The Taste of Chicago kicked off on Wednesday morning with more than 80 vendors from all across the city, from booths by local restaurants to food trucks to featured pop-ups.
And while there are plenty of Chicago classics up for grabs, including Connie’s Pizza, Eli’s Cheesecake and Harold’s Chicken, this year’s festival shows off the city’s international flavors. Chicago is home to millions of immigrants, and this year’s Taste lineup offers proof, from Senegalese cuisine to Argentine-style empanadas.
Nearly 38% of the participating restaurants are setting up shop at the festival for the first time, according to the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events.
If it’s been a while since you last attended the Taste of Chicago, you’ll find that the iconic strip ticket system is gone for good. The entire event, which is free to enter, is cashless. Now, instead of presenting tickets to food vendors, you’ll pay them directly using credit cards or mobile pay.
Also new to the festival this year is the Chef’s Stage: On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, celebrated chefs from all over the city will participate in live cooking demonstrations, chef conversations, Q&A sessions and exclusively prepared food for purchase. Diana Davila of Mi Tocaya Antojería will appear on Saturday, while Javauneeka Jacobs of Frontera Grill is slated for Sunday.
Throughout the weekend, guests can expect headliner performances from acclaimed artists such as Babyface, Julieta Venegas and Original Koffee, among many others. Hometown musicians include local band Beach Bunny (tonight) and rapper and actor Common (Friday).
Local acts featured at the Goose Island Stage include appearances from Chicago poet laureate Mayda Del Valle and performances by Ur Mom, Kristen Lowe, Ryan Alexander, Clairice and Mike DFG.
A drone and fireworks show will take place near Buckingham Fountain on Friday at 9:15 p.m.
Here are five standout plates at this year’s Taste of Chicago
Jerk Jollof Rice Platter from Badou Senegalese Cuisine
Badou Diakhate’s Rogers Park restaurant first opened in 2014, offering a plethora of West African and fusion Caribbean food. Now at the Taste of Chicago for a fourth year in a row, the restaurant is serving up a jerk jollof rice platter, which comes with flavorful grilled chicken, jollof rice, cabbage and carrot ($20).
“We want every customer coming over here to have a memorable bite of Senegalese and African food,” Diakhate said. Badou’s jollof rice — like many of the dishes on the restaurant’s menu — is vegan, Diakhate said, noting that his restaurant has a “very healthy approach” to the food.
But their best-sellers are the chicken pastels, which are similar to Latin American empanadas. Orders come with two for $5. Customers can also order plantains, another West African staple, for $5. If you’re not feeling the platter, you can get jerk chicken or plain jollof rice for $15.
Mangonada from Esperanza Kitchen Delights
At Martha Stolfe’s restaurant Esperanza Kitchen Delights, Mexican mangonadas are on the menu, offering a cool indulgence on a hot and humid day. For $6, you can get a small taste of the mango ice dessert covered in chamoy (apricot syrup), mango chunks and Tajín seasoning. The larger size costs $12.
Stolfe has been operating a food tent at the Taste of Chicago since 2018. “Chicago does a really good job in supporting small businesses, so I felt like that was a good way to start,” she said.
Now, her restaurant has two locations at Soldier Field and has the distinction, she says, of being the only Mexican food spot there.The restaurant is named after her grandmother, Esperanza, who was born and raised in Guerrero, Mexico.
“I was very close with her,” Stolfe said. “She loved cooking. I grew up being in the kitchen with her.”
Georgia Peach Pudding from The Sole Ingredient Catering
If you’re looking for dessert, look no further than the Georgia peach pudding from The Sole Ingredient Catering tent.
Topped with a decadent caramel bourbon sauce, the slice of bread pudding tastes just as good as it sounds. A single portion costs $6.
Employee Tammy Benney diligently took customer orders on Wednesday as she explained that the catering company is based out of owner Lorene DeVaroe’s home, and they provide food for weddings, birthday parties and corporate events.
Other menu offerings include collard greens with smoked turkey and a Gouda cheese spring roll, for $6; lamb chops with rasta pasta at $16; and Cajun crab balls for $14.
Empanadas from Thimi’s Empanadas
At Thimi’s Empanadas, you’ll find Argentine-style empanadas. Traditionally baked, these empanadas are priced at $6 to $8 each or $20 for a mix of three.
Each is stamped with a label, allowing you to identify which is which. Choose from beef, chicken, ham and cheese, spinach or traditional humitas, a hearty mix of corn and cheese.
Co-owner Jorge Ferreyra said that while the Argentinian empanadas are typically baked, they’re being fried for the hustle and bustle of the Taste of Chicago.
“Thimi’s is a family project that started about three years ago,” he said in Spanish. “My wife and I had a little baby, and were trying to make ends meet. We started out selling empanadas on the street.”
They worked on perfecting their “Chicago” recipe and eventually became so popular that they’ve opened two locations at the French Market and Sterling Food Hall, where empanadas are baked fresh daily. This year is their second year at the Taste of Chicago.
Brisket Mac & Cheese from Lexington Betty Smokehouse
Manager Erica Taylor said the Pullman restaurant has been serving up slabs of ribs, smoked meats and more at the Taste of Chicago for several years.
The smokehouse was opened in 2016 by chef Dominique Leach and her wife, Tanisha Griffin Leach. Over the last decade, the South Side restaurant has become a neighborhood and citywide staple for smoked meats and delicious sides such as candied yams and baked beans.
The star of their Taste of Chicago menu is the brisket mac and cheese, sold for $18. The generous helping of creamy macaroni and cheese is topped with tender brisket and bread crumbs.
If you order the brisket mac, make sure to ask for some extra BBQ sauce.
But Taylor says everything on the menu is worth trying. “We have a great menu here.”