Chicago announces restaurants at 2014 Taste of Chicago festival

May 15, 2014 | Filed under: Community,Entertainment,events,News,Ray Hanania | Posted by: admin +

Chicago announces restaurants at 2014 Taste of Chicago festival 5.00/5 (100.00%) 1 vote

Chicago announces restaurants at 2014 Taste of Chicago festival

Includes a diverse showcase of five-day restaurants, one- to two-day Pop-Ups and food trucks

Taste of Chicago

Mayor Rahm Emanuel is pleased to announce an assorted lineup of 66 restaurants that will participate throughout the highly anticipated, five-day food and entertainment festival Taste of Chicago, July 9-13 in Grant Park. Showcasing Chicago’s diverse culinary scene, Taste goers are guaranteed an endless variety of dining options to suit every palate from five-day restaurants to the popular one- and two-day Pop-Ups, as well as food trucks.

As our culinary reputation has grown on the national stage, the Taste of Chicago continues to reflect the vibrant and diverse restaurant community of Chicago with and new, exciting culinary experiences and long- time favorites, ” said Mayor Rahm Emanuel

Alongside the classic favorites, Taste of Chicago is excited to welcome 22 newcomers to the event in 2014. In all there are seven new five-day restaurants, eight new Pop-Ups and seven new food trucks.

New this year, Taste is pleased to announce a new partnership with Mariano’s to bring their culinary expertise to the popular cooking demonstration area, In the Kitchen with Mariano’s, and as a five-day restaurant. As Mariano’s continues its expansion in the Chicago market delivering the highest distinctive products, unequaled service and hospitality, this must-visit Taste destination is sure to leave customers embracing the Mariano’s philosophy of Shop Well, Eat Well, Live Well.

“We are thrilled to welcome Mariano’s as part of the Taste of Chicago this year,” said Michelle T. Boone, Commissioner of the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. “This partnership is an ideal complement to our goal of presenting an array of high quality Chicago vendors. The Mariano’s brand has established a reputation of freshness, and shopping amenities like no other. We know our event guests will enjoy experiencing In the Kitchen with Mariano’s.”

Other new restaurants and food trucks are: The Big Cheese Poutinerie, Brasserie by LM, Brazilian Bowl Grill, Bridgeport Pasty, Chicago’s Dog House, Chicago Lunchbox, Gino’s Steak, Harold’s Chicken, Ms. Tittle’s Cupcakes, Kamehachi, Lawrence’s Fisheries, M Burger, Mama Mia, Mariano’s, Mayan Sol Latin Grill, Restaurant Veneno de Nayarit, The Savoy, Sol de Mexico, SpritzBurger, Stan’s Donuts & Coffee, Starfruit Cafè and Windy City Patty Wagon.

All vendors will offer signature items, as well as the popular “Taste Of” portions priced at $2.50 or less, allowing guests the opportunity to sample an even greater variety of items. Many will also include Humana

Healthier Choice selections for those seeking lighter options. Admission to the Taste of Chicago is FREE, and tickets for food and beverages can be purchased in strips of 12 tickets for $8.50.

“The Illinois Restaurant Association, celebrating our 100th anniversary in 2014, has been involved in the Taste of Chicago since its inception,” said Sam Toia, president of the Illinois Restaurant Association. “It has continued to be an amazing opportunity for restaurants to showcase our robust culinary scene, and has been a significant part of our organization’s history. Each year, the festival honors tradition while also evolving to reflect Chicago’s rich and ever-expanding dining culture. We’re pleased to offer attendees not only tried and true favorites, but also a taste of new vendors and a variety of diverse pop-up restaurants sure to become staples on the annual Taste tour.”

Whether craving the robust flavors found in African, American, Caribbean, Chinese, French, Indian, Italian, Thai or Vietnamese cuisine – and more – Chicagoans and visitors won’t want to miss this year’s Taste!

Taste of Chicago is produced by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events in coordination with the Illinois Restaurant Association, which manages the food and beverage operation.

Five-day Restaurants

Abbey Pub & Restaurant, 3420 W. Grace St.

Bacino’s of Lincoln Park, 2204 N. Lincoln Ave.

Beat Kitchen, 2100 W. Belmont Ave.

NEW – The Big Cheese Poutinerie, 3401 N. Clark

Billy Goat Inn, 1535 W. Madison St.

BJ’s Market & Bakery, 8734 S. Stony Island Ave.

Bobak Sausage Co., 5275 S. Archer Ave.

Caffe Gelato, 2034 W. Division St.

Carbon Live Fire Mexican Grill, 300 W. 26th St.

NEW – Chicago’s Dog House, 816 W. Fullerton

Churro Factory, 3755 W. Armitage St.

Connie’s Pizza, 2373 S. Archer Ave.

Eli’s Cheesecake, 6701 W. Forest Preserve Dr.

Franco’s Ristorante, 300 W. 31st St.

The Fudge Pot, 1532 N. Wells

Gold Coast Dogs, 225 S. Canal St.

Iyanze, 4623 N. Broadway St.

Kasia’s Deli, 2101 W. Chicago Ave.

NEW – Lawrence’s Fisheries, 2120 S. Canal St.

Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria, 805 S. State St.

NEW – M Burger, 100 W. Randolph

Manny’s Coffee Shop (returning after a 2-year hiatus), 1141 S. Jefferson St.

NEW – Mariano’s, Locations throughout Chicago

The Noodle Vietnamese, 2336 S. Wentworth Ave.

Oak Street Beach Café, 5700 S. Cicero Ave.

O’Briens Restaurant, 1528 N. Wells St.

Original Rainbow Cone, 9233 S. Western Ave.

Pazzo’s Cucina, 101 N. Wacker Dr.

Ricobene’s on 26th St., 252 W. 26th St.

Robinson’s No. 1 Ribs, 225 S. Canal St.

NEW – The Savoy, 1408 N. Milwaukee Ave.

The Smoke Daddy, 1804 W. Division St.

NEW – SpritzBurger, 3819 N. Broadway

Star of Siam, 11 E. Illinois St.

Tuscany, 1014 W. Taylor St.

Vee-Vee’s African Restaurant, 6232 N. Broadway St.

Pop-up Restaurants – presented by WTTW’s Check, Please!

NEW – Brasserie by LM, 800 S. Michigan Ave.

NEW – Brazilian Bowl Grill, 3204 N. Broadway

Garifuna Flava: A Taste of Belize, 2518 W. 63rd St.

Jin Ju, 5203 N. Clark St.

NEW – Kamehachi, 1531 N. Wells St.

NEW – Mama Mia, 3131 N. Central Ave.

NEW – Mayan Sol Latin Grill, 3830 W. Lawrence Ave.

Punky’s Pizza and Pasta, 2600 S. Wallace St.

NEW – Restaurant Veneno de Nayarit, 1024 N. Ashland Ave.

Riva, 700 E. Grand Ave., Navy Pier

NEW – Sol de Mexico, 3018 N. Cicero

NEW – Stan’s Donuts & Coffee, 1560 N. Damen Ave.

Taco Joint, 158 W. Ontario

Food Trucks

Beavers Coffee & Donuts

Bombay Wraps

NEW - Bridgeport Pasty

The Cheesies Truck

Chicago Cupcake

NEW – Chicago Lunchbox

NEW – Gino’s Steak

Giordano’s

NEW – Harold’s Chicken

Jerk

NEW – Ms. Tittle’s Cupcakes

Pork Chop

NEW – Starfruit Café

Taquero Fusion

The Fat Shallot

The Salsa Truck

NEW – Windy City Patty Wagon

Taste of Chicago is presented by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events and sponsored in part by Aquafina, Blue Bunny® Ice Cream, Bud Light, Chicago Tribune, Communications Direct, CLTV-Chicagoland’s Television, Eli’s Cheesecake Company, Fleet Feet Sports, Gallo Family Vineyards, Humana, Hyundai, Illinois Lottery, LaGrou Distribution System, Lipton Pure Leaf, Mariano’s, Martin’s Famous Pastry Shoppe, Olive Oils from Spain, Pepsi, Radio Disney AM 1300, Shoreline Sightseeing, Southwest Airlines, Ventra, WGN-Television, WTTW 11’s Check, Please, 93XRT, 101 WKQX and 103.5 KISS FM.

The 34th Annual Taste of Chicago is July 9-13 in Grant Park. (Taste of Chicago hours are 11 a.m. – 9 p.m., Wed. – Fri.; 10 a.m. – 9 p.m., Sat. and Sun.) For more information on the FREE admission festival, call

312.744.3316; TTY: 312.744.2964 or visit tasteofchicago.us. Join the Taste conversation on Facebook at Taste of Chicago and follow us on Twitter, @TasteofChi2014.

About the Illinois Restaurant Association

Founded in 1914, the Illinois Restaurant Association is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting, protecting, educating and improving the restaurant industry in Illinois. The Association manages the food and beverage portion of Taste of Chicago for the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events. Visit illinoisrestaurants.org and follow up Facebook and Twitter.

Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events

The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) is dedicated to enriching Chicago’s artistic vitality and cultural vibrancy. This includes fostering the development of Chicago’s non-profit arts sector, independent working artists and for-profit arts businesses; providing a framework to guide the City’s future cultural and economic growth, via the 2012 Chicago Cultural Plan; marketing the City’s cultural assets to a worldwide audience; and presenting high-quality, free and affordable cultural programs for residents and visitors.

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