After a four-year break, Slowboat has returned, reclaiming its title as the 2026 Juicy Burger Cup Champion. This year, they're not the only champions as our panel of burger experts will also be announcing an Expert's Champion tomorrow.
Turning back to our 2026 Juicy Burger Cup People's Champion.
Throughout the cup, Slowboat showcased exceptional skill with an impeccable 4-0 record, becoming one of the most popular stands at this year's Juicy Burger Fest. Fans flocked to their booth each day to experience Slowboat’s seventh title win in the past sixteen years.
The Undefeated Four
Four establishments emerged from Round 4 with perfect 4-0 records, each taking a distinct path to achieve this success.
Top seed Slowboat demonstrated that consistency leads to victory in the cup, maneuvering the bracket with the confidence of a seasoned champion. Their 2026 title marks their seventh in a span of sixteen years.
Side Street, the champion of 2020, 2024, and 2025, fell just short of a fourth title but remains a dominant force, finishing in second place. Their 4-0 performance was typical for one of Beijing's most steadfast contenders.
The next two establishments in the top four made particularly notable advancements this year.
Beersmith Gastropub, seeded #6 after finishing tenth in 2025, charged through the bracket with the most challenging strength of schedule among all undefeated teams. Securing third place in the cup, their victories affirmed their status among the elite.
Wagyu Kaiju, seeded #10 after a fourteenth-place finish last year and awarded last year’s Best New Burger, established themselves as a serious competitor, completing the top four. Their wins included a triumph over two-time former champion Q Mex, indicating that a new challenger has emerged.
The impressive rise of these two establishments illustrates that the higher tiers of Beijing's burger scene are not fixed and that significant upheavals can still occur. We eagerly await how these formidable competitors will perform in the 2027 Juicy Burger Cup.
Methodology
You may be curious about how the final rankings were established since all top four gained 4-0 records. A weighted formula was utilized, balancing four key factors. The primary criterion for sorting was the overall record (4-0, 3-1, 2-2, 1-3, 0-4). Within each record category, establishments were ranked based on a composite score derived from their pre-tournament seeding, Strength of Schedule (average seed of opponents faced), and Margin of Victory.
The Top 20
You can view the entire 1-64 rankings later in this post, but for now, here’s a glance at this year’s top 20:
1. Slowboat 悠航
2. Side Street 街旁
3. Beersmith Gastropub 鲜啤吧
4. Wagyu Kaiju 和牛怪物汉堡
5. Jing-A Brewing Co 京A精酿啤酒
6. Wild Kite Brewing 野风筝
7. Great Leap Brewing 大跃啤酒
8. Q Mex Bar And Grill 库迈墨西哥餐吧
9. Burge's Bistro And Bar 小伯格酒馆
10. Home Plate BBQ 本垒美式烤肉
11. Circle Burger 圆场
12. Goose Island Taproom 鹅岛精酿啤酒餐厅
13. Plan B
14. Slider Nation 小堡邦
15. WhyNot 外岛•精酿餐吧
16. Huddler Diner and Bar
17. Deli NYC
18. Wolfgang's Steakhouse 沃夫冈牛排馆
19. Take A Bite TAB汉堡
20. Rich Burger 发财汉堡
This year’s Top 20 saw several venues make significant improvements from their 2025 final standings. The largest leap was made by Huddler Diner and Bar, which rose from 57 last year to 16 this year, while WhyNot moved up from 24 to 15, and Plan B jumped from 45 to 13. Rich Burger surged from 41 to 20, while Goose Island Taproom advanced from 29 to 12. Wolfgang's Steakhouse improved from 34 to 18, and Take A Bite climbed from 33 to 19.
Best New Burgers
In addition to celebrating the 2026 Juicy Burger Cup Champion, we also want to acknowledge some of Beijing's Best New Burgers:
- Smoke and Road BBQ 烟熏公路美式慢烤工坊
- 3A•Burger
- MUA 摩造汉堡
- Pignut Barbecue 坚果猪美式烤肉
- Chili's
Round 4 Full Results
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After a four-year break, Slowboat has returned to the forefront.
Following a four-year break, Slowboat has returned to the forefront.
After a four-year break, Slowboat has returned to the forefront.
The recent circus at SKP was a spectacle to see.
The recent circus at SKP was a sight to see.
The recent circus at SKP was a sight to see.
After a four-year break, Slowboat has returned to the forefront.