So, like, guess what? The Halftime Bar and Grill in Pleasantville totally won the Iowa’s Best Burger contest this year. The Iowa Beef Industry Council spilled the beans on Thursday, announcing the big win for this Marion County joint.
Tyler Deheer, one of the co-owners, is pumped about snagging the award. “I would say it’s a great feeling, really, honestly just, you know, being a small town, being in a small town like Pleasantville. and just being a family-owned restaurant to receive an honor and bring recognition to the town and to the restaurants is pretty awesome,” he says in his excitement. DeHeer, along with his wife Amanda, dad Kevin, and mom Kathy, have been running Halftime Bar & Grill for a little over two years now. Kathy used to work in the same building back when it was called Frosty’s. They decided to switch things up and go with a sports theme to cater to Pleasantville’s love for high school sports.
Their menu features burgers like the classic bacon cheeseburger, a sriracha bourbon burger, and the beer cheese burger. DeHeer swears that what sets their burgers apart is the quality of the ingredients. “Well, they’re. They’re fresh and they come from a local meat locker in Melcher, Iowa, and they’re they’re never frozen. So everything’s fresh. So you’re getting the best, the best tasting burger you can get,” DeHeer gushes.
Past winners of this contest have seen a nice boost in business, and DeHeer is already noticing the effects of being a finalist. “Even in the top ten, it’s been pretty busy and this should definitely be even busier. Other nominees were in Polk City, Waterloo, Spirit Lake. Cresco, Oskaloosa, Cedar Rapids, Knoxville, Sac City, and Iowa City. The award to the Halftime Bar and Grill coincides with the start of Iowa Beef Month.
So, like, I guess it’s a pretty big deal for the folks at Halftime Bar and Grill. Winning the Best Burger contest is no small feat, especially in Iowa where burgers are practically a religion. Not really sure why this matters, but hey, it’s cool for them, right? And who doesn’t love a good burger? But hey, I’m just a new grad journalist, what do I know?
Anyway, back to the juicy details. The Halftime crew has been putting in the work for over two years now, serving up fresh, never frozen burgers to their loyal customers. And let me tell you, those burgers are something special. Made with love and care, using top-notch ingredients from a local meat locker, these burgers are sure to make your taste buds sing.
And let’s not forget about the impact winning this contest can have on a small business like Halftime Bar and Grill. It’s like a stamp of approval, a badge of honor that can attract more customers and keep the cash register ringing. Not to mention the bragging rights they now have over other burger joints in Iowa. Not too shabby, right?
So, as Iowa Beef Month kicks off, let’s raise a burger (or a glass of beer cheese, if that’s more your style) to the folks at Halftime Bar and Grill. Cheers to their hard work, dedication, and of course, their mouthwatering burgers. Here’s to many more years of success and deliciousness coming out of that kitchen.
