The quintessential summer foodie event, “Taste” as the locals call it, the Taste of Chicago started today and continues through Sunday.
Ever since the summer of 1980, Chicago’s Grant Park conveniently located on the city’s magnificent lakefront has been home to one of the world’s largest food festivals. Chicago has found the perfect recipe for a fantastic food festival: Chefs and musicians, combined with entertainment for all ages and several thousand tasting servings of favorite Chicago bites.
At the Taste of Chicago, you can literally smell and taste the best of Chicago’s restaurant scene from the classics to the new favorites. You can also see and hear culinary experts share their secrets at numerous cooking demos and hear musical artists on the Petrillo Music Shell stage.
HOW IT ALL WORKS
The Taste of Chicago takes place in Grant Park from Wednesday, July 11 through Sunday, July 15. Wednesday-Friday, the hours are 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday the hours are 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Admission to the Taste is FREE. Food and beverage tickets are sold in strips of 14 for $10.00 (includes $3.00 charge for Taste amenities). Ticket sales end at 8:30 pm. Smaller “Taste of Portions” are available at each food vendor and are between 1-6 tickets.
Beverage tents are located throughout the event and feature Pepsi soft drinks, Anheuser-Busch beers, and specialty drinks plus wines.
FOODIE’S PARADISE
There are plenty of options to try something new each day of the Taste. There are over 25 restaurants serving up various dishes for the entire length of the Taste. In addition to offering Taste of Chicago items, these restaurants are also offering special dishes at their various locations.
There are over 20 pop-up restaurants on various days and over 10 food trucks as well. For a complete listing of the various food options including what each group is serving, visit tasteofchicago.us.
GETTING THERE
There will be various street closures around Grant Park through Monday. Using public transportation is strongly encouraged as well. Public Transportation: Visit www.transitchicago.com. Parking: Park directly under the action at Millennium Garages. Biking: Bike parking is available on the perimeter of Grant and Millennium Parks. Visit the Chicago Bicycle Program for maps, safety, and other information.
For complete Taste of Chicago details including music and art schedule, visit Taste of Chicago.
Images: Taste of Chicago – Choose Chicago; Churro – Huib Scholten
