Categories: Entertainment and Attractions

Taste of Chicago: The Food

Author: Emily Capdevielle

In 1980, the first Taste of Chicago was born with a proposal to Mayor Richard Daley of Chicago to found a food festival for the Fourth of July. The one-day event was a huge success and quickly became one of Chicago's most popular festivals of the summer.

The Beginnings 

The Taste originated in a three-block area of Michigan Avenue bordered by the Chicago River. The Taste was quickly moved to Grant Park a year later in order to meet the growing popularity of the festival.

The main reason people go to the Taste each year and maneuver around thousands of fellow tasters--and fight the sweltering heat--is for the delicious food. Experiencing the specialties from each of these restaurants is every food lovers dream with breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert all served up and ready to be eaten. Eating foods in whatever order you prefer, it's best to come with an empty stomach to experience all the fine cuisine that will be offered.

The Taste is there to broaden your horizons when it comes to cuisine and to sample hundereds of items from the booths. The food that is provided satisfies even the pickiest eater with familiar items like pizza, served at a number of venues with their own spin on this classic food favorite. The Breakfast Club, a newcomer to the Taste, has a breakfast pizza topped with scrambled eggs, cheese and bacon sausage to stir up your breakfast. They also have a veggie breakfast omlette puff to please the vegetarians in the crowd.

If your palate calls for something spicy, kick it up a notch with some spicy cooking at A Natural Harvest with roasted corn on the cob with soy butter and Cajun/Creole spice. Vermilion also has a chipotle madras curry turkey burger on the menu.

There are nine new restaurants added to the Taste and they are definitely worth a try. Wow Bao's chinese inspired cuisine is one of the latest to be added to the Taste. The baos are delectable little bun-like food items that will have you saying "just one more" with savory teriyaki and kung pao chicken fillings. 

If you lead a somewhat sheltered dining lifestyle and are feeling adventurous, seeking out some of the ethnic restaurants would be your best bet. The Noodle Vietnamese Cuisine, Bolat AfricanCuisine or Vee-Vee's African Cuisine serves items that aren't on the average Joe's menu.

Don't forget to save room and stop for dessert! With many places like Eli's Cheesecake and Canady Le Chocolatier, new to the Taste, they are well worth a stop while you're food-hopping.

Cheesecake, apple pie, rainbow ice cream cones, and Italian ice are just a few of the dessert items available for the sweet tooth.

A new addition to the Taste is "The Chef's Table" that brings even more appetizing food under the Zagat Dining pavilion. The featured recipes are from Chicago's greatest chefs and are prepared by future chefs from Washburne Culinary Institute. You can enjoy these food items as each of them have a designated day throughout the Taste.

The Parrot Cage is featured on the table and is serving tasty crab and tomato timbale with mesclun salad if you're looking for something light and fresh to eat.

As the biggest food festival in the midwest, the Taste of Chicago will satisfy everyone's appetite no matter what you're craving.

For more information about the taste of Chicago visit their website here.

Visit our general guidepage and our music guidepage for even more info about the 2008 Taste.

Check out places of interest near Taste of Chicago: The Food:

Bolat African Cuisine
3346 N. Clark St., Chicago, IL 60657

Taste all of the flavors of Africa at Bolat African Cuisine. Dishes are stuffed with a diverse array of flavors in the meaty stews, rice dishes, and fish platters. Bolat welcomes home all visitors to the motherland of African cuisine. 

Parrot Cage
7059 S. South Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60649

Located at the historic South Shore Cultural Center, this new restaurant brings back the luxury and gourmet food that was once served when the building was the glamorous South Shore Country Club. The Parrot Cage is affiliated with the renowned Washburne Culinary Institute and it serves sumptuous dishes with only the finest ingredients. 

The Breakfast Club
1381 W, Hubbard, Chicago, IL 60622

This cozy pink cottage tucked away in the on the West side of Chicago serves a warm and hearty homecooked breakfast. The heavenly light french toast is critically acclaimed as one of the best meals in the city. Also, stop by for lunch and try the variety of comfort foods such as meatloaf and mashed potatoes or a cup of thick, hot chicken soup.

Wow Bao
835 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60610

Wow Bao serves up delectable steamed buns (bao) filled with a variety of savory meats and vegetables from around Asia. Connoisseurs of Asian food will appreciate this classic fast food traditionally served on the street in the first Asian bun shop in America.  

Wow Bao
175 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60604

This downtown Wow Bao not only serves the traditional, tasty bao (steamed buns) usually seen on the streets of Asia, but it also has a variety of pot-stickers, and rice and noodle bowls. Specialty Asian desserts and breakfast foods make Wow Bao a necessary stop in the financial district. 

A Natural Harvest
7122 S. Jeffery Blvd. , Chicago, IL 60649

This all-vegetarian health food store sells the freshest fruit and vegetables, offers an abundant assortment of vegetarian groceries, hundreds of herbal teas, and complete vegetarian meals. Make sure to ask the knowledgable staff for tips on tasty vegan and vegetarian meals and a healthy diet. 

Canady Le Chocolatier
824 S. Wabash Ave., Chicago, IL 60605

This small chocolate shop in the South Loop produces big flavors. All of the mouthwatering chocolate is prepared by hand by the owner and placed in elaboratly beaded gift boxes. Along with swiss milk, dark, and white chocolate, Canady also sells amazing gelato, sorbet, pies, and cappuccinos.