2023 guide to Taste of Cincinnati

CINCINNATI — Taste of Cincinnati — one of the country's oldest and most delicious Memorial Day traditions — returns to downtown Cincinnati this weekend.

This year's event along Fifth Street features a record 77 restaurants, food trucks and other vendors. They’ll serve up more than 300 menu items in total. Dishes range from holiday favorites like BBQ ribs and corn on the cob to international flavors such as chicken tikka masala and baklava.

The top entrée in this year's Taste of Cincinnati contest was the braised short rib and creamy truffle gnocchi by Alfio's Buon Cibo in Hyde Park.

Food prices range from $4 to $8 a sample.

While known for its food, Taste of Cincinnati is now considered one of the region's bigger music festivals as well.

From Saturday through Monday, more than 39 musical acts will perform on four stages set up between Walnut and Sentinel streets.

The fun begins at 11 a.m. on all three days. Food service and entertainment will wrap up by 11 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday and 8 p.m. on Monday.

The breakdown of food and entertainment options is below. There are also details about parking and getting around downtown.

"Taste of Cincinnati is a great weekend where you can party on Fifth Street, have a great time with your friends," said Brendon Cull, president of the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber. "But while you’re doing that, you can also help grow Cincinnati's economy and cultural vibrancy of the city."

Today, the Chamber puts on a version of Taste that attracts thousands of people from across the region to downtown Cincinnati. But it had a much humbler origin when it started in 1979.

Organizers created the Taste of Cincinnati to bring attention — and money — to the Queen City's food scene, according to the Chamber.

It was a one-day festival in Piatt Park, then known as Garfield Park, that first year. About 5,000 people attended.

However, it didn't take long for it to catch on. It grew to two days in 1981. By 1988, the event had become so large organizers expanded the schedule to its current three-day format and moved it to Central Parkway.

In 2007, the event was moved to Fifth Street to spotlight the $42-million renovation of Fountain Square and bring more energy to the surrounding downtown areas.

Beyond being the nation's longest-running culinary arts festival, it's grown into one of the largest over the past five decades.

Today, the event attracts hundreds of thousands of people over the course of the weekend. Past estimates ranged near half a million attendees.

Despite its growth, the mission of the Taste of Cincinnati remains the same as the day it started 54 years ago, Cull said. It's about supporting some of the small businesses that "enliven our neighborhoods and… grow our economy every day."

"Folks know (Taste of Cincinnati) to be a great party. But the reason that we’re in it is to support our food entrepreneurs," he added. "The restaurant owners, the bar owners, the folks who are creating and crafting things every day that add so much to the cultural vibrancy of our economy and of this city that we all love."

Taste of Cincinnati has always featured popular brick-and-mortar restaurants and catering companies who travel the regional food festival scene. But in recent years, the Chamber has looked to expand the event by highlighting other food businesses, such as food trucks.

More recently, organizers have looked to support up-and-coming businesses as they look to grow their audience. The "Taste of Findlay Market" area features 18 different vendors. They’re a mix of established storefronts, weekend pop-up vendors and businesses making their way through the Findlay Kitchen food incubator.

One business taking part is Miley Pooh Sweets, a bakery started a few years ago by Bri’Ana Heard. Her bakery is known for its 40 different pounds and what she calls "cake babies." Flavors at the Taste of Cincinnati this year include blueberry lemon, peach cobbler and her signature pineapple upside down cake.

Heard got her start at the Taste of Cincinnati last year and called it an incredible experience. She learned a lot, she said, but she also got to expand her audience to tens of thousands of people who may never venture to Findlay Market.

"The Taste gives people the opportunity to experience some of the best of what Cincinnati," she said. "It's just a super exciting experience to come downtown with friends and family and pig out."

"The best part is, you don't feel bad about because you’re supporting local businesses," Heard said with a laugh.

Most Taste of Cincinnati veterans probably know the general Fifth Street Layout. But the Cincinnati Chamber has made a few upgrades this year to enhance the guest experience. The event footprint, for instance, expanded to include areas "left and right" of Fifth Street, according to the Chamber's Chelsea York. Some activated side streets include Broadway, Sycamore Street and Sentinel Street.

It's a way to bring in more entertainment, York said, but it’ll also help spread people out a bit.

Taste of Cincinnati is also going to accept credit and debit cards at beer booths this year. In the past, guests would have to pay with cash. They’ve also made soda, water and non-alcoholic drinks available at all beverage stations, York said.

They’ve also brought in a few pieces of public art and even a temporary soccer pitch to add a little more fun to the event area.

York joked that one of her first conversations after starting at the Chamber focused on seating at the Taste of Cincinnati.

"We’ve done just that," she said with a laugh. "We want there to be plenty of places for people to sit down and enjoy their food."

Alfio's Buon Cibo

The Cheesecakery

Chicago Gyros

Chinos Street Food

Christine's Casual Dining

Deme Kitchen

Desi Plaza/Desi Bites

Eddie's Southern Style BBQ and Catering

El Vaquero

Fortune Noodle House

Gee's Caribbean Style

Izzy's

Just Q’in BBQ

Kabobske

Keystone Bar and Grill

Larosa's Pizza

Latin House

Lori's Road House

Maya Indian Restaurant

Mazunte

Mecklenburg Gardens

McK's

The Melting Pot

Oakbrook Bakery

Oliver's Desserts

Pompilio's Restaurant

Sawasdee Thai Cuisine

Shanghai on Elm

Stone Bowl Korean

Sweets and Meats

Thai Express

Tickle Pickle

Tweedles Mini Donuts

Olive Tree

The Arepa Place

Mashroots

Miley Pooh Sweets

Southern Grace

Chico's Cheesecakes

Honey Child

Flavors of the Isle

Magnificent Morsels Catering

As the World Churns

Wendigo Tea Company

Rangitoto – Real Fruit Ice Cream

Lotus Street Food

Dats Ole School Cookin

Makers Bakers

Banasun Smoothie Bar

One More Bite

Chacabanas

A Lil Taste of Soul

Adena's Beefstroll

Buffalo's Best

Dine-In Hawaiian

El Chevito

Hometown Swirls

House Cafe & Catering

Indigenous Chef

Just Jerks Ena's Jamaican Grill

Little Trolley Donuts LLC

Mama Afrique Nigerian Cuisine

Mamabear's Mac

Maw Maw's Creole Kitchen

Off The Hook

Quite Frankly

SEA Cuisine Foodtruck

Streetpops

Sugarsnap! Sweet Treats

The Mexican Village

Twisted Greek

Wicked Hickory

Saturday, May 27

Sunday, May 28

Monday, May 29

The following streets close at 6 p.m. Friday and will reopen at 5 a.m. Tuesday:

There's no parking on any of the closed streets during the event period. But the Cincinnati Police Department will maintain access to parking garages and hotels in those areas.

For those looking to park, there are a number of parking garages and lots along Third, Fourth and Sixth Streets and at The Banks.

Organizers advised to consider parking in the northern part of the Central Business District or Over-the-Rhine and taking The Connector streetcar toward the event zone. It has 18 stations around its 3.6-mile loop. It's free to ride.

Other recommended travel options include the Cincinnati Red Bike, Metro bus service or Uber and Lyft.