A | The Taste of Buffalo presented by TOPS is an annual event that showcases the best of the Buffalo Niagara region's culinary talents. Everyone knows about Chicken Wings and Beef on Weck, but do they know about Risotto Sticks or Buffalo Mac and Cheese? |
A | The Taste is a weekend festival filled with great food and entertainment. It is located in the heart of Downtown Buffalo along Delaware Avenue beginning just South of Niagara Square by City Hall and heading North to Chippewa St. It begins at 11 a.m. daily. The dates of the Taste of Buffalo are: |
A | In 2022, there are 40 restaurants and five wineries. On average, the Taste has over 50 restaurants, most of which are locally owned and operated. All restaurants must serve three items, as well as a Healthy Option. Healthy Options are lower in fat, cholesterol and sodium. All restaurants also have at least one "Taste" item, a smaller portion of a signature menu item, for only 4 tickets. |
A | There is no admission fee to enter the Taste of Buffalo. You can purchase food tickets at one of three ticket tents located throughout the festival. Tickets are sold in $6 sheets. You’ll receive 10 tickets for $6. Food items range between 2 and 10 tickets. Pre-sale food ticket vouchers are available at the register at participating Tops Markets locations through 5 p.m. on July 10. Purchase a $60 food ticket voucher and get 4 free non-alcoholic drinks at the Taste. $10 pre-sale vouchers are also available. |
A | All food items are priced between 2 and 10 tickets. Some winery offerings cost more. You can save by purchasing pre-sale food ticket vouchers, available at the register at participating Tops Markets locations through 5 p.m. on July 10. Purchase a $60 food ticket voucher and get 4 free non-alcoholic drinks at the Taste. $10 pre-sale vouchers are also available. |
A | There are 3 ticket tents located throughout the festival. Food tickets are sold in $6 sheets and all food items cost between 2 and 10 tickets. You will receive 10 tickest for $6 if purchased at our ticket tents at the festival. You can save by purchasing pre-sale food ticket vouchers, available at the register at participating Tops Markets locations through 5 p.m. on July 10. Purchase a $60 food ticket voucher and get 4 free non-alcoholic drinks at the Taste. $10 pre-sale vouchers are also available. |
A | Yes! You can purchase pre-sale food ticket vouchers at the register at participating TOPS Markets through 5 p.m. on July 10. Purchase a $60 food ticket voucher and get 4 free non-alcoholic drinks at the Taste. $10 pre-sale vouchers are also available. Redeem your pre-sale food ticket voucher for tickets at any of the 3 ticket tents located throughout the festival on July 9 and 10. |
A | Yes! You can save by purchasing pre-sale food ticket vouchers, available at the register at participating Tops Markets locations through 5 p.m. on July 10. Purchase a $60 food ticket voucher and get 4 free non-alcoholic drinks at the Taste. $10 pre-sale vouchers are also available. |
A | Restaurants do not offer free food, but some of our sponsors offer free samples or other giveaways. |
A | Yes. Metro Bus & Rail can get you to the Taste of Buffalo hassle free! Parking is FREE at Park & Ride lots and just $2 each way by bus or train, or $5 for a Day Pass. For more information or to plan your trip visit http://metro.nfta.com |
A | You can park on any side street that doesn't have restrictions, and there are also numerous parking lots and ramps surrounding the festival. |
A | The festival is handicap accessible. Handicap parking is available on a first come, first served basis on surrounding side streets that do not have parking restrictions. There are also numerous parking lots and ramps surrounding the festival that have handicap spots. We are the nation's largest two-day food festival so you should expect a crowd. There is plenty of shade in Niagara Square and look for our Shade Spaces on Delaware Ave in front of the Statler building to stop and get out of the sun. |
A | The Taste's Restaurant Committee accepts applications year round. To be considered, visit the "Apply" section of our website and complete the Restaurant or Food Truck application. |
A | Everyone is invited to come and party with us! Take a seat at our Culinary Stage inside the New Era Cap parking lot on Delaware Ave. and watch live cooking demonstrations, exciting competitions, and free samples of the finished dishes! The Taste of Fun KidZone presented by WellNow Urgent Care and hosted by Explore & More is a free, fun area to bring your kids. Sponsors also provide fun, interactive exhibits and free samples! Enjoy live music througout the festival all weekend long. |
A | The Taste began in 1984 by a group of civic leaders who wanted to create a family-friendly event that would help bring people to downtown on a summer weekend, and at the same time show off the region's entrepreneurial spirit by featuring locally-owned restaurants. From there, the Taste grew - and grew some more. It is now the nation's largest two-day food festival, attracting on average more than 450,000 people to downtown Buffalo. The Taste is still run by an all-volunteer board of directors, a small army of volunteers, and an Event Coordinator. |
A | The Taste is a not-for-profit corporation registered with the State of New York and is run by an all-volunteer Board of Directors & an Event Coordinator. The primary purpose of the event is to showcase downtown Buffalo and the wonderful restaurants that call our region home. As a rule, the Taste is designed to break even. Sponsorships help cover some of the expenses and food prices are set to make the event affordable for all families. The vast majority of the income from the Taste goes home with the restaurants and, after expenses (tents, electricity, permits, entertainment, trash collection, and more!), the Taste makes one or more contributions to local charitable organizations. Select charities and non-profit groups also partner with the Taste to staff ticket and beverage booths with volunteers in return for a small stipend. Up to five high school seniors residing in one of the eight counties in WNY, who intend to pursue a major in a culinary arts or hospitality curriculum, each receive $1,000 scholarships from the Taste each year. Click here to see the winners. To date, more than half a million dollars has donated by the Taste back to the community. |
A | Each restaurant offers a Healthy Option. Unfortunately, due to the vast number of menu items and ingredients, we cannot analyze each dish and, therefore, cannot make any recommendations. |
A | Submit our Sponsorship Request Form and we'll contact you directly or call: Connie Wendling |
