What to Know
- Jan. 22 through 27, 2023
- Look for delicious deals and limited-time cheeseburgers at restaurants located around Pasadena; the Cheeseburger Challenge gives fans a vote, too
- Lionel Sternberger first placed cheese atop a meat patty at Pasadena's own Rite Spot 99 years ago
A flower-covered float and a stacked-high, ultra-melty cheeseburger don't seem to have much in common, at least at a quick and quirky glance.
One is not edible, due in large part to its large size and non-digestible components, while a luscious, bun-encased patty topped with cheddar or provolone?
Prepare to not be shocked: It will not boast wheels nor a driver, two standard features found with most floats.
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But both of these intriguing items do have something in common: They're both synonymous with Pasadena when the first month of the year arrives.
True, the famously floral floats of the Rose Parade wrap up their run on the first day of January, usually — though in 2023, they rolled on Jan. 2 — while Cheeseburger Week, one of the best-known Restaurant Weeks around, traditionally sizzles around the Crown City as the month concludes.
And it will again, beginning its flavorful six-day stretch on Jan. 22, 2023.
So will there be cheeseburgers on every corner of Pasadena, much like we see the sorts of blossoms that grace the Rose Parade float? There will not be, sad to say, but don't get too blue: Dining deals will abound around town, as well as a host of specialty cheeseburgers that were created just for the celebration.
Those limited-time offerings might include egg-oozy cheeseburgers, cheeseburgers stacked with onion rings, or those offerings that include a different sort of dairy element beyond the traditional cheddar or blue cheese.
Cheeseburger Week's past participants have included Pie 'n Burger — of course, no surprise there — as well as The Raymond, El Portal, and The Terrace at the Langham Huntington Hotel.
The Cheeseburger Challenge will also be adding thrills 'n grills to our patty-obsessed lives, giving devoted cheeseburgerists the chance to vote on their favorite local cheeseburgers.
"Local" is a key word here, for Pasadena is quite proud of its cheeseburger-flavored history. Culinary visionary Lionel Sternberger first put cheese to meat at the city's Rite Spot in 1924, and an easily grippable, easily toppable, and an oh-so-tummy-tempting-able icon was born.
