in third.
Create and innovate
Moe’s opened in November 1998 at 714 Rutledge Ave. and its stellar staff has been consistently serving great bar food and cold drinks ever since. While the menu offers bar classics like chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks and a variety of sandwiches and burgers, you’ll also find some unexpected combos when it comes to burgers.
Thinking outside the burger box is routine for the folks at Moe’s. Last year, the restaurant won the “Most Creative/Innovative” crown with its EdgeVegas burger.
For Tronoski at Moe’s, the key to a great burger is high-quality ground beef cooked to medium temperature and seasoned well. And what defines a creative, innovative burger for him?
“I think it can start from the type of meat you choose,” he shared. “There are plenty of different meats out there that work well for burgers. I always enjoyed ostrich. Toppings can be crazy from peanut butter and banana all the way up to some people putting caviar or gold leaf on a burger.”
Moe’s has a daily burger special so there’s always something new to try. “It might not be as elevated as the Fig Lebowski, but we try to keep changing it up,” Tronoski said.
In addition to taking the “Most Creative/Innovative” crown, Moe’s came in third in the “Best Place to Get a Burger” category — also known as the contest’s main event — and its Always Bet on Black Garlic Burger came in third in the “Best Special Sauce” category.
Another topped with with fig
Coming in at a strong second place is the Napa Valley burger from Sesame Burgers and Beer, with locations in Mount Pleasant and Park Circle. The runner-up burger has a seasoned beef patty topped with bacon fig jam, blue cheese crumbles and a red wine reduction made with red wine, sugar, bay leaves, peppercorn and thyme. The reduction is cooked down to a syrupy consistency which adds sweetness that balances the blue cheese’s earthiness, and the bacon fig jam is more savory than sweet.
“When coming up with Sesame’s signature burger flavors many years ago, we were thinking about the flavors associated with different geographic regions,” said Stephen Harman, director of restaurant and culinary operations for Glowfisch Hospitality, which includes both Sesame Burgers and Beer and Five Loaves Café. “Red wine and figs naturally pair well together, and we liked the idea of taking flavors you might find on a charcuterie board and putting them on a burger. It was about taking those familiar flavors and creating something that felt unique to Sesame.”
Like Tronoski, Harman said he thinks a great burger starts with quality meat that is seasoned and cooked to the right temperature.
“Personally, I like a burger cooked medium to medium-well so it stays nice and juicy,” he said. “Quality toppings are important, too. Your taste buds are just as unique as your fingerprint so whatever you desire is what makes it your dream burger.”
For the Sesame team, a creative burger is about unique toppings or an unexpected combination.
“The Napa Valley is a good example,” Harman said. “You aren’t going to find that burger anywhere else. We also think our build-your-own burger concept is a big part of what makes Sesame creative. We give guests the opportunity to create a burger exactly to their liking, from the protein choice to the toppings, because everyone has a different idea of what makes the perfect burger.”
In addition to the “Most Creative/Innovative” accolade, Sesame also won first place this year in the “Best Faux Burger” category for its Southwest Black Bean Burger, runner-up status with its patty melt in the “Cheesiest Burger” category and its double smash hangover burger came in third for “Best Hangover Helper.”
Burger with a side of music
John King Grill and Dueling Piano Bar is not just a downtown restaurant, but a music joint offering live piano performances. Its Kings Ransom burger is also the third-place winner in the “Most Creative/Innovative” category. The burger is a loaded ground beef patty stuffed with pepper and onions, a hash brown patty and pimento cheese that is topped with fried onion straws.
“We wanted to create a burger that was simple, fun and something people would genuinely crave,” said General Manager Erika Guzman. “We started with the idea of a Charleston burger and then added a few flavors and toppings to give it our own twist while still keeping it approachable and easy to eat.”
For Guzman, a great burger is all about balance.
“You need a juicy, flavorful patty, a toasted bun, good-quality toppings and the right amount of sauce,” she said. “Every bite should have a little bit of everything without one ingredient overpowering the others.”
And for her, a creative burger is one that takes familiar ingredients and combines them in an unexpected way.
“John King’s burgers are part of the overall experience, not just a menu item,” Guzman said. “The restaurant positions them around fresh beef brisket, crispy smash-burger edges, melted cheese, house sauces and a fresh baked bun, with the burgers fitting naturally into the dinner, drinks and live music experience.”
In addition to the “Most Creative/Innovative” nod, John King’s Classic burger is the runner-up in the “Best Classic Burger” category.
2026 Burger Throwdown contestants
• Bistronomy by Nico
• Bohemian Bull
• Charleston Beer Works
• Charleston Crab House
• Holy City Brewing
• John King Grill and Dueling Piano Bar
• Kersey House
• Moe’s Crosstown Tavern
• Mother’s Ruin
• No Bull Burger Bar
• Prohibition
• Sesame Burgers and Beer
• Smash City Burgers
• The Swamp Fox Restaurant
• Tavern and Table
• Triangle Char & Bar
The 2026 Burger Throwdown winners
With five new participants in this year’s Burger Throwdown, it is clear that burgers reign supreme in our fair city. Smash City Burgers continued to rack up the accolades, coming out on top of five of the eight categories this year after winning four categories last year.
New participants include Tavern and Table, Bistronomy by Nico, Kersey House, Swamp Fox Restaurant, Mother’s Ruin, and Charleston Crab House — they hit the Throwdown scene with strong showings.
The full list of 2026 winners:
Best Place to Get a Burger
Winner: Smash City Burgers
• Runner-Up: No Bull Burger
• Third Place: Moe’s Crosstown Tavern
Cheesiest Burger
Winner: The Beer.Bacon.Burger, Smash City Burgers
• Runner-Up: Patty Melt, Sesame Burgers and Beer
• Third Place: Holy City Burger, Holy City Brewing
Best Classic Burger
Winner: Bacon Cheeseburger, Bohemian Bull
• Runner-Up: The Classic, John King Grill and Dueling Piano Bar
• Third Place: Double Double, Tavern and Table
Most Creative/Innovative
Winner: The Fig Lebowski, Moe’s Crosstown Tavern
• Runner-Up: Napa Valley Burger, Sesame Burgers and Beer
• Third Place: The Kings Ransom, John King Grill and Dueling Piano Bar
Best Faux Burger
Winner: Southwest Black Bean Burger, Sesame Burgers and Beer
• Runner-Up: Black Bean Burger, Holy City Brewing
Best Hangover Helper
Winner: The Damn Good Burger, Smash City Burgers
• Runner-Up: The Farmhouse Burger, No Bull Burger Bar
• Third Place: Double Smash Hangover Burger, Sesame Burgers and Beer
Best Smash Burger
Winner: The Classic Double, Smash City Burgers
• Runner-Up: Classic Smash, No Bull Burger Bar
• Third Place: Classic Smash, Holy City Brewing
Best Special Sauce
Winner: Smash Sauce, Smash City Burgers
• Runner-Up: The No Bull Burger, No Bull Burger Bar
• Third Place: Always Bet on Black Garlic Burger, Moe’s Crosstown Tavern
Help keep the City Paper free.
No paywalls.
No subscription cost.
Free delivery at 800 locations.
Help support independent journalism by donating today.
