Sixty-nine food vendors, including 20 newcomers and 17 pop-ups, await festivalgoers at this year’s Taste of Chicago, running July 6-10 in Grant Park.
The announcement came today during a press conference for the 36th annual extravaganza, billed as “the world’s largest free food festival” (admission is free).
The new food vendors are: Abundance Bakery; Arami; Auntie Vee’s; BRGRBELLY; Da Lobsta; Demera Ethiopian Restaurant; Doom Street Eats; Firecakes Donuts; Frannie’s Café Inc; Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken; The Happy Lobster Truck; La Jefa; La Patrona; MAD Social; nana; Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine; Pork & Mindy’s; Rojo Gusano; Taco in a Bag and Texas de Brazil.
In addition to the vendor lineup, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) also announced the award-winning lineup for the hugely popular “Celebrity Chef du Jour” tent:
— Chef Graham Elliot of Graham Elliot Bistro with Masterchef Junior Season 4 Winner Addison Smith of River Forest, Ill. (July 6 at 6:30 p.m.)
— Chef Kevin Hickey of The Duck Inn (July 7 at 6:30 p.m.)
— Chef Patrick Sheerin of Trenchermen (July 8 at 6:30 p.m.)
— Chef Chris Macchia of Nonnina (July 9 at 6:30 p.m.)
— Chef Abraham Conlon of Fat Rice (July 10 at 5 p.m.).
The chefs will prepare a three-course meal for diners art the sit-down, air conditioned dining pavilion. The cost is $45 per person (limit of four tickets per person) and tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. May 20 at tasteofchicago.us.
Other Taste highlights include the CH Distillery Cocktail Lounge located near Buckingham Fountain featuring specialty drinks; beer and wine gardens; the Lifeway Foods Taste Kitchen featuring cooking demonstrations by local and national celebrity chefs; and the Food for Thought Podcast Pavilion, featuring live recordings and podcasts by culinary industry insiders from across the country.
Admission to the Taste is free. Tickets for food/beverages are $8.50 for a strip of 12. In addition, all vendors will feature the smaller “Taste Of” portions priced at $2.50 or less.
Taste hours are: 11 a.m.–9 p.m., Wednesday–Friday, and 10 a.m.–9 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. For more information on all things Taste, call (312) 744- 3316 or visit tasteofchicago.us.
Here are the vendors for the 2016 Taste of Chicago):
FIVE-DAY RESTAURANTS (*New for 2016)
Abundance Bakery, 105 E. 47th St.
Beat Kitchen, 2100 W. Belmont
Billy Goat Tavern & Grill, 1535 W. Madison
BJ’s Market & Bakery, 8734 S. Stony Island
Bobak Sausage Company, 4550 W. Jackson
Caffe Gelato, 2034 W. Division
Carbon Live Fire Mexican Grill, 300 W. 26th St.
Chicago’s Dog House, 816 W. Fullerton
Churro Factory, 2214 S. Wolcott
Connie’s Pizza, 2373 S. Archer
Dia De Los Tamales, 939 W. 18th St.
Dinky Donuts, Inc. Located at Markets Throughout Chicago
The Eli’s Cheesecake Co., 6701 W. Forest Preserve Dr.
Farmer’s Fridge, 108 N. Lake
Franco’s Ristorante, 300 W. 31st St.
*Frannie’s Café Inc., 623 S. Wabash
The Fudge Pot, 1532 N. Wells
Gold Coast Dogs, 225 S. Canal
Iyanze, 4623 N. Broadway
Kasia’s Deli, 2101 W. Chicago
La Bomba Restaurant, 3221 W. Armitage
La Mexicana, 4171 S. Archer
Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria, 805 S. State
Miller’s Pub, 134 S. Wabash
Oak Street Beach Café, 5700 S. Cicero
O’Briens Restaurant & Bar, 1528 N. Wells
Porkchop, 941 W. Randolph
Punky’s Pizza & Pasta, 2600 S. Wallace
Ricobene’s on 26th Street, 252 W. 26th
Robinson’s No. 1 Ribs, 225 S. Canal
Star of Siam, 11 E. Illinois
Texas de Brazil, 210 E. Illinois
Tuscany, 1014 W. Taylor
Vee-Vee’s African Restaurant, 6232 N. Broadway
Mad Social is among the pop-ups featured at this year’s Taste of Chicago. | FACEBOOK/MAD SOCIAL
POP-UP RESTAURANTS (*New for 2016)
*Arami, 1829 W. Chicago
*BRGRBELLY, 5691 N. Milwaukee
*Demera Ethiopian Restaurant, 4801 N. Broadway
*Doom Street Eats Located at Markets throughout Chicago
Garifuna Flava: A Taste of Belize, 2518 W. 63rd St.
*Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken, 847 W. Fulton Market
*Jin Ju Restaurant, 5203 N. Clark
*MAD Social, 1140 W. Madison
*nana, 3267 S. Halsted
*Pastoral Artisan Cheese, Bread & Wine, 5212 N. Clark
*Pork & Mindy’s, 1623 N. Milwaukee
Puffs of Doom Located at Markets throughout Chicago
Riva, 700 E. Grand Ave., Navy Pier
*Rojo Gusano, 3830 W. Lawrence
Stan’s Donuts & Coffee, 2800 N. Clark
*Taco in a Bag, 4603 N. Lincoln
Yum Dum Located throughout Chicago
The Happy Lobster Truck will be setting up shop at Taste of Chicago in July. | FACEBOOK
FOOD TRUCKS (*New for 2016)
*Auntie Vee’s
Beavers Coffee + Donuts
Bruges Brothers
Chicago Lunchbox
*Da Lobsta
DönerMen
The Fat Shallot
*Firecakes Donuts
Gino’s Steaks Truck
Giordano’s
*The Happy Lobster Truck
Harold’s Chicken Schack
Jack’s Fork in the Road
La Cocinita
*La Jefa
*La Patrona
The Lifeway Kefir Shop
Ms. Tittle’s Cupcakes
