Taste of the West Side: The Festival You Don’t Want to Miss!
Gather your forks, glasses, food-and drink-loving friends and family: the food festival is coming back and with a bang! Taste of the West Side is going will take over a broad stretch of the west side May 30 and 31, featuring a few of the city’s greatest restaurants, tremendous music, and a vibrant community spirit.
Marking its 15th anniversary, the present edition is accompanied by some very welcome improvements. What was previously Taste of the Upper West Side is now called Taste of the West Side as the festival opens itself up to a broader celebration beyond the confines of the Upper West Side and brings in a broader stretch of the West Side.
Apart from the change in name, the festival also now has a new sponsor. After years of being sponsored by the Columbus Avenue Business Improvement District, it is now being hosted by the New York Post. This comes with a new venue too: the celebrations will be centered at the Louis Brandeis Campus on West 84th Street.
Organizers aim to extend the festival further and deeper, making it an even more inclusive celebration of food, drink, and community spirit.
More than 70 restaurants, bakeries and bars will join over the course of the two-day event, serving everything from gourmet snacks to refreshing beverages. The festival drew over 3,500 visitors in past years.
Friday, May 30, includes the festival’s kickoff with Summer in the City, a lively outdoor evening that starts at the Louis Brandeis Center on W. 84th between Columbus and Amsterdam Ave. Neighborhood locals, foodies, and friends will get to sample food from over 30 neighborhood favorites, which include a variety of cuisines such as American comfort food and Italian classics to Mediterranean specialties, bright Mexican street food, and Southern bites. Whatever your craving is, burger, mezze, mezcal, or dessert, there’s something for all. To complement the meal, treat yourself to craft cocktails, wine, and ice-cold beer, all while grooving to live music from DJ Artist TBD.
Then on Saturday, May 31, the festival continues with Best of the West, a refined evening highlighting the West Side’s gastronomic bounty and more. This unforgettable finale features a carefully curated selection of the best restaurants, high-end dining venues, and globally inspired restaurants serving memorable tastings and expertly crafted cocktails beneath the evening sky. The spotlight shines on the participation of Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi, one of New York’s newest and most acclaimed dining destinations. From bold global flavors to refined comfort cuisine, each tasting is a story on a plate. The evening includes live performances of music by the Atomic Funk Project, promising rocking music to party the night out. It is a night of indulgence, celebration, and unforgettable taste, West Side’s most highly anticipated culinary delight for the year.
This festival allows you to have fun with friends and indulge in new food cultures that you have not yet gotten around to trying. With every ticket, there is unlimited food and drink, so come hungry and ready to party.
Moreover proceeds from this concert will support two fantastic local organizations: Lifeforce in Later Years (L.I.L.Y.), an agency providing companionship and advocacy to seniors, and the Young People’s Chorus of New York City, a world-renowned youth choral program empowering youth through singing.
For additional information and tickets click on the link below: https://www.tastewestside.com/