All hail Lionel Sternberger.
The young erstwhile chef was employed just over 100 years ago at his dad’s hamburger stand on the southwest corner of Pasadena, on Colorado at Avenue 64, just up the road from where Figueroa Street and Colorado Boulevard now meet, by a McDonald’s and a Hamburger Habit.
One afternoon he was busy frying up a burger for a hungry customer when, apparently distracted, he allowed the patty to nearly burn into charcoal.
Naturally, he couldn’t tell his dad. So the inventive young Lionel looked around, sliced off a piece of cheese and plopped it right on top of the sizzling patty.
Voilà! Cheeseburger!
The customer actually came back a few days later and raved about the “cheeseburger“ and asked brave Lionel if he would make another one for him. The rest is the future.
A century later, the cheeseburger is as American as Yoshinoya, and devoured all over the world.
So now, to celebrate the miraculous invention of that cheeseburger right (sort of ) here in Pasadena, the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce will host Cheeseburger Week and its attendant Cheeseburger Challenge, as local restaurants compete for various titles, ranging from best lunch counter burger, to best veggie burger, and a lot more yummy categories.
It all begins on Sunday, February 23 and will run through March the 1st.
You, hungry reader, can participate by dining at and voting for your favorite restaurants in the Cheeseburger Challenge.
There’s also some suggested “Cheeseburger Crawls,” for the adventurous. Here’s one as suggested by the Chamber:
The Playhouse Village Cheeseburger Crawl begins at Yahaira’s or El Portal for their famous and amazingly delicious Zacatecas Burger made with a delicious combination of beef and chorizo. Head down Green Street and up El Molino, across from the Pasadena Playhouse, where you’ll find The Stand, past winner of the Cheeseburger Challenge favorite burger.
From there, if you can, stop in at Urth Caffé on Colorado at Madison for their turkey burger. Stagger off some of those calories and stroll a few blocks west to Fogo de Chão for a nightcap and their extra special Picanha Burger (at the bar only).
Most of the participating Cheeseburgeries will include special menu items and deals for Pasadena peeps during this Holy Cheeseburger Week.
Here’s the current working list of the participants and their specials so far. The Pasadena Chamber of Commerce assures us there are more to come:
Dog Haus (both Pasadena locations) offers a $10 Haus Burger and drink (fountain drink, beer or well shot), and the same with a fountain drink or beer at their Hill Avenue location.
Shake Shack offers their original Cheeseburger for five bucks.
Lucky Baldwin’s (the original Pub in Old Pasadena, Trappiste Pub on East Colorado and Delirium Cafe in Sierra Madre) has their tasty Slider Flight available during the week.
Something different? Kathleen’s Restaurant is offering a special Salmon Burger meal ($22.95 + tax and gratuity) and an Avocado Bacon Cheeseburger meal ($20.95 + tax and gratuity).
Magnolia House, near Albert Einstein’s former apartment, offers a special Holy Shitake Burger (Sesame bun, stacked wagyu patties, porcini rub, new American cheese, confit shiitakes, pickled cipollini onions, secret sauce, arugula with an option to add fries.)
El Portal (and Yahaira’s) offer the aforementioned Zacatecas Burger-a delicious blend of ground meats (handmade patty with ground beef, ground pork, and chorizo) on a telera roll. Topped with ham, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, and chipotle mayo).
And what about a pizza burger? Tardino Bros. Italian Kitchen is offering its special Chili Cheeseburger Pizza for Cheeseburger Week.
And how about this? How about free? New York Chicken & Gyros is offering their cheeseburger free only during Cheeseburger Week (dine-in only).
Feeling political? You can still take the Cheeseburger Challenge and vote for your favorites. Just Click Here
Ladies and gentlemen, start your napkins.
