New Taste of Chicago

Taste of Chicago and a Slimmed-Down Lineup of 35 Vendors Return in September | Eater Chicago

"Returning for 2023 after a March delay to accommodate the NASCAR Street Race, the festival will run September 8–10 at its customary home in Grant Park but with a slimmed-down lineup: more than 35 vendors, 15 food trucks, and a new area for beer, wine, and boozy frozen drinks, featuring spots like Eli’s Cheesecake, Arun’s Thai Restaurant, Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria, Josephine’s Cooking, Connie’s Pizza, and global offerings such as Tandoor Char House and JJ’s Thai Street Food. Founded in 1980 and still drawing tens of thousands, Taste feels smaller than its heyday—when vendors approached 100—and, while it remains a local gateway to a wide swath of Chicago cuisines and a rite of passage for many youngsters, crowds are shrinking and few people said they missed it this Fourth of July. The city privately believes the event can still showcase restaurants and attract big crowds, but organizers and vendors say it needs a revamp to be more approachable and culturally relevant; critics point to high costs (insurance plus a three-day vendor fee of $3,000) and staffing challenges that keep many restaurants away. Historically it has helped introduce regional foods—Tony Hu used the festival in the ’90s to showcase regional Chinese cuisine with bites of dry-chili chicken—and organizers have tried recruiting food trucks and star chefs, but Taste has struggled to keep pace with newer, curated culinary events." - Ashok Selvam