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View Winners → Pasadena restaurants to celebrate Cheeseburger Week
Pasadena Independent Feb 20, 2025
Lionel Sternberger is said to have invented the cheeseburger in the mid-1920s at this roadside snack stand on Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena. Pictured is Lionel's father Herman Sternberger. The stand was later rebuilt as a restaurant named the Rite Spot. The photograph was displayed in at least one restaurant later operated by the family and appears to have been labeled to reflect the franchise name. | Photo courtesy of Don Sternberger/Pasadena Restaurant Week
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Pasadena restaurants are set to celebrate the invention of the cheeseburger in Pasadena in 1924 during this year’s Cheeseburger Week.
A total of 40 restaurants, burger joints, lounges and other eateries participate in the citywide celebration that runs Sunday, Feb. 23 to Saturday, March 1.
This year Shake Shack on Pasadena’s Arroyo Parkway joins the chamber member restaurants for the weeklong event and is offering their famous cheeseburger for a discounted price of $5.
More highlights include:
Pie ‘n Burger is offering a special dine-in meal deal — a burger, side order and soft drink at a Cheeseburger-Week-only price. The coupon is at pasadenarestaurantweek.com.
Dog Haus, which has two Pasadena locations, offers a $10 Haus Burger and a fountain drink, beer or well shot in Old Pasadena. The Hill Avenue location does not serve liquor.
Lucky Baldwin’s, which is the original pub in Old Pasadena, along with its Trappiste Pub on east Colorado Boulevard and Delirium Cafe in Sierra Madre, is offering their Slider Flight for Cheeseburger Week.
Kathleen’s Restaurant is offering a special Salmon Burger meal for $22.95 and Avocado Bacon Cheeseburger meal for $20.95.
Magnolia House offers a special Holy Shitake Burger, which features a sesame bun, stacked wagyu patties, porcini rub, new American cheese, confit shiitakes, pickled cipollini onions, secret sauce and arugula with an optionally additional small side of fries.
El Portal and Yahaira’s offer a Zacatecas Burger, which blends ground meats in a handmade patty consisting of beef, pork and chorizo served on a telera roll. The burger’s topping include ham, American cheese, lettuce, tomato and chipotle mayo.
The Langham Huntington Hotel will offer its Hideaway Smashburger poolside at the Lanai Pool.
Tardino Bros. Italian Kitchen has a Chili Cheeseburger Pizza made especially to commemorate the event.
New York Chicken & Gyros is offering a social media deal for a free cheeseburger only during the weeklong event for dine-in customers. Follow New York Chicken & Gyros on social media to qualify for the offer.
Organizers said the Cheeseburger Challenge accepts votes for favorites at pasadenarestaurantweek.com.
Cheeseburger Week is organized by the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce and the organization’s member restaurants.
During the event, the city pays homage “to Lionel Sternberger’s genius in being the first to put cheese on a hamburger and serve it at the Rite Spot in Pasadena in 1924,” according to a statement from Pasadena Restaurant Week.
The Pasadena Chamber’s Cheeseburger Week is connected with Pasadena Restaurant Week and California Restaurant Month, organizers said. This year’s cheeseburger event is sponsored by Wells Fargo.
