The heat is on. The beef is broiled. And, as the smoke clears, only two burger flippers remain.

That's because we're down to the Championship Round of the 2019 Burger Cup, and there's sure to be some scorched egos when it's all said and done. There'll also be jubilance for some as this year's dark horse, east-end artisan suds and pub grub slingers Crafters Brewing Co continue to defy expectations, pushing past hutong hotspot Side Street for a shot at the crown.

This round's other bracket is equally exciting, but for different reasons. A pair of former champs, Q Mex (2017) and Slow Boat (2015, 2016, and 2018) slugged it out in a contest that remained too close to call right up until the bitter end when Slow Boat snagged the win by a mere few dozen votes.

Crafters' rise couldn't have been predicted before this year's Burger Fest. Prior to that, they were a tiny cider and beer operation that kicked off, as fate would have it, at their friends' bar and (and would be Final Four rival) Side Street. On top of not having a place of their own until very recently, Crafters also didn't begin making burgers until shortly afterward. Regardless of being green to the burger game, the Communication University-neighboring crew garnered plenty of new fans at our Burger Festival last month. Indeed, from their nacho and Chinese smoked pork-topped burger to their poutine, and of course their craft booze, Crafters proved a big hit. 

Scan here to crown this year's best burger
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Crafters face a daunting challenge from three-time and reigning champs Slow Boat. The current title holders have more than proven themselves over the years with the thousands of burgers they sold at the Burger Fest and of course their award-winning craft brews. It's certainly been a deftly navigated journey from Slow Boat's humble little port of call in the hutongs, and if they secure this win they'll become the first contestant to make it four wins overall.

Speaking of which, Q Mex's showing this year was impressive indeed, leaving them losing only by a hair. That can be attributed to the strength of their new chorizo burger and their ever-growing roster of locations (three already, with a fourth at The Place on the way). As they continue to grow their brand, we wouldn't be surprised to see them bounce back even stronger come next year's competition.

Side Street, meanwhile, have plenty of consolation despite their slip out of the Burger Cup. As one of the few remaining hutong hotspots after Beijing's extensive recent redevelopment campaign, they attract huge crowds with their laid-back ambiance, multitudes of beer, fun clientele and, above all, their creative Indian-American grub. Thanks to all that and more, they'll surely be a force to be reckoned with at future Burger Cups down the road.

In the path to the final, one thing is for sure: the Burger Cup has created an orgy of consumption amongst burger fans in Beijing. Sixty-one percent of voters last round indicated that they have eaten more burgers than usual during the Burger Cup so far, while 48 percent say they've drunk more beer than usual. The Cup has also raised awareness: 67 percent learned about new burger places they had not heard of before, whereas 61 percent of voters took action, and went to test new burger places.

Finally, as has been the case each year, the Burger Cup changes minds: more than half the voters (56 percent) indicate that they've changed their opinion on their favorite burger place in Beijing.

Only time will tell if this year's two finalists will be able to sway your vote before the polls close at midday on Tuesday, Jul 16. Part of that vote also includes who you think deserves the coveted third place. Come back at 4pm on the same day to see who has been crowned 2019 Best Burger, and may the best competitor win!

The ousted from the Elite Eight as ranked by you:

5. Home Plate BBQ
6. Jing-A
7. The Great Outdoors
8. Great Leap Brewing

Who join the rest:

9. Blue Frog
10. Arrow Factory
11. 3 Little Pigs by Andy’s Craft Sausages
12. Boxing Cat
13. Beersmith Gastropub
14. 4corners
15. The Local
16. Let’s Burger
17. De Refter
18. Hulu
19. Cannon’s Burgers
20. Fatburger
21. Caravan
22. Miam Miam
23. The Cheesecake Factory 
24. Lily’s American Diner 
25. Paddy O’Shea’s 
26. Plan B 
27. Katchup 
28. Biteapitta
29. Loca Loca 
30. A Lil' Somethin' 
31. No Diet Bistro & Bar
32. Royal Stacks 
33. Fatboy’s
34. XL Bar
35. Lush        
36. Migas Mercado        
37. The Butchers Club        
38. East Hotel        
39. QS        
40. Root Pop        
41. Laker's        
42. Little Creatures        
43. Bistro 108        
44. Veggie Table        
45. Grandma's Kitchen        
46. The Rug Café        
47. Cafe Flo        
48. Bistrot B        
49. VSports Bar and Restaurant        
50. Joe’s Bar and Kitchen        
51. Hey Burger        
52. Legend Beer        
53. Wolfgang’s Steakhouse        
54. Luga's Villa        
55. The Bookworm        
56. Morton's of Chicago        
57. La Rosee        
58. The Roots        
59. Eudora Station        
60. Panda Brew        
61. CHAO Living Room        
62. Waspark        
63. Red Rose        
64. Café Flatwhite        
65. 1F        
66. Rodeo Connection        
67. Angel Burger        
68. Signature's, Kempinski Hotel        
69. Bodensee Kitchen        
70. NBeer Pub        
71. Grinders        
72. Beer Mania        
73. BLT American Restaurant Salad & Grill        
74. 40+ Club        
75. Irish Volunteer        
76. Mr. Eel’s Love        
77. Hotties        
78. Aurora        
79. Tiger's        
80. Blue Marlin        
81. Burger Break        
82. The Bell        
83. CHAR Bar & Grill        
84. Burger Counter        
85. Halo Burger        
86. Steamrhino Brewery Restaurant        
87. Four Ace        
88. Meat by Ernest        
89. Fella’s        
90. C’est la Vie        
91. Village Cafe, Opposite House        
92. Three Guys Burger House        
93. Shamrock        
94. The Cut, Fairmont Beijing        
95. O’Leary’s        
96. Beer Boom        
97. Molly Malone’s        
98. Rolling Rolling Craft Brewing        
99. Spacelab        
100. Peiping Machine        
101. Park Side Bar & Grill        
102. Su Zui        
103. Steak Exchange, InterContinental Hotel        
104. Xuan House        
105. Windy City        
106. Cairns        
107. Peking Garden        
108. He Kitchen        
109. Park Square        
110. W Restaurant        
111. MustGuette        
112. Picture My Cup at Kimo Kids Cafe        
113. Bergling        
114. Dongli Brewery        
115. West Gastropub        
116. Flora Steak and Bar        
117. 42Play        
118. Rhythm Craft Beer

Need some context? Take a look at where each of this year's hopefuls placed last year.

More stories by this author here.
Email: kylemullin@truerun.com
Twitter: @MulKyle
Instagram: mullin.kyle

Photos: the Beijinger, courtesy of the restaurants