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Our team got stuck into some serious flavour showdowns, hitting up two of the North East’s tastiest food events at Wylam Brewery: Battle of the Burger and Slice Wars. Probably Newcastle’s most iconic foodie face-off, Battle of the Burger returned to celebrate its 10th anniversary – bringing juicy patties, big energy, and even bigger flavour. And if that wasn’t enough, Slice Wars was back for another cheesy showdown! From outrageous toppings to pun-filled pizza names, this year’s vendors brought serious heat and s crave-worthy slices.

Here’s a round-up of what we ate:

Battle of the Burger

 

Red Heads 

Red Head’s served up their intensely creamy signature mac and cheese, topped with lashings of beef brisket and crispy onions – a very messy but delicious take! Mac and cheese, along with American classics like beef brisket, continue to trend, as highlighted in the ‘Crave Worthy’ section of our summer review.

Friez & Burgs

A smashed patty topped with cubes of smoky chorizo, melted cheese and a huge handful of very crispy shoestring fries! The thin-cut fried added a different dimension to the burger with a very intense crunch and salty hit in each bite.

Smoke & Sear

One of our favourites of the day! A rich, umami, smoky beef burger with creamy/sharp melted cheese, topped with slow-cooked beef in Newcastle brown ale, which gave the burger even more depth of flavour. The pickles cut through the fatty flavours, making it a winning combination. Pickles continue to see a boom in 2025 (Forbes), alongside booze infused foods (The Food People).

Twisted Chick

Twisted Chick served up one of the more unique options of the day with their Alabama Slammer Burger: blackened southern fried chicken, corn relish, chorizo crisp, house pickles, hot honey drizzle, twisted cabbage and Alabama white BBQ sauce. The Alabama white BBQ sauce stood out with its distinctive, rich creaminess with a tangy heat!

Patty Melts

A traditional burger combination of smashed patty and burger sauce, topped with their house pickled cucumber and a good amount of mustard, sandwiched together in soft and sweet milk bread. 

Flankman

Crashing the burger battle… taco-style! A Big mac style burger on a soft homemade taco shell. A juicy beef patty with a Mexican spin on the American classic burger.  

 

Slice Wars

Dough And Co – Harissian – Garlic & Fresh Herb Butter, For Di Latte, Mozzarella, Za’atar Chicken, Red Onion, Harissa & Yoghurt.

Dough and Co are renowned for their gluten free wood fired pizzas, with dough so well-crafted it’s virtually impossible to tell its gluten free! The spicy chicken topping was well-balanced by a refreshing mint and yoghurt dip, delivering both heat and cooling contrast in each bite.

Weird Dough – Kebba The Hut – Flame Grilled Chicken, Shawarma, Italian Tomato Base, For Di Latte, Sumac Onions, Parsley, House Garlic Drizzle

Mildly spicy chicken with a smoky aftertaste, layered with hints of Indian-inspired spices and subtle notes of honey for a touch of sweetness. Fusion cuisine is increasingly gaining popularity as it combines elements from different culinary traditions to create unique and exciting flavour experiences (Mintel).

Never Seen Star Wars – Confit Garlic, For Di Latte, Parmesan, Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Basil And Sea Salt

Packed with rich garlic flavour, this slice was elevated by flakes of sea salt that cut through for the perfect savoury hit. Alongside an impressive cheese pull, it was easily one of the top vegetarian options at the event!

Square Pizza  – Obi-Wan Pepperoni – Caramelised Cheese Crust, Three Cheese Blend, Double Pepperoni, Slow Cooked Red Sausage, Pecorino Romano, Whipped Ricotta Flowers, Hot Honey, Chilli Flakes, Fresh Basil

Perfectly cooked, with a crisp base and bold, spicy notes, this pizza was expertly balanced by the cool creaminess of whipped ricotta – a standout slice of the day! Our marketing team are still seeing hot honey take centre stage as a trending sauce across menus and supermarket products, as highlighted from our summer benchmarking and food safaris.

Fire & Stone – The Sith Sizzler – San Marzano Base, Pecorino, Fior Di Latte. Oregano, Red Onions, Nduja, Italian Sausage, Sun Blushed Tomatoes, Finished With Spicy Honey

Fiery nduja sausage brought the heat, intensified by an extra drizzle of spicy honey. This slice was not for the faint-hearted… this one packed a serious kick of spice!

2 Rowdy’s Pizza – Madras Rowdy Pizza – Spicy Madras Lamb, Keema, Mozzarella, Red Onion, Green Chilli, Fresh Coriander, Spicy Madras Sauce

An unusual but welcome topping of spiced lamb, green chillies, and fresh coriander. It delivered bold flavour and stood out as the most unique combination of the day!

If you are looking for culinary trends, insights or inspiration based on the above blog, please get in touch: jessica.kane@dalziel.co.uk