Taste of Chicago 2019 – All You Need to Know Before You Go

Taste of Chicago 2019

This year Taste of Chicago is scheduled from July 10 to July 14, 2019 at Grant Park, 337 E Randolph St, Chicago. Get ready to enjoy the world’s largest outdoor food festival in Chicago.

Admission

Admission to Taste of Chicago is free but you will have to purchase tickets for food. As majority of Chicagoans know, it is the place to enjoy flavors of the best Chicago restaurants at one place.

You can purchase food tickets at the Taste of Chicago or purchase online in advance to avoid the long lines. Online you can get 14 tickets for $10, and minimum 2 stripes purchase is required.

Plan Your Purchase

“Taste of” Food Portions: 5-6 tickets
Full Food Portions: 10-12 tickets
Soda/Water: 7-8 tickets
Beer: 11-14 tickets
Wine/Cocktails: 10-14 tickets

Beverage tents are located throughout the Taste of Chicago event and will be serving soft drinks, wines, specialty drinks and beers from local brewers including Goose Island, Budweiser and Stella Artois. Buckingham Fountain Plaza Specialty Beverage Areas will feature Distillery Cocktail Lounge, Stella Rosa Wine Garden and Beer Tent.

At Taste of Chicago 2019, you can purchase food with food Taste tickets but beverage purchases can be made with Taste tickets or credit cards. All alcohol sales end at 8:45pm

I feel that being such a popular event, food is kind of little over priced if you compare the food portions with ticket price, but still I recommend to plan a visit to Taste of Chicago. If we ignore the price part then still it’s one of the best things to do in Chicago during summer season.

Every year thousands of Taste of Chicago is attended by visitors and Chicagoans alike. I enjoyed few of local flavors at Taste of Chicago 2017.

Taste of Chicago Map

Restaurants at Taste of Chicago 2019

At Taste of Chicago 2019 total 80 restaurants will be serving their best flavors. The Taste of Chicago participating restaurants list includes 40 new restaurants, 24 pop-up restaurants and 16 food trucks.

Enjoy the local favorite, Chicago style hot dogs, pizza and Italian beef, including other delicious food items and ethnic restaurants from the Chicago neighborhoods, serving international dishes.

5-Day Restaurants

Arun’s Thai Restaurant (GF)
Aunty Joy’s Jamaican Kitchen (V)(GF)
Beat Kitchen (V)(GF)
Billy Goat Tavern
BJ’s Market & Bakery (V)(GF)
Brazilian Bowl Inc. – New (GF)
Buona Beef
Buscia’s Bacon Buns – New
Caffe Gelato Soiree
Chicago’s Dog House
Churro Factory – Xurro
Connie’s Pizza (V)
Doom Street Eats (GF)
Esperanza (V)(GF)
Franco’s Ristorante (V)(GF)
Frannie’s Café Inc (V)
Frönen – Now 5 Days (V)(GF)
Garifuna Flava: A Taste of Belize (V)(GF)
Hakka Bakka Indian Kati Rolls – Now 5 Days (GF)
Iyanze (V)(GF)
Josephine’s Cooking – Now 5 Days
Kasia’s Deli (GF)
La Mexicana (V)(GF)
Lao Sze Chuan – New (V)
Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria
Premier Rollin BBQ
Rainbow Cone LLC
Ricobene’s
Robinson’s No. 1 Ribs
Seoul Taco – Now 5 Days
Star of Siam (GF)
Texas de Brazil (GF)
The Cookie Crate – New
The Eli’s Cheesecake Company (V)
The Slab Bar-B-Que – New
Ukai Japanese Restaurant
Vee-Vee’s African Restaurant
Vienna Beef
Yum Dum
Yvolina’s Tamales – New

Pop-up Restaurants

Wednesday, July 10

A Place by Damao – New (V)(GF)
Jeannie’s Flan Inc. – New (V)
Jus Sandwiches – New (V)(GF)
Seafood City Supermarket (Grill City)
Nourish Catering – New (V)(GF)
Jeannie’s Flan Inc. – New (V)

Thursday, July 11

Betty BOT shop (V)(GF)
Jason’s Deli – New (GF)
Seafood City Supermarket (Grill City)
Egg Rolls Etc. – New (V)
These Wingz (V)

Friday, July 12
Bar Takito – New (GF)
Dmen Tap – New (V)(GF)
Luella’s Gospel Bird – New (GF)
Barangaroos Aussie Pies – New
Jeni’s Splended Ice Creams – New (V)(GF)

Saturday, July 13
Classic Cobbler
Madame VanderKloot’s Weiner Emporium – New
Wood Fire Counter
Dog Haus – New
Warm Belly Bakery, LLC

Sunday, July 14
90 Miles Cuban Café – New (GF)
Black Dog Gelato – New
Kitchen 17 – New (V)(GF)
BITES Asian Kitchen + Bar
Gordo’s Homemade Ice Cream Bars – New (V)

Food Trucks at Taste of Chicago 2019

Aztec Dave’s Food Truck (GF) – Fri, Sat, Sun
Big Wang’s Chinese Street Food – New (GF) – Thu, Fri, Sun
Da Pizza Dude – New – Sat, Sun
Harold’s Chicken – Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun
Lawrence’s Fish & Shrimp – Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun
Ms. Tittle’s Cupcakes – New – Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat
Pink Taco – New (GF) – Wed, Thu, Fri
Three Legged Tacos – New (V)(GF) – Thu, Fri, Sun
Beavers Coffee + Donuts – Wed, Thu, Sat, Sun
Coastline Catering – New (GF) – Wed, Thu, Sat
Giordano’s – Wed, Fri, Sat, Sun
La Cocinita (GF) – Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat
Mr. Quiles Mexican Food Truck – New – Wed, Thu, Fri
Pink Flamingo Food Truck – New – Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun
The Lifeway Kefir Shop (GF) – Wed,Thu, Fri, Sat
Whadda Jerk – New (GF) – Fri, Sat, Sun

What to Do at Taste of Chicago 2019

Food and drinks come to our mind when we think about Taste of Chicago. But, at Taste of Chicago there are other things to do apart from enjoying the local flavors and drinks. There will be live music shows throughout the Taste of Chicago event.

Goose Island Stage – The Goose Island Stage has been very popular every year at Taste of Chicago. It offers 6-days of free performances by Chicago’s best and coming up artists. The stage is located at the south end of the Taste of Chicago at Columbus and Balbo.

The Petrillo Music Shell -The Taste of Chicago 2019 presents a diverse mix of chart-topping national and international acts at the Petrillo Music Shell.

Chicago SummerDance – The largest annual outdoor live music and dance event in USA, will move to Buckingham Fountain Plaza during Taste of Chicago. If you don’t know how to dance then it’s your opportunity to learn it from professional dancers at Chicago SummerDance. Yes the event features free one-hour dance lesson too. Best way to enjoy live music and dance from 5:30 pm to 8:30pm at Taste of Chicago.

Also, walk around the event to explore art and graffiti by Chicago’s local painting artists at the Street Art & Graffiti Alley.

Getting There

I recommend to use public transportation, The “L” trains, and avoid driving to save time. You may get stuck in traffic!

The following streets will be closed during the Taste of Chicago through Monday, July 15 at 4pm:

Columbus, from Monroe to Balbo and from Balbo to Roosevelt (Balbo remains open to traffic)
Jackson, from Michigan to Lake Shore Drive
Congress, from Columbus to Congress Parkway semi-circle

If you decide to drive to downtown Chicago, then park at the Millennium Park Parking Garage. I love SpotHero app for reserving a parking spot in downtown Chicago.

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