The Taste is Back and Better Than Ever
There’s no doubt that Chicago is a city for foodies. Some of the best restaurants in America hail from the Windy City, and we should be proud! The annual Taste of Chicago is the world’s largest free food festival, and it’s our opportunity to celebrate the amazing food that surrounds us on every block. But first, here are a few things to remember:
It’s gonna be hot. We all know how Chicago gets in the middle of summer, so expect some heat and be sure to dress accordingly.
It’s gonna be sweaty. The Taste is notorious for being SUPER crowded. So stay calm, stay patient, and stick with your group.
It’s gonna be a blast. There’s a reason so many people go to the Taste! It’s one of the city’s best summer festivals. You don’t want to miss out.
From July 5 – 9, make room and don’t spoil your appetite – this year’s event has a mouthwatering roster of food, music, and more.
Food
Join the ultimate celebration of food by sampling bites from 67 vendors featuring some of the most delicious food that Chicago has to offer. Familiar vendors will be back, but there are some new faces as well. Pop-up restaurants will only be present for one to two days at a time, so keep an eye out! For a Michelin-level experience, tickets for a three-course meal cooked by a celebrity chef are also available for purchase.
Five-Day Restaurants
Beat Kitchen, Ben’s Bar Be Cue, Billy Goat Tavern & Grill, BJ’s Market & Bakery, Caffe Gelato, Carbon Live Fire Mexican Grill, Chicago’s Dog House, Churro Factory, Connie’s Pizza, Dia De Los Tamales, Doom Street Eats, Farmer’s Fridge, Franco’s Ristorante, Frannie’s Café Inc, Gold Coast Dogs, Iyanze, Kasia’s Deli, La Bomba Restaurant, La Mexicana, Lawrence’s Fish and Shrimp, Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria, Miller’s Pub, Oak Street Beach Café, O’Briens Restaurant & Bar, Porkchop, Punky’s Pizza & Pasta, Ricobene’s on 26th Street, Robinson’s No. 1 Ribs, Star of Siam, Texas de Brazil, The Eli’s Cheesecake Co., The Fudge Pot, Tuscany, Ukai Japanese Restaurant, Vee-Vee’s African Restaurant
Pop-Up Restaurants
Brightwok Kitchen, Broken English, Dinky Donuts, Inc., Garifuna Flava: A Taste of Belize, Hakka Bakka Indian Kati Rolls, Jin Ju Restaurant, Just Salad, MAD Social, Pork & Mindy’s, Puffs of Doom, Riva, Rojo Gusano, Seoul Taco, The Little Beet Table, Warm Belly Bakery, Yum Dum
Food Trucks
American Glory, Auntie Vee’s, Aztec Dave’s Food Truck, Beavers Coffee + Donuts, Bop Bar Truck, Bruges Brothers, Cheesie’s Pub and Grub, Da Lobsta, El Patron, Giordano’s, Harold’s Chicken, La Cocinita Food Truck, Stan’s Donuts & Coffee, The Cajun Connoisseur, The Fat Shallot, The Lifeway Kefir Shop
Celebrity Chef du Jour
Wednesday, July 5: Paul Fehribach, Chef of Big Jones (6:30pm)
Thursday, July 6: Chico Vilchez, Chef of Nacional 27 (6:30pm)
Friday, July 7: Oliver Poilevey, Chef of Le Bouchon, La Sardine (6:30pm)
Saturday, July 8: American Girl Café Brunch (11:30am)
Sunday, July 9: Beverly Kim and John Clark, Chefs of Parachute (5pm)
Celebrations & Activities
Cultural Programming and Sabor de Chicago
Watch live painting by local artists, live music, and dance performances by Street Art & Graffiti Alley, Stomping Grounds Chicago, Chicago SummerDance, March of the Puppets, and Sabor de Chicago.
CH Distillery Spirit Lounge and Beer & Wine Garden
Enjoy specialty cocktails and craft beer near Buckingham Fountain Plaza.
Lifeway Food Taste Kitchen
Learn from cooking demonstrations by local and national chefs, as well as Celebrity Chefs du Jour.
