Champions Burger Festival Moves to Arona, Highlights Smash Burgers
Spain's largest burger festival, The Champions Burger, moves to Arona from December 11-21, featuring top smash burger restaurants and award-winning creations.
The Champions Burger festival is moving from Santa Cruz de Tenerife to Arona, bringing with it some of Spain's best smash burgers.
Spain's biggest burger festival is currently drawing large crowds in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. This long weekend, coinciding with the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, many visitors are expected at the César Manrique Maritime Park, making the city a hub for gourmet burgers before the event heads south.
Next week, the festival will make its next stop in Arona, Tenerife, running from December 11 to 21. Fourteen new top-tier burger restaurants from across Spain will set up shop, ready to impress locals and tourists alike.
A highlight of the Arona event will be the 'smash burger' technique. This method involves pressing meat into a disc shape while cooking, creating a crispy, caramelized crust that boosts flavor and juiciness.
Just like in Santa Cruz, the public plays a key role, voting for their favorite burgers. Chefs will compete, with votes based on the bun, meat, ingredient mix, presentation, and originality. To vote, simply taste a smash burger, scan the QR code on your ticket, and cast your vote.
Each restaurant will serve up their creations, often using the popular smash cooking method. One highlight is Nolito’s from Cordoba, famous for its “Diamante Azul” (Blue Diamond) burger, which was recently crowned “Best Burger in Spain 2025” in Madrid. Local favorite Sandgüix will also be there, featuring a special recipe with brioche bread, smoked rib, and truffled cheese, plus a selection of desserts.
Beyond the 14 competing restaurants, the Xanadú Equestrian Center esplanade will host an area with creations from famous food personalities. These include Gottan Grill from Malaga, who won “Best Burger in Spain 2024”; The Ox by influencer Pablo Cabezali; and Faakin Smash, the new venture from popular YouTuber Joe Burger. Ybarra fries will also be available to complement the burgers.
A Record-Breaking Tour: Over 50 Stops, Plus Paris and Porto
The “Best Burger in Europe” grand final is currently taking place in Barcelona. This has been a record-breaking year for the festival, attracting over 6 million people across more than 50 locations in Spain.
The Champions Burger has also gone international, with a successful stop in Paris in October that drew over 220,000 visitors. After its French success, the festival is now continuing in Porto, solidifying its presence in Europe.
THE CHAMPIONS BURGER SMASH EDITION IN ARONA
Dates: December 11 to 21 Hours:
- Monday – Thursday: 6:00 PM – 12:00 AM
- Friday – Sunday: 12:00 PM – 12:00 AM Official Opening: December 11 at 7:30 PM Location: Xanadú Equestrian Esplanade, Camino Los Gorones, 10, Arona (Santa Cruz de Tenerife) Admission: Free Participants: See the full list at https://thechampionsburger.es/smash/tenerife/