And the winner of Battle of the Burger is…

Last night, 20 vendors duked it out in the Battle of the Burger at the South Street Seaport, but only one could walk away the burger champion. Close to 2,000 burger lovers showed up to watch the showdown, drink beer, sway to the live performances onstage, and of course, try out all the burgers their bellies could handle while the judges deliberated over a blind tasting of all the beefy patties vying for top-burger status. Here are the winners of Battle of the Burger 2016:

People's Choice Award - Kobe beef burger by Black Tap
Ultimately, Black Tap won the hearts of the people, with its unmistakable blue cheese, buttermilk-dill and arugula-topped juicy steak patty cooked up by Michelin-starred chef Joe Isidori (formerly of Chalk Point Kitchen and Las Vegas' DJT).

Judge's Award - Chelsea burger by Peter McManus Cafe
The panel of judges did a two-round blind tasting, and ultimately fell in love and hit the heart button on the simple, plain half-pound hamburger embellished with American cheese, crispy bacon, red onion rings and a slab of fresh tomato.  

Photograph: Courtesy of Peter McManus Cafe

Home Griller Award- Gaucho Burger by Dawn Rajendran
In a blind tasting, the distinguished judge's panel selected this thick, juicy patty with caramelized onions and green sauce on a giant, fluffy sesame seed bun, and crowned it as the very best.