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Pasadena Cheeseburger Week Can't Be Topped

Or can it be, with tomato, mayo, and a slice of cheddar? Find out more about the delish winter tradition.

Oleksandr Yurchak

What to Know

  • Jan. 23 through 28, 2022
  • Look for quirky, limited-time cheeseburgers and savory savings throughout the Crown City
  • The cheeseburger is said to have been invented by Lionel Sternberger at the Rite Spot in Pasadena in 1924

Slip a slice of Swiss between two plant-based patties, add a few chunks of Gouda to the top of a turkey burger, or go with a classic double-slicer of cheddar, all to give your lunch some luscious lift.

It matters not how you approach the invention of your next cheeseburger, what's involved, how much mayo you slather on, if you incorporate lettuce, sprouts, or tomato: It simply has to involve some sort of cheese, and a burger, and it should both adequately fill your tum and fully rock your world.

Cheeseburgers have been rocking Pasadena for nearly a century now, thanks to the fact that the iconic foodstuff's origin story took place in the Crown City, in 1924, at the Rite Spot.

That's when Lionel Sternberger first put a slice o' dairy on a patty, and the world of hearty hankerings was instantly and forever changed.

And to honor its celebrated and sizzly past, and to spotlight those local eateries still perfecting the pretty perfect dish today, Pasadena Restaurant Week spends part of each January honoring the cheeseburger.

The 2022 Pasadena Cheeseburger Week is coming up, on Jan. 23, and a number of restaurants will play a patty-riffic part, including The Stand, The Raymond, Kathleen's, and Dog Haus.

Some locations will be offering limited-time cheeseburgers, to shine a tasty tribute on the multi-day dining event, while others will have deals, like the timeless Pie 'n Burger.

Take-out or delivery will be available at many restaurants during the 2022 affair, but do inquire ahead of time if you'd like to dine on your cheeseburger at home.

And, as is tradition, you can have your say via the Cheeseburger Challenge, deciding which sips best add zest to a cheeseburger-centered meal, what the best veggie patty is in town, and the yummiest of the lunch counter cheeseburgers.

Check out what cheeseburger-y places participated in years gone by, what they served (mmm, that French Onion Burger at The Stand), and the history of the Rite Spot, a now-gone gem that gave a bun-plus-patty-plus-cheese wonder to a forever-changed, always-cheeseburger-obsessed world.

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