Mayor Rahm Emanuel and the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) today announced the lineup of 82 eateries that will participate in the 39th Annual Taste of Chicago presented by DoorDash – the world's largest free-admission food festival – this July 10–14 in Grant Park. Showcasing Chicago’s diverse culinary scene, this year’s list of 41 five-day participants, 24 pop-ups and 17 food trucks will offer Taste-goers an endless variety of more than 300 menu items to suit every palate.

“As the culinary capital of the world, the Taste of Chicago will give residents and visitors alike the opportunity to sample some of the greatest foods this city has to offer," said Mayor Emanuel. "Since its inception, the Taste of Chicago has become a summertime staple and this year’s lineup of world-renowned restaurants, food trucks and pop-ups will be even more vibrant and diverse than ever before."

This year Taste of Chicago is excited to welcome its new presenting sponsor DoorDash, the largest and fastest growing on-demand destination for door-to-door delivery in more than 4,000 cities in the United States and Canada. DoorDash connects Chicagoans with their favorite stores and restaurants, including many participating in this year’s Taste of Chicago festival.

“Connecting people with the best in their cities is core to the DoorDash mission and we’re excited to partner with the city of Chicago to bring the best in local food to residents and visitors this summer,” said David Bornoff, Head of Brand at DoorDash. "Our partnership with Taste of Chicago is so important to us, as Chicago has an incredibly diverse culinary scene and is filled with residents who care deeply about the food choices they make."

Taste of Chicago will present a wide range of offerings with 37 newcomers to the event in 2019, a 48% increase from 25 in 2018. The new food eateries include 11 five-day participants, 17 pop-ups serving for one or two days and 9 food trucks. Additionally, the festival received a 12% increase in the number of applications from food businesses located across the city and representing a wide variety of cuisines. Visit TasteofChicago.us for festival details, including a complete list of restaurants, food trucks and culinary businesses.

New Eateries at the 2019 Taste of Chicago include:

• 90 Miles Cuban Café
• A Place by Damao
• Bar Takito
• Barangaroos Aussie Pies
• Ben's Bar-Be-Cue
• Big Wang's Chinese Street Food
• Black Dog Gelato
• Brazilian Bowl Inc.
• Buscia's Bacon Buns
• Coastline Catering
• Da Pizza Dude
• Dmen Tap
• Dog Haus
• Egg Rolls Etc.
• Frönen
• Gordo's Homemade Ice Cream Bars
• Hakka Bakka Indian Kati Rolls
• Jason's Deli
• Jeannie's Flan Inc.
• Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams
• Josephine's Cooking
• Jus Sandwiches
• Kitchen 17
• Lao Sze Chuan
• Luella's Gospel Bird
• Madame VanderKloot's Weiner Emporium
• Mr. Quiles Mexican Food
• Ms. Tittle's Cupcakes
• Nourish Catering
• Pink Flamingo (Flamingo Rum Club)
• Pink Taco
• Seoul Taco
• The Cookie Crate
• The Slab Bar-B-Que
• Three Legged Tacos
• Whadda Jerk
• Yvolina's Tamales

“Taste of Chicago truly represents our city’s culinary diversity,” said Sam Toia, President and CEO, Illinois Restaurant Association. “Five-day vendors, pop-up restaurants and food trucks from Chicago’s vibrant neighborhoods showcase their specialties, and along with chef-led cooking demos, festival-goers are guaranteed a satisfied appetite and fun for the whole family. We can’t wait to welcome the thousands who will come out and enjoy what Chicago is all about—iconic experiences, global flavors and unbeatable hospitality."

All culinary participants will offer signature menu items, including additional selections of the popular “Taste of” portions priced at $3.00 or less, allowing guests the opportunity to sample an even greater variety of items. Admission to the Taste of Chicago is FREE, and tickets for food and beverages can be purchased in strips of 14 tickets for $10. Whether craving the robust flavors found in ethnic cuisine, epicurean delights, sweet treats, classic Chicago dishes – and more – Chicagoans and visitors won’t want to miss this year’s Taste!

NEW! Taste of Chicago Community Dinners

New this year, Taste of Chicago vendors may participate in the 2019 Taste of Chicago Community Eats Program, an opportunity to host a community organization or group for a free, community meal. The dinners will all take place on Wednesday, June 26, at restaurants and venues across the city to create a positive social impact and extend the reach of Taste of Chicago. More information will be announced in June.

Lifeway Foods Taste Kitchen

The Lifeway Foods Taste Kitchen dishes up a full menu of cooking demonstrations by local and national chefs including Chef Mary Nguyen of Saigon Sisters, Chef Martial Noguier of Bistronomic, Chef Michael Sheerin of Taureaux Tavern and Chef Giancarlo Valera of Tanta Chicago. Each day of the cooking demonstrations held on the Buckingham Fountain Plaza will feature a different culinary theme.

• Wednesday, July 10 Best Lists will highlight award-winning chefs, restaurants and those with dishes that have been featured on various "best of” lists.
• Thursday, July 11 City Streets will feature chefs and restaurants from the many notable or historic city streets across Chicago.
• Friday, July 12 Healthy Eating will spotlight delicious dishes that are also healthy, gluten-free, vegan or vegetarian.
• Saturday, July 13 Spicy Hot will star a variety of cuisines that bring the heat.
• Sunday, July 14 Mac N Cheese Smackdown is a fun-and-friendly showcase of chefs “battling it out” for Mac N Cheese supremacy.

The full schedule of cooking demonstrations will be announced in June.

CH Vodka Cocktail Lounge, Goose Island Backyard Brewery and Stella Rosa Wine Garden

The CH Vodka Cocktail Lounge, the city’s largest pop-up bar, will offer mixology specials to enjoy by Buckingham Fountain. The specialty cocktail menu during the Taste of Chicago will include two new refreshing drinks, the Chicago Mule (made with Jeppson's Malort and CH Vodka) and the Peach-Mango Lime Rickey, as

well as their much-loved Tropical Rum Punch and Bourbon Pineapple Smash. The popular Goose Island Backyard Brewery will offer Taste-goers a select list of craft beers and ciders that include Goose Island Born and Raised, Goose Island Next Coast IPA, Goose Island Natural Villain, Virtue Cider Mezzo Spritz, Golden Road Mango Cart, Elysian Spacedust IPA and many more. The Stella Rosa Wine Garden featuring the Riboli Family Wines, awarded the American Winery of the Year for 2018 by Wine Enthusiast, will offer an array of wine varietals including Bodega Sangria, Stella Rosa Platinum, Maddalena Rose, Maddalena Pinot Grigio and other selections.

Concerts at the Petrillo Music Shell and Taste Oasis

Taste of Chicago will also present a diverse mix of national and international artists at nightly concerts at the Petrillo Music Shell along with a daily schedule of local artists at the Goose Island Stage. The complete music and entertainment lineup will be announced in early May.

In 2018, more than 1.5 million residents and visitors enjoyed Taste of Chicago, reflecting the vibrant diversity of the City of Chicago. Over 3,000 people were employed by Chicago restaurants and vendors, and more than 600 artists and performers were hired to entertain Taste-goers over the five-day festival. The event contributes an estimated $106 million annually in total business activity to the Chicago economy.

Taste of Chicago is presented by DoorDash and produced by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events in coordination with the Illinois Restaurant Association, which manages food and beverage operations. The festival is sponsored in part by CH Vodka, Chicago Transit Authority, Chicago Tribune, CLTV-Chicagoland’s Television, Communications Direct, Eli’s Cheesecake, Goose Island Beer Company, IL Lottery, Lifeway Foods, Pepsi, Riboli Family Wines, Shoreline Sightseeing, Southwest Airlines, and WGN-Television.

The 39th Annual Taste of Chicago is July 10–14 in Grant Park with hours 11 a.m.–9 p.m., Wednesday–

Friday, and 10 a.m.–9 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. For more information on the FREE-admission festival, visit tasteofchicago.us. To plan your trip to Chicago, visit choosechicago.com. Join the conversation on Facebook at Taste of Chicago and follow us on Twitter @TasteofChi and Instagram @ChicagoDCASE (#TasteofChicago).

DoorDash

DoorDash is a technology company that connects customers with their favorite local and national businesses in over 4,000 cities and all 50 states across the United States and Canada. Founded in 2013, DoorDash empowers merchants to grow their businesses by offering on-demand delivery, data-driven insights, and better in-store efficiency, providing delightful experiences from door to door. DoorDash Drive is the last-mile logistics platform that powers direct delivery for any business. By building the last-mile delivery infrastructure for local cities, DoorDash is bringing communities closer, one doorstep at a time. Read more on the DoorDash blog or at doordash.com

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 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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.

41 FIVE–DAY FOOD PARTICIPANTS