Taste Chattanooga 2016
Who likes tasting amazing food? Who likes tasting amazing food for a good cause? If you emphatically answered, “ME!” to either (or both) of those questions, then Taste is the event for you.
And yes, Taste 2016 is one of my 9 events in Chattanooga you shouldn’t miss.
Taste is Chattanooga’s annual premier food-tasting event. It features more than 20 fabulous restaurants and bakeries from Chattanooga and North Georgia, that bring samples of some of their best-selling items for people to munch on for the evening. Taste 2016 happened last Thursday over at Stratton Hall on Broad Street, and it was hopping with locals who were eager to taste some of the area’s best eats.

Like I said, Taste isn’t just about the food. Taste benefits the Kidney Foundation of the Greater Chattanooga Area. Proceeds from ticket sales and the event’s silent auction–with gift certificates, trips and special packages from local businesses–go straight to the Kidney Foundation and its patients and their families. The foundation’s services include assistance with rent, food, medications, insurance and transportation, and much more. And since the Kidney Foundation of Chattanooga doesn’t receive any funding from the National Kidney Foundation, Taste 2016 is a huge contributor to its continued great work and success.
Restaurants and bakeries in attendance at Taste 2016 ranged from Porter’s Steakhouse, to Rolling J’s Mobile Bistro, both of which are based in Chattanooga, to Chelsea’s on Thornton, based in Dalton, Ga. I made one round just to sample everything from the different tables before I made more rounds to talk to the chefs and event attendees. Good move on my part.

I tasted so many different foods, including sandwiches, tacos, tostadas, chicken bites, smoked pork, ribs, and of course cupcakes, chocolate mousse and more. Highlights of my plate included:
- Beignets with caramel glaze from FIVE.
- Chocolate Ecstasy from Big River Grille.
- Chicken bites and cheddar chive biscuits from Dish T’Pass.
- Bangers & Mash from English Rose Tea Room. Really took me back to my time in London.
- Drunken peach cobbler and barbecue sliders from Rolling J’s Mobile Bistro.
- Smoked rib tips from The Feed Co.
- Key Lime and Strawberry cupcakes from Chelsea’s on Thornton.

That peach cobbler was a hit with me. And I ate lots of mini cupcakes.
And how could I forget this ridiculously delicious banana pudding from Countryside Cafe. It’s ranked in the top 5 banana puddings in the state of Tennessee!
Y’all can find a whole list of restaurants in attendance and their offerings on Taste’s website. At the end of the night, everyone left with full, happy tummies, the food scene got a ton of love, and the Kidney Foundation gained even more support from the Chattanooga community.
I used to say I didn’t want to be a foodie, and that I wouldn’t let myself turn into one. Well, the longer I live in Chattanooga, the harder it is to resist. And my Chattanooga foodie bucket list keeps growing.
So, call me a foodie, I guess, and see you next year at Taste 2017!
Stay tuned to Taste’s website for updates on next year’s event!
April 12, 2016 @ 5:21 pm
Yum! Thank you for writing details about which food came from where. This sounds like a great event.
May 1, 2016 @ 11:43 pm
Send me all the pimento cheese! Side bar: I had Cook Out when I was in Nashville two weeks ago. OMG.