Juicy Burger Cup 2025: The Unsung Heroes

Katie Coy, Managing Editor | Jun 27, 2025 11:30 am | Add a comment | 119 reads

It's been a little while now since we announced that Side Street was crowned the 2025 Juicy Burger Cup Champion. Since then, we've taken a deep dive into the Top 16 and also taken a look at the Best New Burgers, but now it's time to turn our attention to the Unsung Heroes of the 2025 Juicy Burger Cup.

The Unsung Hero award was a brand-new category this year, given to the venue that did not make it into the Top 16 as voted on by the general public, but that was mentioned multiple times by our expert panel. Breef And … won the title, with five runners-up following close behind.

From creative Juicy Burger Fest offerings to no-frills excellence, these Unsung Heroes impressed our expert panel with their unique flavors and dedication to craft. Here are the six places that flew under the radar but absolutely deserve a spot in any burger lover's rotation.

Please note: Some of these establishments have multiple locations; for brevity's sake, we've listed one for each. You can check Dianping for more locations.

Winner: Breef And …

Tucked away in Tongzhou, Breef And … was founded by artistic couple Bu Fan and Xiao Yang, who decided to switch gears and open up this American-style eatery specializing in Texas-style BBQ, burgers, hot dogs, coffee and craft beer. This year saw them take part in the Juicy Burger Fest for the first time and gave them some much-deserved exposure, proving that they're a hidden gem worth seeking out.

Their signature BA01 Burger (RMB 45), featuring a homemade brioche bun, sweet and tangy burger sauce, Angus beef patty and caramelized onions, has to be a go-to choice. One panelist praised it as a “solid, no-frills offering,” highlighting the patty’s great texture and the flavorful sauce, calling it “excellent – definitely worthy of a Top 20 spot.” Another panelist was even more effusive, declaring that this “little gem totally blew me away!” Their Er-Lang God Lamb Burger, created for Juicy Burger Fest, was also a big hit, with one panelist stating it “was an absolute standout – packed with creativity and 100 percent on theme.”

Breef And …
260A, Xiaobao Beijie, Tongzhou District
通州区小堡北街260A号
Hours: Tue-Fri, 11.30am-9pm; Sat-Sun, 11.30am-10pm
Phone: 150 1050 5047; 156 0014 5553

Runner Up: Casalingo, JW Marriott北京粤财JW万豪酒店-卡萨琳戈

Casalingo, housed inside the JW Marriott Hotel, proved that hotel burgers can be anything but boring. Although it is an Italian restaurant, their burgers are certainly a big draw, with their Wagyu Cheese Burger (RMB 138) actually being their number one-rated dish on Dianping. It was singled out by one panelist for its “truly unforgettable” beef patty. Their Wagyu Chorizo Burger was also a particular favorite at the Juicy Burger Fest, with one expert saying they “really appreciated their creative chorizo patty” and that they “deserve praise for actually trying something different.”

Casalingo, JW Marriott北京粤财JW万豪酒店-卡萨琳戈
18 Xuanwumenwai Dajie, Chunshu Jiedao, Xicheng District
西城区椿树街道宣武门外大街18号
Hours: 11.30am-2.30pm; 5.30pm-10pm
Phone: 010 6391 6361

Runner Up: Centro, Kerry Center北京嘉里大酒店-炫酷

Another hotel-based eatery that garnered praise from our panelists was Centro in the Kerry Center. Centro prides themselves on modern Beijing-inspired fusion cuisine and their Chef, Wilson, is a true Beijinger born and raised in the heart of the Xicheng hutongs. This was showcased by their fest-exclusive Beijing Beijing Burger, which featured a Wagyu beef patty slathered in a peanut butter and pineapple mayo, topped with pickled cabbage and cumin brie cheese and sandwiched inside a goji brioche bun. One panelist commented, “the layers in this burger are exceptionally well-defined, clearly the work of a skilled chef.”

Centro, Kerry Center北京嘉里大酒店-炫酷
1 Guanghua Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区光华路1号
Hours: 10am-midnight
Phone: 010 6561 8833 ext.42

Runner Up: SOLDOUT

SOLDOUT now has two locations in the capital, one in the CBD and one just north of Wangjing. Some solid choices to try are the Cheeseburger (RMB 33/single, RMB 49/double) and the Crispy Chicken Sandwich (RMB 23). Over the years, they have gained a loyal following in the capital for their no-nonsense burgers that really nail the basics. As one expert put it: “I really wish they were part of the [Top 16] selection, because without being gourmet cuisine (and not pretending to be, either), in my book they're the best player in what I like to call the higher-end fast food category.”

SOLDOUT Shangdu (SOHO branch)
2107-2119, 1/F SOHO Shangdu North Tower, 8 Dongdaqiao Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区东大桥路8号SOHO尚都北塔1层2107, 2119
Hours: Mon-Fri, 10.30am-10pm; 11am-9.30pm
Phone: 150 1014 1691; 186 0020 6568

Runner Up: TRIPS Burger

Another spot with two branches in the capital, TRIPS has a hole-in-the-wall branch located by UIBE and another spot up in Haidian. They got a lot of praise from our experts, with one lamenting that “Trips should have been on here [the Top 16]! Easily a top five burger spot.” Some popular favorites are the Original Cheese Burger (RMB 36) and the T-Rex Bacon Burger (RMB 52), a double patty burger topped with smoked bacon, two slices of cheese, caramelized onions and secret burger sauce, which one panelist said was a “must-have.” Another expert was wowed by the Hot & Dry Burger, which is inspired by Wuhan's iconic street food, 热干面 (hot dry noodles), praising its “quality and juiciness” and vowing to become a regular.

TRIPS Burger (UIBE branch)
12 UIBE, Huixinli Community, Xiaoguan Jiedao, Chaoyang District
朝阳区小关街道惠新里社区外经贸平房12号（竹鱼坊隔壁）
Hours: 10am-9.30pm
Phone: 176 1093 2025

Runner Up: NBEER CRAFT BREWING 牛啤堂精酿啤酒

Established way back in 2013, and now with four branches in Beijing, NBEER's burgers pair perfectly with their signature brews. Our panelists were big fans of their fusion burger creations at the fest, with one panelist saying that the fest-exclusive Crispy Potato With Pork Scraps Burger “was really innovative, and the Guizhou pork scraps went so well with the beef patty.” Some burgers to watch out for if you visit are the Double Cheese Beef Burger (RMB 69) and the Avocado Chili Con Carne Burger (RMB 72).

NBEER CRAFT BREWING 牛啤堂精酿啤酒 (751 branch)
Car 16, 751•798 Train Street, 798 Art District, 4 Jiuxianqiao Lu, Chaoyang District
朝阳区酒仙桥路4号798艺术区751火车街区16号车厢
Hours: Sun-Thu, 11.30am-11pm; Fri-Sat 11.30am-midnight
Phone: 189 1013 1009

We hope that next time you're craving a banging burger, you'll go out of your comfort zone and seek out one of these underrated gems – you won't be disappointed!

Lastly, here is a list of other names that came up on expert ballots this year — forming yet another solid hit list of burgers to try: